Verizon expands global automation capabilities in collaboration with Equinix

As it develops its network-as-a-service strategy, global communications services supplier Verizon Business has entered into a partnership with digital infrastructure company Equinix to expand its software-defined interconnect (SDI) solution to boost connectivity options for global enterprise and public sector customers and service providers.

The two companies say they recognised shifting market demands and worked to expand this technology to meet changing global needs. Working together, they believe customers can get rapid activation of network services, lower access costs and increased networking agility by connecting MPLS and Ethernet private networking services to cloud infrastructures.

Many enterprises are now working through major changes in how they connect and inter-work between datacentres, networks, and cloud and hosting services. Verizon’s expansion of SDI capability was rated by analyst Omdia as a good example of how networks can adapt at the speed that businesses build and migrate applications.

Also, Verizon and Equinix say that since the launch of SDI in 2019, they have worked to enhance capabilities to handle the drastic shift in digital transformation journeys for enterprise and the public sector due to the pandemic. The service initially included same-day provisioning of private IP to Equinix’s colocation environments and will now support Ethernet E-Line and E-LAN wide area networks.

Verizon and Equinix have also invested in agile services and expanded into new markets. This is designed to enable customers to use Verizon’s network, up to 10Gbps, coupled with Equinix Fabric, to expand and enhance connectivity to Verizon’s MPLS and Ethernet customers globally. The scalable bandwidth and provisioning automation are a foundational component of Verizon’s network-as-a-service capabilities being rolled out at Equinix.

“Organisations are seeking more agile ways of working from anywhere on any device,” said Massimo Peselli, senior vice-president of global enterprise at Verizon Business. “To take advantage of new solutions built on 5G, from real-time data analytics and AI, to enhanced security and AR/VR, they need a flexible, programmable, scalable and reliable platform that delivers network services in a much more resilient and cloud-centric way than traditional network infrastructures.

“Equinix is a trusted strategic partner which helps enable our network-as-a-service approach to managed services, and this SDI expansion provides our customers with the agility they need to meet their needs as they migrate to the cloud.”

Bill Long, senior vice-president, core product management at Equinix, added: “As enterprise and public sector companies continue to digitally transform, they require network delivery solutions that are globally consistent, aligned with industry standards and delivered as-a-service in order to create digital advantage.

“To meet these needs, over the past two years, Verizon and Equinix have been delivering to the market a software-defined interconnection solution that helps customers interconnect their foundational infrastructures, and this next round of evolution incorporates the next generation of features our customers demand.

“By expanding the global automation and connectivity capabilities of the Verizon SDI solution, customers can now take advantage of the Equinix Fabric interconnection service and Verizon’s network-as-a-service offering to privately and securely connect their digital supply chain ecosystems including wireline, wireless 5G and public cloud networks.”