Microsoft Azure, the cloud computing arm of the software behemoth, recently had an outage due to a utility power spike, disrupting Azure services in the South and Southeast Asia area and, by extension, the operations of numerous businesses. Customer data, system maintenance, analytics, and other key data-driven use-cases are all dependent on reliable data transmission, therefore any delays or outages to this process may have a significant impact on the day-to-day operations of modern digital enterprises. In a recent interview with DSA, Ivo Ivanov, CEO of DE-CIX International, a world-leading Internet Exchange operator, discussed the difficulties and potentials of the current cloud connection scenario.
Cloud Conundrums
When asked about the main challenges that businesses face when it comes to the cloud connectivity landscape, Ivanov argues that there are a few problems that arise when firms rely too much on cloud computing for their day-to-day operations. The possibility of cloud concentration is one of the greatest difficulties that companies face today. If a corporation stores all of its most important information and programmes in a single cloud, it might suffer serious implications in the event of an outage or data breach. This won’t just have an effect on the company itself but on its partners and consumers as well.
Cybersecurity is another important issue. Businesses that use the Internet for access to their cloud infrastructure do so at great peril. Data security is compromised when it goes through the public Internet since its journey is unknown and beyond anyone’s control. The primary goal of cybersecurity initiatives may vary between industries. For shops, the most pressing issue may be financial theft, whereas healthcare providers may be more concerned with restricting access to potentially sensitive patient data. A Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) assault is a type of cyber attack in which an overwhelming volume of Internet traffic overwhelms a target’s network and causes service disruption.
Fortunately, Cloud Exchanges allow organisations to directly communicate with their cloud service providers, reducing the likelihood of adverse events. In this manner, the organisation has complete command over the data’s journey and is aware of every network connection it makes. Businesses may keep running smoothly without worrying about cloud concentration or cybersecurity issues thanks to this direct link. As more businesses use cloud computing, the importance of direct connecting via a Cloud Exchange to safeguard the connectivity landscape rises.
Cloudy With a Chance of Change
Organisations in the Asia-Pacific region are struggling with the difficulties of keeping up with the ever-changing cloud technology landscape. Ivanov claims that cloud connection is one of the most pressing IT issues for businesses in the Asia-Pacific region. According to a recent poll by IDC, 80% of regional businesses agree that cloud computing is essential to improving operations and ensuring continuity.
And still, there is rising worry about cloud concentration threats as the region’s varied businesses rapidly use the cloud. That is to say, when a company relies too much on a single cloud provider for mission-critical data and apps, it leaves itself open to interruptions. A growing number of companies are using a multi-cloud approach to address this problem. This method not only reduces the risk related to relying too heavily on a single source but also frees enterprises from being locked into a single cloud provider by letting them choose the finest services available from a variety of providers.
Yet, it isn’t sufficient to use only several cloud service providers. In order to reap the benefits of a multi-cloud approach, enterprises need to put in place the proper routing and connection architecture. Cloud-based routing services are necessary in this case. Businesses may avoid bringing data back to their private network or infrastructure by utilising a Cloud Exchange platform to route data across clouds during data transfers. This not only improves application performance by decreasing data transmission costs but also boosts data transfer speed.
Connectivity resilience is essential in today’s world of remote workers and international trade. For this purpose, it is possible to employ a multi-X approach, which makes use of many resources (such as several platforms, locations, and service providers). Companies can protect themselves against disruptions in data flow caused by external factors by constructing many levels of redundancy.
A Cloud Sage’s Words of Wisdom
As we wrap up our look at the APAC region’s cloud connection landscape, Ivo Ivanov provides some final words of wisdom for companies debating whether or not to employ cloud connectivity solutions. When it comes to administering unlimited cloud-based apps and safely sharing vast amounts of data with any number of partners or suppliers, Ivanov suggests that organisations should explore customised connections.
“Implementing a custom connectivity strategy through an interconnection platform and leveraging its digital ecosystem of partners is straightforward, quick to implement, and cost-effective, enabling businesses to future-proof their network infrastructure,” says Ivanov.
Customised connection, in fact, provides all the benefits of the open Internet while reducing the associated hazards. Businesses may connect with partners and suppliers as required and guarantee the timely delivery of mission-critical data by developing a unique connection strategy.
As such, enterprises in the Asia-Pacific region that are interested in using cloud connectivity solutions should pursue bespoke connections. The DE-CIX Cloud Exchange, for instance, lists over 50 different cloud service providers, including well-known names like Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, IBM Cloud, Microsoft Azure, and Oracle, and a broad variety of smaller, specialised providers from across the world. Whether a company prefers a hybrid or multi-cloud approach, these services provide them with the freedom to select the best cloud service providers for their specific needs.
