Verizon Adds Direct Links to AWS for Enterprise Clients

Verizon Enterprise Solutions has added Amazon Web Services (AWS) to the list of cloud providers available via its Secure Cloud Interconnect (SCI) service in an attempt to make an Amazon enterprise cloud more palatable for security and network-performance-conscious companies.

SCI enables clients to manage a multi-cloud environment that allows for dynamic bandwidth allocation, application performance throughput, quality of service and usage-based billing.

Verizon’s SCI is aiming for Amazon enterprise cloud customer dollars, and has now added the largest public cloud provider to the list of options.

SCI uses AWS Direct Connect to enable pre-integration of networking and data center interfaces to create a secure, direct link to AWS.

Enterprises can register and select the AWS region and service desired to automatically provision dedicated high-speed connections quickly.

SCI with AWS Direct Connect is available immediately in Northern Virginia and Silicon Valley. London and three Asia-Pacific locations (Sydney, Singapore, Tokyo) are planned for late October.

Verizon has also started to let other carriers sell services in more of its data centers, recognizing that it needs to take an open approach when it comes to serving enterprise infrastructure and network needs.

Managed service providers like Verizon, Level 3 and Datapipe are recognizing the benefits of embracing AWS rather than viewing it as competition to their services. Data center providers like Equinix, Telx and CoreSite are also enabling Direct Connect in order to appeal to enterprises that desire hybrid infrastructure.

The ability to connect directly to multiple clouds brings more agility to the enterprise.

"As more organizations look to hybrid computing, SCI offers enterprises a very viable option," said Thierry Sender, director of technology at Verizon. "The service offers enterprises the right blend of security, private connectivity, performance, simplicity and efficiency, while enabling a wide range of applications and use cases for organizations."