Microsoft is the first cloud service provider (CSP) to be added to the network, which is now offering Dedicated Cloud Access (DCA) to allow secure connectivity to the public cloud, bypassing the internet.
Colt’s DCA On Demand supports connectivity from the UK-based carrier’s IQ etwork into the Azure cloud platform in real time, slashing traditional delivery processes, Colt claims.
The service will initially be launched at Microsoft ExpressRoute locations in London, Dublin and Amsterdam. However, there are plans to expand to existing interconnects in Tokyo, Frankfurt and Paris later this year.
Mikkel Riis, senior product marketing manager, Microsoft Azure said: “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.”
Colt is positioning itself as a leader in SDN and SD-WAN, having announced a partnership with AT&T at Capacity Europe in November which will see the two carriers develop the service.
Colt said it also plans to add more CSPs to the DCA On Demand platform. More than 5,000 enterprise buildings and 200 data centres are currently eligible to use the service, Colt claims.
The service allows customers to utilise a portal to flex bandwidths themselves, depending on the levels needed for cloud connectivity. The SDN-based service gives Colt’s customers the ability to choose per-hour pricing plans on top of tradition fixed term agreements.
“Public cloud services have long been associated with scalable, flexible capabilities, and our On Demand offering really brings the network into the cloud era,” explained Colt CTO Rajiv Datta.
“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.”
