Conference Description
Key Takeaways
- International forum for systems and storage research bringing together academic and industrial communities
- Hybrid format with virtual conference sessions and an in-person workshop on systems and artificial intelligence
- Addresses technical challenges including scalability, reliability, performance and AI integration
- Features peer-reviewed research presentations, keynote lectures and poster sessions
- Organised in collaboration with the Israeli Systems & AI workshop
Introduction
The ACM International Systems and Storage Conference (SYSTOR 2026) returns in September as a leading forum for researchers and practitioners working at the forefront of computer systems and storage technologies. Scheduled for 8–9 September 2026, the conference provides a platform for sharing peer-reviewed research, exploring emerging challenges and building connections across the global systems research community. With artificial intelligence increasingly influencing how storage and computing infrastructure is designed and operated, the intersection of these disciplines has become a focal point for both academic inquiry and industrial innovation.
About SYSTOR 2026
SYSTOR is an established ACM-sponsored conference that has long served as a meeting point for those advancing the state of the art in systems architecture and storage technologies. The 2026 edition adopts a hybrid format, with the main conference taking place virtually over two days. This approach enables broader international participation while maintaining the depth of technical discourse the event is known for.
The conference programme includes research paper presentations, keynote lectures from prominent figures in the field, and poster sessions that allow emerging work to receive early feedback. These formats collectively support the exchange of ideas at various stages of development, from foundational research through to practical implementation.
The Israeli Systems & AI Workshop
Organised in collaboration with SYSTOR, the third Israeli Systems & AI (ISAI) workshop takes place on 7 September 2026 as an in-person event hosted at RedHat Raanana. This workshop specifically examines the convergence of systems research and artificial intelligence, a pairing that has grown increasingly relevant as machine learning workloads place new demands on storage, memory and compute infrastructure.
The ISAI workshop complements the main conference by providing a dedicated space for discussions around AI-driven systems optimisation, intelligent storage management and the architectural considerations that arise when deploying large-scale AI applications. Attendees participating in both events gain exposure to the full spectrum of current systems research.
Technical Focus Areas
SYSTOR 2026 addresses several persistent challenges in systems and storage research. Scalability remains a central concern as data volumes continue to grow and distributed architectures become more complex. Reliability and fault tolerance are equally critical, particularly in environments where storage systems must maintain data integrity across geographically dispersed infrastructure.
Performance optimisation continues to drive research activity, with work spanning hardware-software co-design, novel storage media and more efficient data placement strategies. The integration of AI into systems management represents a newer but rapidly expanding area, encompassing automated tuning, predictive maintenance and intelligent resource allocation.
Industry and Academic Collaboration
The conference draws participation from a mix of academic institutions and technology organisations. Notable contributors include RedHat, Regatta Data, AsteraLabs, Eon.io, VMware Research Group and IBM Research, alongside university research groups. This blend of perspectives ensures that discussions remain grounded in both theoretical advancement and practical applicability.
Such collaboration is particularly valuable in systems research, where the gap between laboratory prototypes and production deployments can be substantial. By bringing together those who design systems and those who operate them at scale, SYSTOR facilitates knowledge transfer that benefits both communities.
Who Should Attend
SYSTOR 2026 is designed for academic researchers, graduate students, R&D engineers, system architects and technology leaders with interests in computer systems and storage. Those working on AI infrastructure, distributed systems or data management will find particular relevance in the programme. The conference also serves professionals seeking to understand how emerging research may influence future technology directions within their organisations.