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EQUINIX WHITE PAPER

Network Optimization

THE VALUE OF NETWORKPERFORMANCE HUBS

2NETWORK OPTIMIZATION WHITE PAPER | TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Introduction ............................................................................3

Growth Trends ...................................................................3

The Importance of the User Experience .................................4

A Brief History of Internetworking ...........................................5

Basic Connectivity and Functionality .................................5

Scale and Manageability ....................................................5

Dynamic Connectivity ........................................................5

Quality ...............................................................................5

WAN Today ............................................................................6

Typical Legacy Architecture ...............................................6

The Quest for Better Network Performance ...........................7

WAN Optimization Appliances ...........................................7

Remote Display Services and Virtual Desktops .................7

Application Delivery Networks ...........................................7

Increased Bandwidth .........................................................8

The Network Re-imagined: Network Performance Hubs ........9

Network Performance Hubs ...............................................9

Enterprise Regional WAN Topology ...................................9

Blueprint for a Better Network ..........................................10

Carrier-neutral Data Centers ...........................................10

Platform Equinix: A Global Interconnection Platform ............ 11

Connectivity Choices .......................................................13

Direct Connection ......................................................13

Ethernet .....................................................................13

Optimized Internet .....................................................13

The New Distributed Architecture .........................................14

The Epicenter of Connectivity ..............................................15

Proof Point: Equinix-on-Equinix ...........................................16

Bringing It All Together .........................................................18

3NETWORK OPTIMIZATION WHITE PAPER | INTRODUCTION

In a world of anytime, anywhere and any device, enterprises are continually faced with the complex challenges of delivering more data, more apps and more mobility to more endpoints and for more information consumers. Enterprise applications and their underlying wide area networks (WANs) can be key business enablers. However, many enterprises have architectural, implementation and cost challenges that often lead to sub-optimal performance and therefore perceived lower business value. By introducing a new way of supporting enterprise applications and data with high-performance, cost-effective network architecture, this paper will provide enterprises with a solution to meet these network challenges.

It’s hard for today’s generation to imagine what life was like before the Internet. Yet less than 25 years ago, the online world was a very different place. Apart from a few hobbyists who accessed Internet news groups and exchanged messages by dialing into “bulletin board services,” most people connected to networks only for business, if they connected at all. Contrast this with today where users feel panic and isolation if they are disconnected for more than a few hours – or even a few minutes.

Growth TrendsThe trend towards anywhere, anytime, any device computing is accelerating. In fact, a recent Cisco study1 offers some startling statistics:

• Over the next few years, more than 70 percent of Internet users will have five or more devices.

• Approximately 15 billion devices will be added to the global network over the next 3-5 years.

• From 2011-2016, global IP data traffic will increase from 30.7 to 110 exabytes per month.

• Over the same time, global mobile traffic will increase from 0.6 to 10.8 exabytes per month (an 18x increase in just five years).

Clearly, we are living in a world of more: more data, more apps, more mobility, more endpoints and more information consumers.

AN INTERCONNECTED WORLD

1. http://www.cisco.com/en/US/solutions/collateral/ns341/ns525/ns537/ns705/ns827/VNI_Hyperconnectivity_WP.html

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A Non-Distributed Architecture Increases LatencyAs enterprises become more global, both business and end-user expectations continue to increase. As the pace of change accelerates, CIOs are no longer able to meet the evolving needs of their workforce. The combination of an increasingly global end-user community and a non-distributed network architecture leads to different classes of users as shown in Figure 1.

Those working at headquarters generally have a good user experience due to their close proximity to applications and data sources. Branch office users located within a few hundred miles of headquarters also tend to have a good experience; however they may experience delays when using latency-sensitive applications that are served from HQ. Remote office workers who are at a more significant distance from where applications and data are hosted almost always have a negative user experience. And mobile workers, especially those who travel widely, often have the most frustrating application experience of all: positive when working at HQ, but frequently unusable when on the road.

