The STEMINISTS Podcast

Here's a hot take: AI isn't your biggest competitive advantage. Getting value from your technology might be. 

On this episode of The STEMINISTS, Phoebe Goh sits down with Deboja Das, VP of Customer Success Portfolio Management at NetApp, to talk about a role that's gone from behind-the-scenes support function to front-and-center business driver. 

As organizations invest heavily in AI, cloud, and cyber resilience, the pressure is on to prove those investments are actually moving the needle. Deboja explains why customer success is increasingly responsible for bridging the gap between ambitious technology strategies and tangible business outcomes. 

The conversation covers everything from proactive support and cyber preparedness to data governance and AI-driven customer experiences. The message is clear: technology may start the journey, but customer success determines whether you reach the destination. 

Key takeaways: 

Customer success is evolving from support center to strategic advisor. 

Data governance and security are more interconnected than ever. 

AI can help predict problems before they impact the business. 

Shared accountability drives better outcomes. 

Long-term value is the metric that matters most. 

Because in today's technology landscape, success isn't measured by what you buy. It's measured by what you achieve. 

 

Learn more: 

https://www.netapp.com/customer-experience/  

 

Connect with us!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/darnellfatigati/  

https://www.linkedin.com/in/phoebegoh/ 

 

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Deboja Das on customer success in the AI era: why shared responsibility beats the support-ticket model 

Episode overview 

In this episode of "The STEMINISTS Podcast," host Phoebe Goh talks with Deboja Das, VP Customer Success Portfolio Management at NetApp, about how the relationship between vendors and customers has changed over the last ten to fifteen years. Deboja Das traces three distinct eras: reactive break-fix support, the SaaS and cloud era where customer success and product support worked closely on onboarding and adoption, and the current era, where professional services, customer success, product support, and digital capabilities combine to detect and resolve issues before customers even notice them. 

 

Deboja Das argues that data has become a critical business asset and, in many cases, the last line of defense for enterprises, which raises the stakes for how vendors help customers spot risks and blind spots. She points to infrastructure as a clear example: after years of attention shifting to the application layer, AI has forced a reinvestment in infrastructure because enterprise data has to become AI-ready. She also raises data sovereignty as a newly urgent concern, driven by geopolitical change, alongside long-standing questions of access, governance, and compliance. 

 

A second argument centers on shared responsibility for security and reliability. Deboja Das references the software update that disrupted the airline industry as evidence that failures stem from interconnected systems, not a single vendor's product issue. She concludes that security and uptime are a collective responsibility between vendor and customer, not a burden that falls on one side alone. She also describes specific NetApp practices, including success plans, intake forms, and an always-on value tracker and health dashboard, that put this philosophy into operation. 

 

Key takeaways 

Deboja Das offered guidance for technology buyers and vendors navigating the shift from reactive support to proactive, outcome-driven partnerships. 

Customer success has moved from reactive problem-fixing to measuring "time to value," meaning vendors now focus on how fast a customer's business problem gets solved rather than how fast a support ticket gets closed. 

Infrastructure has returned as a priority investment area because AI requires enterprise data to be reorganized and prepared as AI-ready data. 

Data sovereignty has become a bigger issue recently due to geopolitical changes, even though it wasn't a major topic a few years ago. 

Security and system reliability are a shared responsibility between vendor and customer, not the sole obligation of either party. 

Modern customer success integrates professional services, product support, and digital capabilities into one team, aiming to detect and resolve issues before the customer notices them. 

NetApp uses success plans, intake forms, and an always-on value tracker and health dashboard to show customers ongoing value, even when nothing has broken. 

The single most useful question a customer can ask a vendor is how the vendor will keep the customer successful on an ongoing basis, not just at the point of sale or renewal. 

 

Topics and themes 

This episode covers the shift in vendor-customer relationships toward shared accountability for data, security, and business outcomes. 

