Ruben's EUC Industry Bento Box - March 2025

Inside the bento box, you will find various articles, blog posts, tools, white papers, videos, best practice guides, and more. Each entry includes a summary/description to help you maximize your learning with minimal reading! So, whether you're an EUC geek, a seasoned professional, or just starting in IT, we’re sure the Bento Box has something for everyone. Let’s unwrap this month’s Bento Box and celebrate another year of innovation together!

Industry News & Insights

1. Negotiate like a CEO

Negotiation is a critical skill in nearly every professional context—whether you're discussing salary, closing a deal, or aligning with stakeholders. Yet, many people enter these situations feeling unprepared or uncomfortable. In this post, Eric Partaker shares how he transformed his approach to negotiations through deliberate practice and mindset shifts. His experience is a practical example of how anyone can improve in this area with the proper focus, his article and infographic are a great read.

2. End-User Experience Management Platforms – SPARK Matrix

As digital workspaces become increasingly complex, measuring, managing, and improving the end-user experience (EUX) has become a business priority—not just an IT concern. The 2024 SPARK Matrix by Quadrant Knowledge Solutions provides a transparent market overview of leading End-User Experience Management (EUEM) solutions such as Nexthink, Lakeside, Omnissa, 1E/Teamviewer, eG Innovations, ControlUp and others.

My 3 Lessons addressed by the report are: ‍

1. AI-Driven monitoring is becoming the standard
   Leading EUEM platforms use AI and machine learning to detect performance issues early, predict disruptions, and automate response—minimizing downtime and user frustration.
2. EUX is Part of DevOps / platform engineering and digital workspace strategy
   Practical EUEM tools now integrate with DevOps pipelines, feeding actual user data into product development and IT operations to continuously improve user experience.
3. Proactive issue resolution is key
   Top solutions don’t just detect problems—they fix them automatically. This shift toward self-healing systems reduces support tickets and boosts employee productivity.

The full report, including strategic performance assessment and ranking of the EUX solutions, can be found here.

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3. Not incentivized yet efficient – Working from home in the public sector

In their paper titled "Not Incentivized Yet Efficient: Working From Home in the Public Sector," Alessandra Fenizia and Tom Kirchmaier examine the impact of working from home (WFH) on productivity among public sector employees. Utilizing novel administrative data and exploiting variations in work locations, the authors provide insights into how WFH arrangements influence worker performance in environments where traditional monetary incentives are often absent.

Key Findings and Lessons:

• A 12% rise in cases processed at home with no change in quality. Alongside the reductions in office space, this reduces costs by about 20%.

• A range in how individual employees respond. Some improve productivity by 25% while others are less efficient WFH. So, employee choice can further increase WFH benefits.

• Fully remote offers no additional change vs hybrid. These employees were WFH on average 3 days a week and in the office 2 days a week, which seemed to be a sweet spot for their productivity.

When talking about productivity, what is the impact of GenAI on work productivity?

The St. Louis Fed examined how generative AI is used in real workplaces—not just in theory. They focused on how often people use tools like ChatGPT or other AI assistants at work and what impact that has on productivity.

‍Key Lessons Learned:

• People are using it: About 1 in 4 workers used generative AI during the past week, and nearly 1 in 10 used it daily. So, it’s not just hype—it’s part of daily workflows. ‍
• It saves time: On average, workers who used AI saved about 5.4% of their work time that week. That’s like gaining back 2.5 hours in a 40-hour week. ‍
• Heavy users are diving deep: A third of regular users spend at least an hour a day with generative AI. Nearly half use it for 15–59 minutes daily. That’s not just quick prompts—it’s integrated into their job.

The bottom line is that people find value in generative AI at work every day. It’s still early, but the productivity gains are already showing up—mainly because AI helps workers move faster, not necessarily because it's doing their jobs for them. The full article can be found here.