Networked applications, data and underlying wide area networks (WANs) can be key business enablers. While the end-user measures satisfaction through interacting with applications and data, the CIO must deal with the need for continuous, high-speed connectivity and the associated logistical, technological and cost challenges. CxOs are constantly looking for new, cost-efficient ways of delivering and consuming IT resources, while at the same time providing high end-user quality of experience (QoE). For their part, end-users – including employees, customers and partners – are demanding richer application services, increased speed, higher reliability and more choice. Businesses that are able to deliver high QoE have happier, more productive users. Those that can’t are at risk of higher employee, customer and partner turnover; negative brand image; and loss of revenue.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE USER EXPERIENCE

NETWORK OPTIMIZATION WHITE PAPER | THE IMPORTANCE OF USER EXPERIENCE

Figure 1: Levels of End-user Experience

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1. Headquarters2. Branch3. Remote4. Mobile

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5NETWORK OPTIMIZATION WHITE PAPER | A BRIEF HISTORY OF INTERNETWORKING

Basic Connectivity and FunctionalityWhen computing was young, companies that needed to interconnect their sites would provision dedicated circuits between each location to create a wide area network (WAN). This private line architecture required separate links between each site regardless of whether the deployment architecture was “hub & spoke” or “star.” Each time a new node was needed, new connections were added from every existing location to bring the site fully “on net.” This led to scalability and manageability challenges.

At this time, only a few networks existed for the sharing of information between organizations or end-user communities. These networks were predominantly limited to academic institutions and military agencies, and as a result, functionality was minimal.

Scale and ManageabilityAs the number of sites, companies, end-user communities and networks expanded, there was an increasing need for a more manageable means of connectivity. Frame Relay was the original “cloud” architecture. With Frame Relay, the enterprise connected to a network cloud that was built and operated by a service provider, and the enterprise no longer needed to manage point-to-point circuits between sites. While many benefits were derived from Frame Relay, including lower costs, improved time-to-market and better manageability, its underlying static “hub & spoke” or “star” deployment architectures yielded complexity and performance challenges. Also, Frame Relay was essentially a private network technology that did not effectively enable information sharing between organizations or emerging end-user communities. While Frame Relay began to address the issues of scalability and manageability, it was built upon an underlying static architecture, which limited growth.

Dynamic ConnectivityWith the explosive growth of data and applications came an increasing need for systems and users to connect and exchange information dynamically. This led to the implementation of IP (Internet Protocol) networking and ultimately the Internet. With IP’s more efficient connectivity architecture, network users and systems on one network were able to dynamically connect to users and systems on another network over relatively low-speed communications links – originally, phone lines. Over time, bandwidth-rich fiber networks coupled with broadband and LAN access technologies such as cable, DSL and Ethernet sped up these links. In relatively short time, IP networking and the Internet revolutionized the definition of “connectivity.” While IP was a significant improvement over static connectivity, it wasn’t predictable, reliable or secure enough for many enterprise applications and their associated data.

QualityWith evolutionary improvements in connectivity, scalability and manageability, enterprises looked for more dependable ways of delivering network-based applications and associated data. Enterprise networks turned to various forms of IP networking, including IP over ATM, IP-VPN and, more recently, multiprotocol label switching (MPLS). MPLS offers a convergence technology to cost-efficiently manage voice, video and data on the same communication links. Most importantly, MPLS provides much improved quality of service (QoS) capabilities to better define and manage system performance and the end-user experience.

MPLS still has limitations. It is complex, the associated equipment can be expensive, and it has implementation limits. In today’s world of more, more, more, evolutionary solutions are still needed.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF INTERNETWORKING

6NETWORK OPTIMIZATION WHITE PAPER | WAN TODAY

Today, most enterprise networks are comprised of a mix of network technologies such as private line/TDM, Frame Relay, ATM, MPLS, voice/VoIP and the Internet. But despite available improvements in WAN technology and services, many businesses still struggle with network limitations associated with architecture, implementation, cost and performance. These are significant challenges that must be overcome in order for these companies to improve the performance of their applications and the effective use of their data.

Typical Legacy ArchitectureFor years, when enterprises needed network connectivity they would first develop a set of requirements and then issue a request for proposals (RFPs). From there, they would select one or more network service providers (NSPs) who would deliver the network directly to the customer. The NSPs took care of all the assessment, design, build and management tasks in exchange for a multi-year contract. To the business, the network was essentially a “black box” owned and operated by the NSP.

This model worked well enough for many years, largely because the relatively slow pace of technological change allowed enterprises to extend their networks incrementally. However, as shown in Figure 2, legacy network architectures often suffer from a number of limitations including:

• Long, costly routes

• Choke points through which many traffic streams flow

• Low reliability due to the loss of a single site or link bringing down many others

• Unpredictable service resulting from lack of management control

• Variable QoE depending on the distance between users, applications and data sources

WAN TODAY

Figure 2: Typical Legacy Architecture

7NETWORK OPTIMIZATION WHITE PAPER | THE QUEST FOR BETTER NETWORK PERFORMANCE

Organizations are challenged to satisfy the ever-growing information requirements of employees, customers and partners. To meet performance and user experience challenges, enterprises have turned to a number of network optimization and application delivery technologies.

