Decoding Interconnection: The Backbone of Every Data Center.
The role of Data Centers has become more important than ever due to the implosion of data triggered by the fast pace of digital transformation accelerated by the pandemic. This has resulted in enterprises shying away from the traditional siloed approach of storing all mission-critical data in a single Data Center. Today, to ensure seamless business continuity and on-demand scalability, organizations invest in diversified Data Centers to manage their sensitive business data. Which is why it is not surprising that over 40 percent of enterprises use a combination of Private and Hybrid Cloud ecosystems to distribute their data workloads. With expert management, advanced technologies, and significantly lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) proving to be the key differentiators, an increasing number of organizations are migrating to multiple Data Centers to fulfill the intensive computing power needed by their modern applications. And this is where the challenge lies. The data exchange between these physical and virtual infrastructures needs to be rapid and secure. In such complex scenarios with multiple moving parts, a viable Interconnection strategy provides an integrated and resilient mesh of connectivity.
What is Decoding Interconnection?
Interconnection refers to a tight-knit, unified network between diverse IT components spread across the entire Data Center ecosystem. Interconnection not only includes direct connectivity between multiple Data Centers spread across disparate locations, but also includes direct and unhindered connectivity to diverse Internet Service Providers, Internet Exchanges, Cloud Service Providers, Customers, and other partners. The true power of Interconnection is best harnessed at Carrier-neutral Colocation Data Centers that house distributed IT assets within the same facility.
Why is Interconnection so important?
The rapid migration to Cloud and diversification in the types of Cloud is one of the primary reasons for the growing importance of Interconnection. With organizations now increasingly using a combination of Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) providers to offer customers and employees low-latency network connectivity, Data Centers can no longer afford to operate in silos. To share data, provide backups, and enable greater resiliency, Data Centers must ensure a smooth transport of critical data assets across any distance. Interconnections ecosystems have the inherent ability to seamlessly support simultaneous connections to diverse entities and IT components thereby establishing a sophisticated network architecture that significantly reduces costs and improves performance. By cohesively integrating digital infrastructure and services at software-defined speeds in a secure environment, Interconnection accelerates scalability and ramps up network agility to build a strong foundation of an always-ready digital ecosystem.
What are the different types of Interconnection?
Interconnection can be broadly categorized in four types:
Peering Exchange
A Peering Exchange is the direct connection between two or more network carriers without any third-party involvement. Usually carried out through an Internet Exchange Point (IXP), Peering Exchanges ensure that a network can seamlessly peer with multiple other networks through a single connection.
Cross Connect
Cross-connect refers to the direct hardware linkage (via cables, cords, etc.) between multiple IT components within a Data Center. Colocation Data Centers offer an added advantage by facilitating seamless connectivity to multiple Cloud Service Providers and Internet Service Providers through a single cross-connect within the same Data Center premise.
Inter-Site Connectivity
Inter-site connectivity is a physical or virtual link between two or more facilities in the Colocation Data Center’s network. The fundamental idea with this type of Interconnection is to provide limitless scale and network-leveraging properties within a single facility. Load balancing, traffic management, and undisrupted connections are some of the tangible benefits, along with access to remote locations through regional Interconnection hubs.
Blended IP
Blended IP involves a Colocation Data Center working with upstream carriers and multiple ISPs to create an SLA-backed solution. Such network architectures develop a variety of redundancies, thus ensuring a seamless performance across providers. It saves the organization from negotiating with different ISPs and delivers better transitions than a single provider.