4. Video: Surviving a Near-Death Experience & the Future of VDI | Ruben Spruijt | New Rules of the Game

Brad Peterson interviewed me in this episode of New Rules of the Game. I opened about a terrifying near-death experience and how it reshaped my outlook. But that’s just the start. I also break down hot topics in IT, from the future of AI, Secure Browser, and VDI to why so many tech professionals are currently out of work. It combines personal stories, sharp tech insight, and straight-up career advice. You can watch the full episode below:
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Speaking of happiness – the World Happiness Report is a great read!

(Note: Sharing food is one of the info nuggets to keep in mind... Joey -- please share food!)

‍5. AI – NVIDIA GTC, Google, Disney and Groq

In his recap of Nvidia’s GTC 2025 keynote, John Furrier highlights how Jensen Huang is reshaping the future of computing. From massive AI factories to next-gen chips, Nvidia is clearly betting big on an AI-first world. Key lessons learned from the Nvidia GTC keynote (video) are:

• Blackwell architecture is a game changer: Nvidia’s new Blackwell system can deliver 1 exaflop of compute in a single liquid-cooled rack—built for large-scale AI workloads.
• AI factories > data centers: Huang views traditional data centers as outdated. Are AI factories the future? AI factories are designed to generate intelligence at an industrial scale.
• Dynamo OS boosts inference speeds: Nvidia’s new AI-optimized OS, Dynamo, handles key inference steps and helps deliver up to 40x performance gains when paired with Blackwell.
• Smarter networking is essential: With innovations like Spectrum-X and 1.6 Tbps silicon photonics, Nvidia solves massive GPU systems' scale and power challenges.
• AI-powered robotics is next: Nvidia is building tools for training robots in digital twins before they ever touch the real world—paving the way for general-purpose automation.

“The IT department is going to become the HR department of your digital workforce," Nvidia CEO, Jensen Huang predicts: IT departments will evolve into HR for digital workforces, which are responsible for onboarding, fine-tuning, and continuously improving the AI system (source). Someone else noted, “AI systems will need performance reviews, ethical oversight, and continuous learning just like human employees.”

Google Gemini
With the release of Gemini 2.0 Flash, Google has effectively leapfrogged the competition in the visual AI space. In one move, they’ve rendered most image-generation tools obsolete—thanks to a single model that can generate, understand, and iterate on visuals like never before. These 10 examples show just what Gemini 2.0 is—and why creative limitations might officially be a thing of the past.

Groq

‍Jonathan Ross — Founder and CEO of Groq and the visionary behind the world’s first Language Processing Unit (LPU™) — shares his journey from launching Google’s TPU project to pioneering new frontiers in AI hardware. The conversation dives deep into the economics and future of AI, exploring topics like the inefficiencies of current inference models, the rise of synthetic data, energy use in data centers, and how global powers like China and Europe are positioning themselves in the AI race. Whether you're an AI enthusiast, investor, or tech strategist, this podcast episode offers a powerful glimpse into the forces shaping the next era of computing

Bonus: Public Speaking

Public speaking is often cited as one of the most common fears, with many individuals experiencing significant anxiety at the mere thought of addressing an audience. However, effective communication is a vital skill in both personal and professional contexts. To help individuals overcome this challenge, Dr. Heather Maietta has compiled a list of 11 practical public speaking tips, here are 4 of them:​

1. The 5-5-5 Rule: Make eye contact with five people, holding each for five seconds, and repeat every five minutes to build trust and stay grounded.​ ‍
2. Power Pause: Incorporate three-second pauses after key points to allow the audience to absorb the information.​ ‍
3. The 3-Part Open: Begin with a question, share a personal story, and outline the promise of your talk to engage listeners from the start.​ ‍
4. Palm-Up Principle: Use open palms to signal openness and avoid pointing, which can appear aggressive.​

The other 7 tips can be found here.

For the Geeks!

This section of the EUC Bento box is written for geeks, nerds, IT Professionals, and technology enthusiasts in general.