WAN Optimization AppliancesThe primary goal of a WAN optimization appliance is to push more bits across a communication link. To accomplish this, they rely on a combination of data compression, de-duplication and caching technologies. Devices such as WAN optimization controllers (WOC) and application delivery controllers (ADC) are designed to be point-to-point, with devices installed at each site and within the data center. WAN appliances can be effective in improving network performance, but they don’t address underlying network architecture and implementation issues.

Remote Display Services and Virtual DesktopsAnother common method of addressing application performance limitations is remote display services (RDS). With RDS, the parts of a client-server application stack that would normally be split between the user and data center are run in a common location to improve performance. The resulting output is then presented to the user using a display presentation protocol. This can greatly reduce traffic across the WAN and can give users a better application experience. However, performance depends on link bandwidth and latency.

The idea of Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) takes Remote Display Services a step further. Rather than running client processes on a dedicated terminal server, VDI virtualizes the entire client machine. These virtual machines (VMs) can be configured and deployed in close proximity to the user and with high-speed connectivity to critical applications, resulting in improved application performance similar to Remote Display Services. But like remote display architectures, they don’t address underlying network design limitations.

Application Delivery NetworksThe fundamental value proposition of application delivery networks (ADN) is to outsource network infrastructure and services. WAN implementations that leverage ADNs often yield improved application performance through the service provider’s advanced network architecture. However, operational savings vary. Light users may realize cost savings, while the solution may be very expensive for heavy users. Additionally, depending on the service provider’s underlying architecture and SLA, corresponding application availability and operational visibility may not meet specific customer needs.

THE QUEST FOR BETTER NETWORK PERFORMANCE

8NETWORK OPTIMIZATION WHITE PAPER | THE QUEST FOR BETTER NETWORK PERFORMANCE

Increased BandwidthWhile network evolution has made bandwidth more available, capacity alone does not always solve performance issues. This concept was validated by a Google study entitled “More Bandwidth Doesn’t Matter (much)2,” which compares the impact of bandwidth and latency on web page load times. The study shows that for applications characterized by many smaller data transfers there is a point of diminishing returns where the acquisition of additional bandwidth has very little impact on overall application performance.

As can be seen in Figure 3, when the amount of available bandwidth is increased beyond 4-5 Mbps, the impact on page load times becomes far less significant. However, as Figure 4 shows, when the amount of latency is reduced (corresponding with closer proximity), the impact on page load times continues to improve almost linearly – even when the available bandwidth remains fixed at 5 Mbps.

Existing network performance techniques do not fully address the fundamental challenges of delivering a high-quality user experience anytime, anywhere, to any device. For enterprises to meet their application and data delivery challenges, they need a new connectivity strategy and blueprint for optimizing network performance.

Figure 3: Impact of Bandwidth on Page Load Times Figure 4: Impact of Latency on Page Load Times

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2. https://docs.google.com/a/chromium.org/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=Y2hyb21pdW0ub3JnfGRldnxneDoxMzcyOWI1N2I4YzI3NzE2

9NETWORK OPTIMIZATION WHITE PAPER | THE NETWORK RE-IMAGINED: NETWORK PERFORMANCE HUBS

Typically, enterprises have a broad range of applications accessible by end-users. The challenge is to strike the right balance between acquiring sufficient bandwidth to support applications and implementing a distributed architecture to reduce the amount of distance-related latency experienced by end-users.

Network Performance HubsSimply put, a network performance hub (NPH) is a deployment of common off-the-shelf enterprise infrastructure (routers, aggregation switches, connectivity panels, equipment racks, etc.) to enable cost-efficient and high-performance bundling, aggregation and integration of various network and IT services.

NPHs are deployed in local proximity to specific end-user communities. Prime locations for NPH deployments include carrier hotels and commercial data centers (colocation providers) that host an expansive mix of service providers at the major interconnection and exchange points of these providers (where core infrastructure nodes reside and where the primary network backbone routes are established). For businesses, target services will likely include some or all of the following:

• Local access services (direct fiber, private line, DSL, Ethernet, etc.)

