Simplify Secure Multicloud Connectivity for Distributed Environments

Hybrid multicloud environments are now mainstream. Ensuring connectivity with various cloud, IT and network service providers and technology partners is essential for these complex environments. In a global survey of IT leaders conducted by Foundry, 45% of respondents point to security as a top driver as they strive to meet regulatory requirements and protect sensitive data across distributed environments.[1]

For more than three decades now, when designing their network security systems, IT teams have relied on the core principles of the CIA Triad–Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability–as the foundational doctrine for securing information systems and managing risk. In the modern era of hybrid multicloud, these principles remain true and are more important than ever. Securing multicloud connectivity is vital when transmitting data between workloads across these highly complex environments, each of which may have vastly different strategies for designing, deploying and governing how these principles can or should be applied.

Two common secure multicloud connectivity scenarios

When working with new customers, we regularly encounter two different network security scenarios:

1. Some companies operate with a monolithic or centralized network security stack that provides a high degree of control, which is especially important in highly regulated industries. However, this design is often bulky and inflexible, introducing limitations around performance and scalability. Also, routing all traffic through a central corporate network can add latency, degrade performance and increase costs.
2. Other businesses use a fragmented network security design with functions scattered across multiple environments. These designs typically evolve over time for a variety of reasons, including acquisitions, new opportunities or the accelerated pace of innovation. Instead of proactively planning their network security strategy and design, they bolt on new functions in an ad hoc manner. This leads to complexity and unnecessary duplication.

Figure 1: Traditional and Fragmented Network Scenarios

As part of both these status quo architectures, we also encounter a strong reliance on internet-based multicloud connectivity–even for workloads that may not be a great fit for it. This can create significant network security and compliance challenges:

• Internet-based connectivity increases the pressure on network security due to its inherent weaknesses that render it vulnerable to attack and hamper compliance efforts.
• With traditional private WANs, it can be challenging to implement and manage all the network security measures required by different cloud environments and regional and industry-specific regulations.
• The patchwork approach to network security (using network security functions from different vendors) leads to a larger attack surface, more vulnerabilities, and potential configuration errors that create new network security holes.

Secure your network, flexibly

In contrast to the conventional scenarios depicted above, Equinix enables companies to architect highly efficient and highly reliable networks with networking and security functions placed where cloud, service providers, partners and users come together. This approach minimizes latency, complexity and duplication while improving performance, security and cost-efficiency. It also simplifies operations, allows for centralized control and consistent policy enforcement across distributed environments.

Figure 2: Consolidated security at the edge

Many companies are using Equinix Network Edge to simplify their secure hybrid multicloud connectivity by deploying virtual network functions (VNFs) as a Service. Equinix Network Edge allows enterprises to deploy virtual cloud routers, firewalls, SD-WAN devices, load balancers, zero-trust security solutions and more, all without deploying their own physical hardware.

Virtualizing multicloud connectivity for increased security

Businesses have the flexibility to secure their networks with Network Edge devices from familiar vendors and discover additional functions from new vendors in our extensive marketplace. They can build an entire network and security stack on Network Edge, selecting virtual devices from an extensive ecosystem of leading vendors. Integrated with Equinix Fabric®, our software-defined interconnection solution, Network Edge delivers hybrid multicloud connectivity solutions that strengthen security, improve performance, reduce reliance on the public internet and help minimize data egress charges.

Network functions can be deployed in a matter of minutes across a global network of Equinix’s interconnected high-performance data centers. Equinix provides a RESTful API and encourages the use of industry-standard automation and orchestration tools, such as Terraform, when businesses provision within Network Edge and Equinix Fabric, to enable streamlined, consistent and repeatable deployments.

Accelerating network security stack deployments

Deploying and interconnecting through Device Link Groups (DLG) is seamless–much easier than it’s ever been. DLGs are a specialized service for Network Edge VNFs to communicate over a private Layer 2 network and can span multiple metros via Equinix Fabric. Businesses can rapidly deploy an entire network security stack and quickly interconnect with one another with the desired optimal interface configuration.

Enterprises can use Equinix Network Edge without deploying their own physical infrastructure at an Equinix IBX® data center. Instead, they can virtually deploy the network functions they need, then connect with their existing digital infrastructure elsewhere.

Connecting virtually without a colocation deployment

Bring your own connection (BYOC) remote Equinix Fabric ports enable businesses to connect a non-Equinix location to a Network Edge deployment via a network service provider (NSP). They can bring in a last-mile circuit from their current environment, wherever it is, and connect it to the Network Edge device. This doesn’t have to be via the internet; instead, it can be over a private connection. Making this connection provides an on-ramp to Equinix Fabric, enabling migration of data and applications across hybrid cloud infrastructures and between different public cloud environments.

When enterprises solve network security challenges with VNFs as a Service, they can also expect to achieve the following results:

• Improved network performance by unlocking more efficient network designs with routing and network security closer to the edge
• Future-ready distributed network security architecture with network infrastructure that’s scalable, flexible and cost-effective
• Lower costs and streamlined operations by consolidating network security functions and eliminating unnecessary duplication
• Enhanced resilience with fault-tolerant network security functions, minimizing downtime and ensuring business continuity

Solving business challenges with secure hybrid multicloud connectivity

Faced with the increasing complexity of hybrid multicloud environments, enterprises are prioritizing faster, more robust network security. Here are two real-world examples of how organizations effectively addressed their network security challenges.

Dojo wanted to deliver faster card payment processing services. They needed a colocation and digital infrastructure partner who could provide the security and fast interconnection required for a scalable, high-performance hybrid multicloud environment. The solution involved deploying inside two Equinix IBX® data centers in the UK, and using Equinix Fabric and Network Edge for low-latency access to public clouds and financial services ecosystems. This enabled Dojo to deploy their new payment services in a very tight timeframe. Read the case study.

International IT specialist Arvato Systems beat DDoS attacks by harnessing Link11 Cloud Security and deploying a geo-redundant multicloud infrastructure at Equinix. With a redundant network and security infrastructure, they were able to eliminate system failures and reduce customer service calls by 90%, double internet bandwidth and increase system capacity. Read the case study.

Ensuring network security and compliance at Equinix

Equinix provides a comprehensive solution for optimizing network security across distributed and hybrid multicloud environments. Thanks to Equinix’s unique combination of global, cloud-adjacent facilities, industry-leading virtual network functions and secure private connectivity options, organizations can easily and quickly deploy network security capabilities in the places where public clouds, private networks, the internet and other services they rely on converge. They can simplify network security infrastructure while following the industry-standard secure access service edge (SASE) framework.

Enterprises can tap the full potential of distributed and hybrid multicloud environments and build secure, high-performance networks for the most demanding applications. This prepares them to support the continuously increasing data volumes required to support AI training and inference and other evolving technologies.

To learn more about how businesses are using Equinix Network Edge to deploy secure multicloud connectivity across hybrid environments, check out our solution reference design: Multicloud Networking Solution Design for Network Edge.

[1] Connectivity as the competitive edge, Equinix, 2025.