Equinix expands collaboration with IBM Cloud

Companies today are using cloud platforms, and many are using a hybrid cloud strategy with a combination of public, private and on-premises capabilities. A hybrid cloud strategy addresses major enterprise concerns as they move more of their applications to the cloud, including security concerns, data protection and protocols, availability, and cloud management.  To enable hybrid cloud deployments for enterprises, Equinix and IBM are leveraging the global ECX Fabric to provide private connectivity to IBM Cloud, including Direct Link Exchange, Direct Link Dedicated and Direct Link Dedicated Hosting.

Additionally, Equinix has joined the IBM Cloud Direct Link Service Provider Program, providing at least one Direct Link point of presence in each of IBM’s strategic markets and enabling private connections to IBM Cloud that meet the digital transformation needs of many enterprises today. With these moves, customers in 16 metros around the world can now create a secure, private cloud onramp to connect to IBM Cloud. Effectively bypassing the public internet, customers can utilize ECX Fabric to implement low-latency, hybrid cloud solutions that connect directly to IBM Cloud and help dynamically scale their IT infrastructure at the digital edge.

·       ECX Fabric is an on-demand, SDN-enabled interconnection service that allows any business to connect between its own distributed infrastructure and any other company’s distributed infrastructure, including the world’s largest network service and cloud providers, on Platform Equinix^®.

·       Direct Link, IBM Cloud's private interconnection service, provides customers with a connection to their enterprises' on-premises network or private data center to the IBM Cloud platform. By utilizing ECX Fabric, IBM Cloud Direct Link customers can benefit from secured and scalable network availability to the IBM Cloud platform.

·       The IBM Cloud Direct Link Dedicated Hosting solution offered within Equinix IBX data centers provides space, power and connectivity with direct access to IBM Cloud via ECX Fabric. This improves network performance, providing companies with the secured, customized support needed for dedicated workloads that require predictable latency. Together, this allows global businesses to leverage emerging technologies like AI, data analytics, Blockchain and the full suite of IBM Cloud services, knowing their data is secured with enterprise-grade security.

·       IBM Cloud has deployed more Direct Link locations with Equinix than with any other provider. Current metros include Amsterdam, Chicago, Dallas, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, London, Melbourne, New York, Paris, São Paulo, Silicon Valley, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto and Washington, D.C.

·       Direct and private connectivity to strategic cloud service providers like IBM Cloud is essential as digital transformation fuels higher demand for localized digital services at the edge. According to the Global Interconnection Index (GXI) Volume 2, a market study published recently by Equinix, interconnection between enterprises and cloud and IT providers is projected to grow 98% per annum through 2021, supporting businesses building out new digital services and migrating existing workloads to third-party cloud platforms.