Build a Cloud-Ready Infrastructure with Equinix and WWT

While the ongoing hardware supply chain shortages aren’t news to anyone, exactly how long they’ll continue is difficult to say for sure. Analysis from Gartner® shows that the shortage will begin to clear up by the end of 2022:

“Based on the aggregated projection recovery, a return to normal inventory levels won’t occur until Q3 or Q4 of this year.”[1]

However, that would only be the beginning of the recovery; it may take well into 2023 for supply to fully catch up to demand, particularly for more advanced semiconductor nodes.

This shortage may have thrown a wrench into many enterprises’ expansion plans, but it’s still possible for these enterprises to make smart, future-proof infrastructure investments. Specifically, the supply chain shortages can be a great driver to accelerate hybrid multicloud adoption with a virtualized approach.

Simplifying the hybrid multicloud experience

There are very good reasons so many organizations are choosing distributed hybrid multicloud over traditional siloed IT infrastructures built around private data centers. Chief among these reasons is the ability to scale flexibly to locations around the world, while also leveraging best-of-breed solutions from multiple cloud service providers.

However, there are tradeoffs involved: the potential performance and agility benefits of modern hybrid multicloud architectures must be weighed against the level of control you may give up by moving away from a centralized IT infrastructure. Because they’re distributed on both sides—delivering distributed services to distributed users at the edge—today’s hybrid multicloud architectures can make it difficult to ensure security, visibility, compliance and availability.

In addition, you may have trouble designing your hybrid multicloud architecture to ensure that all workloads are running in their ideal locations. This is due to what we like to call the “data gravity challenge.” Data gravity is the phenomenon that causes applications to drift closer to the data that supports them, due to latency requirements. This can be a challenge for enterprises attempting to build out their ideal hybrid multicloud architecture; if they store data sets in a certain cloud, it may make it more difficult for them to place applications in other clouds. (Storing data in the cloud can also lead to higher costs driven by data egress fees.)

Enabling simple, agile hybrid multicloud connectivity worldwide

Together, Equinix and World Wide Technology (WWT) help our mutual customers build the cloud-ready infrastructure they need to overcome hybrid multicloud challenges, even during the era of supply chain shortages. Equinix IBX® data centers are available in more than 65 metros worldwide, many of them home to cloud on-ramps to major cloud providers. This helps enterprises take a cloud-adjacent approach in all the locations that matter to their business. They can overcome data gravity by keeping their data near the cloud of their choice, without having to store that data in the cloud. As a result, they can enjoy a cloud-like experience by unlocking temporary cloud services on demand, while also maintaining greater control over their data and avoiding cloud vendor lock-in.

In addition, Equinix Fabric™ provides software-defined interconnection services on a global scale. No matter where your preferred cloud providers are located, Equinix Fabric can help provide the direct, secure connectivity needed to take advantage of their services. Equinix Fabric connections can be automated via API access and also controlled by an intuitive self-service web dashboard, which makes it quick and easy to set new virtual connections to cloud providers or update existing ones as your business needs change. You can also use Equinix Fabric to build out redundant planes, supporting high availability for cloud applications and services.

Equinix Fabric Global Locations

Enterprises can also integrate Equinix Fabric with Network Edge virtual network functions (VNFs), including SD-WAN and SASE for secure, consistent edge access and flexibility and cost benefits over traditional MPLS-based networks. VNFs can be deployed quickly and easily, even during widespread supply chain shortages. This means you can start on your hybrid multicloud journey quickly, rather than having to wait up to 12 months for new hardware to become available.

Start slow before you grow

Even if you want to take a “crawl, walk, run” approach—starting with a single Network Edge device as a proof of concept and then building out from there—you can feel confident your VNF deployment represents a step in the right direction. You can connect with a single cloud provider to start with, and then add additional cloud or SaaS providers as you go. It may not be the exact way you imagined building your hybrid multicloud architecture, but deploying virtual infrastructure represents progress toward your ultimate strategic goals.

When optimizing IT’s time to value is critical, virtualization offers unmatched agility to enable your organization’s hybrid multicloud architecture. You can pursue your goals without getting locked into any particular vendor’s architectural prescription. By integrating virtual network infrastructure into your approach, you can establish a blended architecture that gives you maximum flexibility to adapt your enterprise and overcome any foreseeable digital transformation challenges.

Together, WWT and Equinix are more than the sum of their parts

Existing Equinix customers are no doubt familiar with the value we offer when it comes to hybrid multicloud networking:

• A global platform that allows access to the right cloud providers in the right places.
• Equinix Fabric for virtual connectivity that’s quick and agile.
• Network Edge for powerful networking solutions, even during the worst of the hardware shortage.

However, they may be less aware of the value they can get from pairing Equinix solutions with WWT’s skills and expertise in network design.

Working with WWT’s team of experts, you can take the critical components that Equinix provides, and turn them into a future-proof, cloud-ready infrastructure that’s custom-designed for the needs of your business. In addition, you’ll get access to the WWT Advanced Technology Center (ATC). WWT has invested millions to create the ATC, a B2B platform that applies the power of physical labs to virtually answer customers’ most important business questions. The ATC can help customers design, build and deploy complex technical proofs of concept, integrating Equinix hybrid multicloud use cases.

To learn more about how Equinix can help you address your hybrid multicloud challenges by applying the power of Equinix Fabric software-defined interconnection, virtual network functions from Network Edge, and partnerships like the one we have with WWT, read the Platform Equinix® vision paper today.

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For a deeper look at how the Equinix/WWT partnership offers business value to our mutual customers, watch the multicloud solution video below.

Also, view the Equinix Fabric video below to learn how deploying virtual network devices can help you optimize multicloud connectivity.

Finally, to get started putting WWT and Equinix to work for your business, we invite you to request a one-hour Multicloud Connectivity Platform briefing. You’ll learn how your business can apply software-defined networking for greater control over visibility, orchestration, routing and security in your hybrid multicloud architecture.

[1] Gartner, “What’s Ahead for Semiconductor Shortages”. KC Quah, March 11, 2022. GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.