We checked in with SolarWinds Tech Evangelist Sascha Giese to hear what he’s been learning on the ground, from Warsaw to Dubai.
Certification Builds More Than Skills
At our World Tour stops in Riyadh and Dubai, one of the biggest draws was our SolarWinds Certified Professional® (SCP) certification. These aren’t just technical credentials; they’re powerful community touchpoints. Sascha explains, "We do these once a year on a regional basis and try to offer them free to our partners. We fly in a trainer—usually from our Manila team—for four full days of training and exams. People love it." What’s striking isn’t just the attendance but the enthusiasm. "We saw strong turnout for both the SCP and the SSE (Sales and Solutions Enablement) certification. SSE is more focused on sales and marketing teams, and it’s a much shorter session, but even there, engagement was high. People asked thoughtful questions, shared feedback, and were excited to show off their badges on LinkedIn a week later."
Customer Stories Lead the Way
Nothing gets attendees more engaged than hearing from their peers. In Warsaw, the clear highlight was a presentation from the city of Krakow, which is using SolarWinds tools in its journey to become a smart city. "Honestly, it was one of the best things I’ve seen," says Sascha. "The customer was incredibly creative. They showed us dashboards, alert visualizations, and practical ways they’re monitoring IoT devices like temperature sensors."
The team in Krakow found a way to monitor device uptime and ensure continuous data flow from distributed sensors. "That kind of innovation comes from the field," Sascha notes. "We don’t always know how our tools will be used, especially outside traditional enterprise environments. But it’s amazing to see."
Seeing those use cases not only inspires other customers, it also informs the product team. "They’re using features like the API poller in smart, unorthodox ways. That feedback loop is gold. We’re learning from them as much as they’re learning from us."
Regulations Shape the Conversation
In regions like the Middle East, the discussion around digital transformation is inseparable from regulation. "A lot of people wanted to know how we handle AI, especially in places with strict data sovereignty laws," says Sascha. "There’s genuine interest in innovation, but it has to happen within some very clear boundaries."
This makes the role of hybrid deployments and flexible observability platforms more important than ever. "These governments don’t want their citizens’ data leaving the country," Sascha explains. "So the cloud is trickier there. You need to offer options that keep the data local but still allow for modern observability."
In these environments, vendors need to show not just technical capability but regulatory empathy. "You can’t just pitch the latest AI feature and expect applause. You need to show that you understand the rules and can help your customer stay compliant," Sascha adds. "And that’s where SolarWinds shines. We meet people where they are—technically, geographically, and legally."
Partners Play a Central Role
One of the biggest takeaways from the tour stops in Riyadh and Dubai was the overwhelming presence and influence of SolarWinds partners. "The Middle East is incredibly channel-driven," says Sascha. "At those events, we probably had more partners than direct customers. And that’s by design."
Sascha compares it to a family reunion. "We’ve been working with some of these partners for years. They know us. They trust us. And they’re invested in seeing our roadmap evolve." That trust shows up in the questions, the engagement, and the pride. "When partners are taking certification exams and posting their achievements online, it tells you they care about representing SolarWinds at a high level."
The structure of the events in the Middle East also reflected this priority. "Our local business partners helped organize and host both events. It’s a joint effort. And the feedback was overwhelmingly positive," Sascha says. "We’ll definitely be back."
All Eyes on Johannesburg
The World Tour is currently on pause for the summer, but one of the most anticipated stops on the schedule is Johannesburg, South Africa. Sascha will be there, and he’s expecting big things.
"We’ve had great experiences in Johannesburg in the past," he says. "In 2022 and 2023, we held events with local distributors and had fantastic turnout. The energy was amazing."
This year, the SolarWinds event will coincide with the AWS Summit, creating an opportunity for crossover. "It’s two events in one," says Sascha. "And at the AWS Summit, I’ll be presenting on OpenTelemetry. It’s a great chance to engage a slightly different crowd."
That kind of audience diversity is important. "The AWS audience might not be familiar with how much SolarWinds has evolved in the last five to seven years. They still think of us as just network monitoring. But when we show up and talk about observability, SaaS, and OpenTelemetry, they’re genuinely surprised. That’s where we get to tell our story."
Want to catch us live? The SolarWinds World Tour picks back up this August in Johannesburg and continues through the fall. Don’t miss your chance to connect with our team, get hands-on with the latest features, and learn how observability is evolving to meet the needs of hybrid, cloud-forward organizations worldwide.