• Long haul and backbone network services (fiber, WDM, TDM, etc.)

• IP transport services (MPLS, IP-VPN, VPN, etc.)

• Internet services (IP transit, Internet access, peering, etc.)

• Voice and VoIP services

• Content distribution network services (CDN)

• Application delivery network services (ADN)

• Mobile platform gateways

• Voice, video and collaboration services

• Cloud and SaaS services

By deploying network performance hubs close to end-user community locations, enterprises can create a high-performance services platform for their business. NPHs enable enterprises to map their existing environment and future needs onto a distributed platform of network hubs for optimized application and data delivery.

Enterprise Regional WAN TopologyEnterprises can transform their complex maze of long, expensive and bandwidth-limited circuits into an optimized regional WAN topology using multiple NPHs. This new architecture delivers significantly more bandwidth, more reliable circuits and lower latency – all at substantially lower operational costs.

Enterprises can further optimize and simplify IT operations by aggregating and consolidating premises-based application and data infrastructure at NPH locations. By placing application and data infrastructure at these locations and connecting directly to service providers, enterprises can dramatically reduce application response times and best ensure a consistent high-quality user experience – no matter where their user communities reside. Furthermore, the NPH architecture serves as a blueprint and deployment mechanism for fast and consistent delivery of future services.

THE NETWORK RE-IMAGINED: NETWORK PERFORMANCE HUBS

10NETWORK OPTIMIZATION WHITE PAPER | THE NETWORK RE-IMAGINED: NETWORK PERFORMANCE HUBS

Key benefits of this evolved network architecture include:

Figure 5: Existing Network Figure 6: Optimized NPH Network

Benefits of NPH transformation include:

• A simpler, flatter network

• More bandwidth at a lower TCO

• Fewer physical circuits with substantially increased capacity

• More supplier choice

• Better performance

• Reduced time to market for new services

The following customer use case illustrates the benefits of moving to an NPH architecture. Figure 5 depicts the legacy network, while Figure 6 shows the network optimized using an NPH architecture as depicted by Equinix customer CFN Services.

• Greater control of reliability (99.7% to 99.99%) and decreased network repair and installation times

• Lower latency and increased latency control

• Monthly recurring charge decreases by ~$125,000 with NPV of project ~$3.5 million

• Network scales much more affordably to accommodate traffic growth and new advanced features

Blueprint for a Better NetworkOnce an enterprise decides to move to a distributed NPH architecture, they’ve taken an important first step. From there, they need to determine where and how to deploy NPHs. Fortunately, there are optimal places where they can gain access to a wide variety of network and IT services providers: carrier-neutral data centers.

Carrier-neutral Data CentersThe need for regional and global communities of network service providers to efficiently exchange traffic and scale internetworking led to the creation of carrier-neutral data centers. These are places where many NSPs interconnect with each other and, in select cases, it is also where they form the backbone of the global Internet. The good news for enterprises is that they, too, can deploy their infrastructure in carrier-neutral data centers to gain access to the rich array of available networks and IT services.

11NETWORK OPTIMIZATION WHITE PAPER | PLATFORM EQUINIX: A GLOBAL INTERCONNECTION PLATFORM

Platform Equinix™ refers to Equinix’s global footprint of interconnected International Business Exchange™ (IBX) data centers, comprising unmatched network density and the broadest cross-section of business ecosystems operating within our facilities. Many of the world’s largest enterprises rely on Platform Equinix for mission-critical facilities and optimized application performance. Equinix provides some of the most reliable and secure data center facilities in the industry and has earned customer trust by consistently delivering excellent service.

Equinix’s founding principle is to serve as a neutral location for network providers and their customers to meet and efficiently exchange traffic. Platform Equinix data centers are the most heavily networked interconnection points in the world and serve as the Internet’s largest peering points. More than 900 network service providers leverage Platform Equinix to interconnect with each other and their customers around the globe.

Enterprise customers deploy their IT infrastructures on Platform Equinix to ensure operational performance, cost efficiency, reliability and security. Within Equinix data centers, they leverage the largest global ecosystem of service providers spanning networks and network services, the Internet, cloud and SaaS, mobile platforms and managed services. Through vast service provider choice, customers directly connect to their preferred providers to best leverage the most reliable, cost-efficient and best performing connectivity for delivering critical applications and data to their end-users.