The evolution of customer success: from break-fix support, through SaaS-era onboarding, to today's integrated, proactive model. 

Data as a critical business asset: the growing responsibility to secure, govern, and track who accesses enterprise data. 

AI-ready infrastructure: the resurgence of infrastructure investment driven by AI's data requirements. 

Data sovereignty and compliance: an emerging concern shaped by geopolitical shifts. 

Shared responsibility: the argument that vendors and customers jointly own security and reliability outcomes, illustrated by a major software-caused airline industry outage. 

Outcome ownership: measuring success by whether a customer's original business problem got solved, not by response speed. 

Always-on value demonstration: tools like health dashboards and value trackers that show benefit continuously, not only during a crisis. 

Vendor evaluation: the questions buyers should ask to assess a vendor's commitment to the full customer life cycle. 

 

Notable quotes 

"I'm still an engineer at heart, even though I'm now talking business and top line and margins, but I'm still an engineer. And that's what makes this role very interesting because the promise of engineering is what is delivered by customer success." (0:54) 

"Previously it's like, 'Hey, I bought a product, it's not working, can you fix it?' ... Right now it's almost like we don't want to talk about issues. We don't want to talk about how fast we are resolving your problem. We are talking about the outcome, first time to value." (7:46) 

"That's always been a question. Securing a data seems like to be a customer's responsibility." (5:00) 

"I think it's a collective responsibility of everybody. It is as much a customer's responsibility as it's a vendor's responsibility." (5:48) 

"We go that extra mile to make sure that full life cycle capability, we got your back for you." (9:39) 

"How are you ensuring that I'm successful on an ongoing basis, not just the first time? I sell you the product and then I'm gone and I just come back to you on

The AI conversation has changed. The hype is loud. The hard questions are louder. 

Can your infrastructure keep up? Can your data be trusted? And are you building for long-term value or just chasing the latest shiny object? 

In this episode of The STEMINISTS Podcast, Phoebe Goh, joined by guest co-host Darnell Fatigati and technology strategist Kris Cornwall, unpack the biggest takeaways from NetApp Insight 2026 and the technology shifts shaping the next chapter of enterprise AI. 

Together, they explore the debut of NetApp Novus, the rise of AI factories, the growing demand for flexibility across storage environments, and why interoperability may be one of the most underrated competitive advantages in tech today. 

If your organization is trying to move from AI curiosity to AI capability, this conversation offers a refreshingly practical perspective, with just enough healthy skepticism to keep things interesting. Because while everyone is talking about AI, the organizations creating real value are focused on something far less glamorous: getting their data house in order. 

Key Takeaways 

AI success starts with trusted data. The biggest barrier to AI isn't the model. It's knowing where your data lives, whether it's governed, and if it's ready for production. 

The future isn't homogeneous. Enterprises need the flexibility to leverage data across clouds, on-premises environments, and multiple storage platforms without costly disruption. 

Platform strategy beats point solutions. As AI, cloud, virtualization, and security continue to converge, organizations gain more value from interoperable ecosystems than isolated technologies. 

Tune in to hear why the next wave of AI leadership won't be defined by who adopts AI first, but by who builds the strongest data foundation beneath it. From infrastructure strategy to practical execution, this episode offers a candid look at what it really takes to turn AI potential into business impact. 

 

Learn More: 

https://www.netapp.com/novus/ 

https://www.netapp.com/insight/  

https://www.netapp.com/platform/  

 

Connect with us! 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/darnellfatigati/  

https://www.linkedin.com/in/phoebegoh/ 

 

The STEMINISTS Podcast: NetApp Insight 2026 recap: data readiness, platform strategy, and the next phase of enterprise AI 

Episode overview 

In this episode of "The STEMINISTS podcast," host Phoebe Go is joined by guest co-host Darnell Fatigati, and guest Kris Cornwall, a NetApp industry veteran. The conversation recaps NetApp Insight 2026, NetApp's annual in-person customer conference, and centers on the announcements shaping enterprise AI infrastructure. Kris Cornwall frames the event around a single question customers kept asking: not what AI can do, but how to operate it. 

