Equinix extends customer access to Alibaba Cloud in 17 markets

API integration with ECX Fabric allows streamlined access to Alibaba Cloud across the Americas, Asia-Pacific and EMEA

Equinix will extend access to Alibaba Cloud through Platform Equinix for customers from 17 metros globally, including Dubai, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Jakarta, London, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, as well as United States metros such as Chicago, Dallas, Denver.

This expansion, along with its API integration with Equinix Cloud Exchange (ECX) Fabric , will help enterprises from these global markets easily and privately connect to Alibaba Cloud on Platform Equinix.

Available in more than 170 International Business Exchange (IBX) data centres across 45 metros, ECX Fabric is an on-demand, SDN-enabled interconnection service that allows any business to connect between its own distributed infrastructure, and that of any of its 2,100 users, including the world’s largest network service and cloud providers, on Platform Equinix.

With the partnership, Alibaba Cloud can also enjoy secure, direct access to an interconnected ecosystem of more than 9,700 customers, including 1,800 network providers and over 2,900 cloud and IT service providers globally to enhance performance, lower latency, and increase reliability for its customers.

Amid increasing market demand, Alibaba Cloud has also integrated its API with ECX Fabric to streamline the process for enterprises to facilitate private and direct connections to Alibaba Cloud. Through a single portal, customers can create and manage private connections to Alibaba Cloud on demand in any of the 45 ECX Fabric metros, in minutes.

Shunmin Zhu, principal engineer of infrastructural products at Alibaba Cloud Intelligence, said Equinix’s global platform and expanding footprint has made it easy for Alibaba Cloud to grow into new markets.

“This valuable and growing collaboration enables us to deliver further flexibility and security, while also bringing our services closer to businesses, without having to compromise on speed or performance,” said Zhu.

Royce Thomas, SVP for global account management at Equinix, said direct access to cloud service providers, like Alibaba Cloud, via high-speed, low-latency connections is helping enterprises gain a competitive advantage and fully realise the benefits of the cloud.