Last year, Amazon Web Services (AWS) introduced over 1,000 new capabilities, with promises of more to come in 2017. The key to making these expanding AWS capabilities mainstream in the enterprise is ensuring that high-performance and secure access to these services is globally available and affordable to any size company. This is also the impetus for Equinix’s global expansion of AWS Direct Connect within its global interconnection platform.
AWS Direct Connect enables companies to connect their IT infrastructure directly to AWS using private network connections that bypass the public internet, which improves performance, reduces costs, increases security and leverages cloud computing for more applications. AWS Direct Connect is now available at Equinix in 13 global markets, and most recently, providing access to two separate regions (Dublin and London) out of our London-based LD4, LD5 and LD6 data centers.
Expanding the AWS Direct Connect UK zone
Previously, all UK-based companies would access AWS via facilities in the AWS Dublin region. The addition of AWS Direct Connect to the London region means extending UK companies’ ability to access low-latency, private cloud connectivity without going over the public internet or a private WAN. More UK-based businesses can now leverage the performance, security and a consistent quality of experience that only direct, private connectivity can deliver.
Today, AWS Direct Connect is available via cross connects, and we will be integrating AWS Direct Connect services with the Equinix Cloud Exchange™ for virtualized, multi-cloud interconnectivity in the near future. For customers that currently reside in an Equinix facility, AWS Direct Connect is available via a direct fiber cable connection between the customer equipment and the AWS Direct Connect node. This results in unparalleled application/workload performance, improved user experience and enhanced security. Access to other AWS edge locations in other AWS regions can be provided by Equinix interconnection solutions, such as Equinix Metro Connect™ or a company’s own private WAN.
As a longstanding AWS partner, Equinix owns and operates more AWS Direct Connect global locations than anyone else in the data center industry. With the addition of the London facilities, we now provide the largest AWS Direct Connect zone in the UK region. This enables many more UK-based companies from multiple industries, such as financial services and fintech, manufacturing, retail, government, and other cloud, SaaS and IT service providers, to build their specialized solutions on top of AWS.
Extending AWS capabilities to more users and applications
Some of the unique capabilities that businesses can leverage from such a large, regional interconnected AWS Direct Connect infrastructure include:
- Increased performance – given the proximity to the London metro and surrounding areas – including multiple bandwidth speeds (1- or 10-gigabits-per-second connections) and single-digit millisecond latency to extremely latency-sensitive applications, such as banking and algorithmic trading.
- Greater reliability options (backup and disaster recovery) between Dublin and London without purchasing costly WAN connectivity.
- Reliable data sovereignty by keeping data within country. This will be especially important as new data residency regulations are being developed in the BREXIT framework.
- Compatibility with all AWS Services and private connectivity to Amazon Virtual Private Cloud – Direct connections work with all Amazon web services.
In addition, AWS users will realize lower network costs for bandwidth-heavy workloads into and out of AWS by lowering bandwidth commitments to internet service providers. They’ll also see savings on AWS Direct Connect data transfer rates.
Learn more about AWS Direct Connect and how you can access its services for your expanding business.
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