The main argument from Kris Cornwall is that NetApp Insight 2026 announcements fit together under one umbrella, the NetApp platform, rather than standing as a collection of separate technologies. Kris Cornwall describes the platform as a way to unify storage, cloud, operations, security, and consumption into a single operating model, built to work with the technology choices customers have already made, including partnerships with Oracle, SAP, NVIDIA, Supermicro, Commvault, Nutanix, and Cisco. 

Darnell Fatigati brings the customer perspective into the discussion, pointing to data readiness as the issue infrastructure teams raised most often at the conference. Specific examples discussed include NetApp Novus, a storage architecture for gigawatt-scale AI factories and NeoCloud environments; support for heterogeneous storage that lets customers access data across formats and locations without copying it; a new partnership with Oracle Cloud Infrastructure as a fourth supported hyperscaler; and expanded virtualization support, including new integration with Nutanix alongside existing VMware and Red Hat options. 

Key takeaways 

The following takeaways summarize the main points Kris Cornwall and Darnell Fatigati raised about AI infrastructure readiness and the NetApp platform strategy. 

Customer conversations about AI shifted in 2026 from "what can AI do" to "how do I operate, secure, and fund it," according to both Kris Cornwall and Darnell Fatigati. 

Infrastructure and storage teams, not just data science teams, are now directly involved in AI planning conversations. 

Data readiness, not future scale, is the immediate barrier most enterprises face when deploying AI agents today. 

NetApp now supports heterogeneous storage, which means enterprises can connect SMB, S3, and NFS data across cloud and on-premises environments without migrating or copying it first. 

Avoiding data migration during AI integration reduces two specific risks: permissions not transferring correctly, and AI agents acting on outdated data. 

NetApp Novus is a storage architecture built for AI factories and gigawatt-scale NeoCloud environments running tens to hundreds of thousands of GPUs. 

NetApp added Oracle Cloud Infrastructure as a fourth supported hyperscaler, joining AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure. 

NetApp® ONTAP® gives customers one consistent data foundation across hyperscalers, so a hybrid multicloud setup doesn't require four separate operating models. 

NetApp expanded virtualization support with a new Nutanix integration, in addition to existing support for VMware and migration paths to Red Hat. 

Kris Cornwall recommends that customers start AI planning with their workloads and desired outcomes, not with a specific product or announcement. 

Topics and themes 

This episode covers the shift from AI experimentation to AI operations, organized around the announcements made at NetApp Insight 2026. 

AI maturity curve: the move from exploratory AI questions in prior years to operational questions about security, funding, and integration in 2026. 

Data readiness: preparing existing data estates, across formats and locations, for use by AI agents without requiring migration. 

The NetApp platform: a unified operating model spanning storage, cloud, operations, security, and infrastructure consumption. 

Ecosystem partnerships: integrations announced with Oracle, SAP, NVIDIA, Supermicro, Commvault, Nutanix, and Cisco. 

NetApp Novus: a storage architecture built for gigawatt-scale AI factories and NeoCloud GPU environments. 

Heterogeneous storage support: in-place access to SMB, S3, and NFS data without copying or ETL processes. 

Multi-hyperscaler strategy: support for AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, and now Oracle Cloud Infrastructure through NetApp ONTAP. 

Virtualization flexibility: support for VMware, Red Hat migration paths, and new Nutanix integration. 

Customer-led planning: starting AI initiatives from business workloads and outcomes rather than from specific products. 