1. Scott & Mark Learn To... Find Joy in Hobbies

In this episode of Scott and Mark Learn To, Scott Hanselman and Mark Russinovich dive into hobbies and how they balance tech work with leisure activities. Mark opens about his long-time love for the Battlefield video game series, where he’s spent countless hours playing multiplayer, while Scott shares his passion for retro gaming on his Steam Deck. The conversation explores their favorite games, including Half-Life: Alyx, and how gaming is a much-needed release. They also discuss their non-tech hobbies—Mark’s unexpected talent for drawing, which he picked up again during COVID, and Scott’s thoughts on how AI and nerd sniping influence their spare time. The episode offers a fun and candid look into how these tech giants unwind and keep their creativity flowing. Watch the full episode below:

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2. Takeaways from red teaming 100 GenAI products

Microsoft Red Teamed 100+ Generative AI Tools—Here’s What They Found. As generative AI tools flood the market, security risks are scaling just as fast. To get ahead of the curve, Microsoft put over 100 AI products through rigorous red teaming—simulated attacks designed to expose weaknesses before real adversaries do. The results? Eye-opening. From prompt injection vulnerabilities to overlooked content filters, even the most advanced tools are far from airtight. This isn’t just about theoretical risks—it’s a clear call for builders, businesses, and users to rethink how we secure AI systems from the ground up. The biggest takeaways from Microsoft’s deep dive are that: prompt injection is still a major threat, AI misuse goes beyond just text, and security must be built into the development lifecycle. The full article and whitepaper can be found here.

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Microsoft Cybersecurity Reference Architectures:  

Microsoft created the Cybersecurity Reference Architectures (MCRA): a comprehensive framework that shows how Microsoft’s security solutions can work together across identity, endpoints, data, apps, infrastructure, and more. MCRA isn’t a product pitch—it’s a visual and strategic guide designed to help CISOs, architects, and IT teams understand how to build an integrated, end-to-end security posture using modern tools and cloud-first thinking. Whether you're modernizing legacy infrastructure, securing a multi-cloud environment, or aligning with zero-trust principles, MCRA offers a clear blueprint to get there. The RA can be found here.

To close it with a smile: ‘Dear, did you say pastry?’: meet the ‘AI granny’ driving scammers up the wall 😊

3. Azure Virtual Networks do not exist

In his article "Azure Virtual Networks Do Not Exist," Aidan Finn challenges common misconceptions about Azure's networking architecture. He emphasizes that Azure Virtual Networks (VNets) are not physical entities but are instead constructs within Azure's software-defined networking framework. Finn explains that when a VNet is created, the Azure fabric allows Network Interface Cards (NICs) associated with that VNet to communicate directly with each other, without the need for traditional network elements like gateways. This direct communication is managed through encapsulation techniques, such as VXLAN, enabling packets to travel from source to destination seamlessly. Understanding this architecture is crucial for designing effective and efficient network solutions in Azure.

4. Will Windows security hardening improve systems performance?

We usually think of security hardening as a trade-off—better protection at the cost of performance. But what if the opposite is true? In this deep dive, GO-EUC investigates whether Microsoft’s Windows Security Baselines and hardening recommendations can improve system performance in virtual desktop environments. Through real-world testing across multiple configurations, the team challenges the assumption that security always slows things down—and uncovers some surprising results. Can security hardening make windows Faster? Anton and Leee from GO-EUC Puts It to the Test, the research results can be read here.

5. Why are the Dutch So Good at Waterworks?

The Netherlands, aptly named "The Lowlands," has a long history of battling water, with about a quarter of the country situated below sea level. This unique geography has necessitated innovative engineering solutions to protect its land and people from flooding. In this video, Grady Hillhouse of Practical Engineering explores the remarkable water management systems of the Netherlands, including the Veluwemeer Aqueduct and the Maeslantkering storm surge barrier. He delves into the history, challenges, and ingenuity behind these projects, shedding light on why the Dutch are renowned for their expertise in waterworks. This quick and interesting documentary is a great watch: 
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Action!

‍Thanks for reading; if you have any questions, please get in touch with me!  

Want to take Dizzion DaaS powered by Frame for a spin? Try Now for instant access to Frame! If you are active in the EUC community with, e.g., Amazon, Citrix, Microsoft, Nutanix, or Omnissa, and want to use Frame for 1 year for free. Let me know so I can tell you more about the Dizzion DaaS (Frame) Community Program.

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