Enterprises around the world continue to grapple with growth in data, driven by everything from mobile data traffic, digital transformation, cloud computing and the adoption of technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and big data analytics. Regardless of the source, however, more than 2.5 quintillion bytes of data are created every day – and savvy enterprises should constantly explore the best strategies for handling that data.

One such strategy that enterprises are increasingly embracing is data center interconnection (DCI), which gives enterprises access to multiple service providers and an array of connectivity options. While interconnection has long been used by carriers and Internet providers, enterprises are increasingly recognizing the massive benefits of creating a direct, physical contact point between servers, providers and customers.

Benefits to enterprise IT

Enterprises that embrace interconnection benefit from OPEX savings and improved IT utilization through data center consolidation and virtualization. Likewise, interconnection enables enterprises to achieve better scalability and performance with greater resiliency, while also reducing costs and reducing complexity.

Interconnection also gives enterprise IT Improved flexibility through greater pooling of server and storage resources, improved data control and security. That translates to faster service and response times between data centers for business-critical applications. Moreover, interconnection gives enterprise IT the ability to meet rigorous business and clinical needs, seamlessly share data among providers, safely backup and store millions of records and prepare for growth.

Advantages of interconnection platforms

Enterprises also can benefit from interconnection platforms, which create simple, point-to-point optical paths that allow organizations to move enormous amounts of data between data centers at the lowest cost per bit. Such platforms enable data centers to make interconnection easy, accessible and reliable for the enterprise.

A number of interconnection platforms already exist, providing enterprises with a variety of benefits, including:

  • DE-CIX supports peering, private ecosystems and cloud access through several Internet exchanges in Europe, the Middle East, North America and Asia
  • Unitas Global provides edge-to-cloud connectivity that’s capable of delivering software-defined networking (SDN) solutions to millions of global addresses
  • PacketFabric allows enterprises to instantly provision secure network connectivity between any points on its global network, thereby giving them full control of data center-to-cloud capabilities

Doing more with less

Because interconnection gives enterprises multi-service connectivity through a single port, they also gain the ability to do more with less. By leveraging interconnection technologies, enterprises speed the delivery of new services, reduce operating costs and improve flexibility and efficiency as they dynamically manage capabilities.

Interconnection protects enterprises from data silos that create inefficiencies on a variety of levels. When data is analyzed in a more seamless format, it can be used to build models and deliver insights that are integrated into day-to-day workflows, while also empowering enterprises to innovate and make decisions on the fly.

The Independent Data Center Alliance (IND-DCA) has a number of members that offer interconnection solutions, including:

  • Bluebird Network, which operates an expansive network throughout the Midwest, launched the Springfield Internet Exchange (SpringIX) in October 2020. Hosted in the Bluebird Underground Data Center, the Internet exchange allows enterprise customers to cross connect and share traffic, thereby reducing latency and improving bandwidth by offloading traffic locally.
  • DataGryd at 60 Hudson Street in New York City provides direct access with more than 300 carriers and exchanges through direct fiber conduits without any cross-connect fees or obligations.
  • maincubes in Amsterdam and Frankfurt provides all of its data center customers with direct connects to public cloud providers, Internet exchanges, including AMS-IX and DE-CIX, Ethernet port-to-port services, other data centers, Internet broadband services and security services.
  • New York Internet (NYI), which partners with DataGryd at 60 Hudson, offers NYI Cross Connect Fabric (CCF), an affordable, efficient way for enterprises to provision and manage interconnects within and between datacenters and providers.

The Independent Data Center Alliance is here to help you understand the options and advantages of interconnection. Contact our data center consultants today to learn more.