Notable quotes 

"It was really exciting. To no surprise, AI was everywhere. That's what people are talking about. But also I feel like conversations were more grounded than they were a year ago." - Kris Cornwall, 00:01:28 

"Last year I felt like people didn't really know what questions to ask, but this year, definitely the storage, the infrastructure teams were leaning in saying, 'Okay, what does this mean for me from an infrastructure standpoint?'" - Darnell Fatigati, 00:01:44 

"We're not saying you need to move this data, so you don't have to copy it." - Darnell Fatigati, 00:07:00 

"We introduced NetApp Novus, a new storage architecture that is really geared for the highest, we call them AI factories or gigawatt scale environments." - Kris Cornwall, 00:05:05 

"We know that most enterprises don't use one hyperscaler and they make lots of workload decisions and about where to place their data." - Kris Cornwall, 00:09:00 

"I think customers need to start with their workloads and the outcomes they want to get. Don't start with the product, don't start with an announcement, but start with their workloads." - Kris Cornwall, 00:10:47

Most infrastructure conversations start with budgets. The best ones start with outcomes. 

If you've ever thought Storage as a Service was just a finance conversation, this STEMINISTS podcast episode might just change your mind. Or at the very least, make storage a lot more interesting. Phoebe Goh and Victoria Lam, Solutions Architect at NetApp, unpack why Storage as a Service should be viewed as a strategic enabler rather than simply a consumption model. From cloud transformation to AI readiness, Victoria explains why the organizations getting the most value are the ones planning for change, not just managing costs.  

Drawing on her experience helping global organizations, Victoria breaks down why forward-thinking leaders are looking beyond CapEx versus OpEx debates and focusing instead on agility, risk reduction, and long-term business outcomes. From unexpected AI growth and evolving workloads to hybrid cloud ambitions that never seem to arrive on schedule, she explains how Storage as a Service can help organizations stay ready without overcommitting to yesterday's plans.  

The conversation explores why so many companies still overbuy infrastructure, how consumption-based models can keep future cloud options open, and why successful technology strategies start with outcomes rather than hardware specifications. Because the smartest infrastructure decision isn't always, "What storage should I buy?" It's, "What problem am I actually trying to solve?"  

Plus, Victoria shares how her business background helps her translate between technical and business teams, offers insights from one of the world's most diverse technology regions, and reveals the unexpected truth that learning Australian slang might be more complicated than learning AI.  

If you've ever thought Storage as a Service was just a finance conversation, this episode might just change your mind. Or at the very least, make storage a lot more interesting. 🎙️ 

 

Key Takeaways 

Storage as a Service shifts infrastructure from a capital planning exercise to a strategic flexibility play. Instead of making long-term bets on future demand, organizations can adapt as business priorities evolve.  

The real ROI isn't just lower costs, it's lower risk. Consumption-based models help organizations avoid overprovisioning, reduce technology lock-in, and respond faster to changing business requirements.  

AI and data growth are making agility a board-level concern. As workloads become less predictable, infrastructure that can scale with demand becomes a competitive advantage.  

Cloud transformation requires optionality. For many organizations, Storage as a Service provides a practical bridge to hybrid cloud, keeping future migration paths open without forcing immediate decisions.  

Leading organizations start with outcomes, not infrastructure. The most effective technology strategies are built around business objectives such as growth, resiliency, and innovation, then aligned to the right operating model. 

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, like and share.  

 

Learn More: 

https://www.netapp.com/novus/  

https://www.netapp.com/keystone/  

 

Connect with us!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/phoebegoh/

Everyone's obsessed with getting "good data." But here's the uncomfortable question: what happens when your AI has accurate data and still makes the wrong decision? 

In this episode of The STEMINISTS podcast, host Phoebe Goh welcomes back AI data expert Darnell Fatigati for a conversation that challenges one of the biggest assumptions in AI today: that data quality is enough. Spoiler alert: it ain’t.   

As AI agents move beyond answering questions and start making recommendations, triggering workflows, and taking action, the stakes get a lot higher. A data point can be technically correct and still completely miss the bigger picture. Without critical context, AI isn't making informed decisions. It's making confident guesses. And these guesses turn into mistakes that scale fast. 

