Colt IQ Network brings connectivity into the Cloud era
Colt Technology Services has announced the latest addition to its SDN-enabled “On Demand” portfolio, Dedicated Cloud Access (DCA), which provides intelligent, secure and reliable private connectivity to the public cloud, allowing customers to bypass the internet.
The first cloud service provider to become available on the Colt On Demand platform is Microsoft Azure, through its ExpressRoute private networking offering.
Colt’s DCA On Demand supports connectivity from the Colt IQ Network into the Azure cloud platform in real time, avoiding traditional telco service delivery processes, which could take days or weeks to enable new services.
It also allows customers to flex bandwidths up and down themselves via a portal, enabling them to dynamically meet additional bandwidth demands for cloud connectivity. In line with this on-demand flexibility, customers now have the option to choose per-hour pricing plans, as well as more traditional fixed term contracts. Instant service delivery combined with the ability to flex services in line with real time demand give additional benefits for cloud-enabled businesses, while delivering access to the cloud with the same confidence, performance and security as a private LAN or WAN.
The On Demand service is initially available at Microsoft’s ExpressRoute locations in London, Dublin and Amsterdam with plans to enable existing ExpressRoute interconnects in Tokyo, Frankfurt and a brand new presence in Paris for On Demand services in 2017.
According to Rajiv Datta, Colt’s chief technology officer: “Public cloud services have long been associated with scalable, flexible capabilities, and our On Demand offering really brings the network into the cloud era. An intelligent network is an essential part of demanding enterprises’ public cloud experience and the launch of our DCA On Demand service sets a new standard for customer experience compared to existing WAN services or Internet connections. This addition to our On-Demand portfolio underlines Colt’s position of challenging the status quo of traditional providers with innovation and flexibility.”
Mikkel Riis, senior product marketing manager, Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Corp. commented: “The cloud is driving transformation through new business models, easy global expansion and reach, accelerated innovation and time to market, along with an enhanced customer experience. Collaborating with Colt to bring ExpressRoute to customers is a core part of these attributes and values.”
Going forward, Colt will announce the roll-out of DCA On Demand for other leading cloud service providers, allowing enterprise customers to enjoy a consistent experience across multiple cloud platforms. More than 5,000 enterprise buildings and 200 Data Centres are currently eligible for On Demand connectivity to Microsoft Azure.
About Colt
Colt provides high bandwidth services for enterprises and wholesale customers in Europe, Asia and North America’s largest business hubs. Colt enables the digital transformation of businesses through its intelligent, purpose-built, cloud-integrated network, known as the Colt IQ Network. It connects over 700 data centres around the globe, with over 24,500 on-net buildings and growing. Colt is also recognised as an innovator and pioneer in software defined networks (SDN) and network function virtualisation (NFV).
Colt has built its reputation on putting its customers first, with a focus on delivering true local presence and agility for enterprises that are global yet need local attention. Customers include data intensive organisations spanning over 200 connected cities in nearly 30 countries. Colt counts 19 of the top 25 global telecoms companies and 18 out of the top 25 global media companies (Forbes 2000 list, 2016) amongst its customers. In addition, Colt works with over 50 exchange venues and 13 European central banks. Owned by Fidelity Investments, Colt is one of the most financially sound companies in its industry, providing the best customer experience at a competitive price. For more information, please visit www.colt.net.
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