Hybrid IT is driving new demands for faster, high-performance data center interconnection (DCI). Enterprises are running a large volume of IT workloads in the cloud, combined with mission-critical applications and data across global data centers. In this increasingly distributed environment, they need a better way to connect diverse data center footprints and multiple cloud service providers (CSPs).
According to a survey by Gartner, 80% of enterprises will have shut down their traditional data centers by 2025, compared to just 10% today. The challenge for them is to make the seamless transition from their traditional data center infrastructure to interconnecting their data centers and clouds around the world.
A Better Way To Interconnect
The legacy approach to DCI was built around multiple suppliers, long lead times, manual processes, and offline “on the phone” procurement. With the growth of hybrid cloud, global businesses cannot afford to be placed on unnecessary waits and delays.
Furthermore, traditional DCI ecosystems built around a limited data center footprint limit a company’s growth, as well as the customers and partners they can interconnect with. The fact is that a growing number of options now offer an open ecosystem that goes beyond legacy networking.
Businesses are increasingly seeing the importance of taking control of how they connect, optimize and expand their operations around the world. Without being restricted to a single data center environment or having to allocate resources to doing it themselves, they can leverage on a cloud-centric DCI ecosystem for a more agile, secure and flexible way to interconnect.
They can now choose software-defined networking (SDN) fabrics to interconnect data centres on-demand rather than being locked into a single DCI ecosystem. With greater programmability and automation, it is a new networking model that enables businesses to grow whenever and wherever they see opportunities.
Removing The Complexity From DCI
An SDN platform enables better control and visibility over the network. With SDN-based interconnections, the provisioning and management of connectivity services is done through a single platform. This makes it less resource-intensive to build a functional DCI ecosystem.
Most businesses today need the ability to roll out new services quickly across the globe, as well as to optimize their connectivity for their applications. A traditional DCI ecosystem restricts their ability to connect flexibly and scale across interconnected networks of data centers. With on-demand connectivity, businesses enjoy faster time to market.
Regardless of whether it is metro or long-haul DCI, being able to manage the service, supported by real-time analytics, is a huge differentiator. Organizations can continually adapt and optimize their network connectivity with granular bandwidth options to meet the changing needs on an intuitive and intelligent interface.