Phoebe and Darnell unpack why data context, trust, governance, and even organizational memory are becoming essential ingredients for successful AI. They explore how businesses can help AI understand not just what happened, but why it happened, so agents can act responsibly instead of accidentally creating expensive chaos at machine speed.  

Key Takeaways: 

Why clean data doesn't automatically lead to smart AI decisions  

The difference between data quality and data integrity, and why it matters more than ever  

How context turns information into understanding and understanding into action  

Why organizational memory may be your next competitive advantage in AI  

Practical steps to make your data more AI-ready without boiling the ocean  

Plus, Darnell shares the story of an AI that managed a professional baseball game surprisingly well... until one very human variable showed up and reminded everyone that context still matters. ⚾🤖  

Because in the age of agentic AI, it's not enough for your data to be correct. Your AI needs to understand the assignment.  

Like what you hear? Follow and share The STEMINISTS Podcast with your network. The future of AI won't be built on more data alone. It'll be built on better understanding. 🚀 

 

Learn more about the Symbiotic relationship between AI and Data:

https://www.netapp.com/blog/symbiotic-relationship-data-and-ai/  

 

Check out how AI is only as good as the data that fuels it: 

https://www.netapp.com/blog/ai-is-only-as-good-as-the-data-that-fuels-it/  

 

Connect with us! 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/phoebegoh/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/darnellfatigati/

Planning infrastructure for the next five years right now feels a lot like packing for a vacation when the weather app says: "sunny, snowing, chance of dinosaurs." 

In this episode of The STEMINISTS Podcast, host Phoebe Goh sits down with Sarah Olibah, leader of a team of modernization solution architects at NetApp, to tackle one of the biggest challenges facing organizations today: making critical technology decisions when the only certainty is uncertainty.  

From AI initiatives that seem to appear overnight to shifting business priorities, evolving demand, and unpredictable market conditions, leaders are being asked to make infrastructure bets without the luxury of a crystal ball. Sarah explains why infrastructure planning isn't really about technology. It's about managing uncertainty and building enough flexibility to thrive when assumptions inevitably change. 

Together, Phoebe and Sarah unpack the sometimes awkward, often entertaining reality of bringing IT, finance, operations, and business leaders into the same decision-making process. Everyone wants the "right" answer, but they're often optimizing for completely different outcomes. The CIO wants agility, the CFO wants financial predictability, and the operations team wants reliability. Nobody's wrong, but nobody's speaking exactly the same language either. 

The conversation explores the growing discipline of value engineering, a framework that connects technology investments to measurable business outcomes. Sarah shares how bringing stakeholders together earlier helps organizations move beyond debates about products, pricing, and technical specifications to focus on what really matters: agility, resilience, ROI, flexibility, and long-term business value.  

In this episode, you'll discover: 

Why adaptability beats perfect forecasting every time.  

How to align technology, finance, and operations around shared business outcomes.  

The risks of designing solutions before defining priorities.  

How value engineering helps organizations navigate uncertainty with confidence. 

Why flexibility may be the ultimate competitive advantage in the AI era.  

And because no STEMINISTS episode is complete without a plot twist, Sarah closes out the conversation by sharing her latest hobby: wood whittling, including a handcrafted spoon that proves precision and patience aren't reserved for infrastructure planning alone.  

If your organization is trying to balance AI ambition with business reality, this episode offers a smart, practical, and surprisingly relatable perspective on making better decisions when the future refuses to cooperate. 

🎧 Enjoyed the conversation? Like, follow, and subscribe to The STEMINISTS Podcast. Then share this episode with your colleagues, leadership team, and fellow tech enthusiasts. After all, uncertainty may be inevitable, but navigating it is a lot easier when you're comparing notes with smart people. 

 

Learn more: 

https://www.netapp.com/data-infrastructure-insights/

 

Connect with us! 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/phoebegoh/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-olibah-1265b59b/