Equinix has built IBX data centers in 31 markets throughout the Americas, EMEA and Asia-Pacific to best serve its customers. Platform Equinix provides less than 10 milliseconds’ latency to over 90 percent of the population of North America and Europe, as well as key population centers throughout Latin America and Asia-Pacific. This global platform allows enterprises to quickly and easily deploy their key applications closer to critical end-user communities, reducing fiber miles and ultimately improving overall application performance.

As the world’s largest provider of carrier-neutral data center services, Equinix is in a unique position. It has the most data centers in the most locations and with the greatest concentration of network service providers of any carrier-neutral provider. This combination makes Platform Equinix the “epicenter of connectivity” for customers establishing network performance hubs to bundle, aggregate and integrate critical network services.

Today, Platform Equinix is home to more than 900 network service providers who rely on Equinix to connect to each other and to customers. CIOs can leverage Equinix to connect with multiple NSPs. Instead of being forced into a multi-year contract with a single NSP, they can establish a presence in an Equinix facility, interconnect like NSPs connect to each other and consume services from the most cost-effective and highest performing providers.

Consuming services this way delivers:

• Rapid services connectivity, typically with same day/next day provisioning times

• Significant cost reduction through a competitive marketplace of service providers

• Consumption that is enabled through inexpensive cross-connects that are highly reliable, highly secure and ultra-low latency (essentially eliminating local loops)

• Improved reliability of connectivity to service providers

• Improved user experience by increasing connectivity throughput, reducing latency and packet loss and significantly improving the availability of services

• Greater local, regional and global performance through high bandwidth backbone connectivity between NPHs

• Greater choice of service providers to provide diversity, as well as balance cost, performance and service quality

• More flexibility to evolve and scale the network over time

PLATFORM EQUINIX™: A GLOBAL INTERCONNECTION PLATFORM

12NETWORK OPTIMIZATION WHITE PAPER | PLATFORM EQUINIX: A GLOBAL INTERCONNECTION PLATFORM

Each Equinix IBX data center is a vital and viral ecosystem where major networks, enterprises and business partners interconnect. Global enterprises, financial institutions, the largest networks and the Internet’s foremost content companies all trust Equinix with their data, network and application assets. Equinix also offers industry-leading physical security, a global uptime SLA of 99.999% and proven expertise in configuring and supporting the most business-critical environments.

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Figure 7: Equinix Global IBX Data Center Locations

13NETWORK OPTIMIZATION WHITE PAPER | PLATFORM EQUINIX: A GLOBAL INTERCONNECTION PLATFORM

Connectivity ChoicesCompanies that deploy NPHs on Platform Equinix have access to the widest array of network services anywhere. They can also take advantage of Equinix’s range of connectivity solutions for comprehensive application delivery, including:

Direct Connection Direct connection is a simple, dedicated layer 1 connection between Equinix customers that reside in the same physical facility or metro location. Because connectivity is point-to-point and dedicated, direct connection is ultra-low latency and highly secure. And because users don’t have to pay a separate NSP to carry traffic, it is also extremely cost-effective.

There are more than 100,000 direct connections between customers on Platform Equinix. With 4,000 plus customers, that’s an average of more than 25 direct connections per customer.

Ethernet In the same way that MPLS was a replacement technology for Frame Relay and private line, Ethernet is replacing MPLS as the top choice for many high-bandwidth and QoS-enabled connectivity scenarios. Carrier and metro Ethernet services provide layer 2 connectivity over high-capacity carrier links. This makes Ethernet ideal for situations requiring high capacity and the ability to offer SLAs and ensure a high-quality user experience.

Because Equinix runs the world’s largest exchange platform for Ethernet service providers, customers can purchase a single port on the Equinix Ethernet Exchange and connect to the millions of buildings served by participating carriers. The extension of standard LAN Ethernet to a carrier-class service improves standardization, scalability, reliability, quality of service and service management.

Optimized Internet The Internet is a global system of interconnected networks that rely on physical interconnections with each other in order to “peer” and pass traffic from one network to another. And with more than 900 network service providers, Equinix has the most Internet Exchange Point members3. That’s why more than 4,000 companies, including more than 450 cloud and more than 600 IT services providers, have chosen to deploy in Equinix data centers. By colocating network performance hubs within facilities that serve as the critical peering points for the largest global and regional Internet backbone networks, enterprises can directly connect to multiple Internet Service Providers (ISPs) within a single facility. By connecting to multiple ISPs, enterprises realize the following benefits:

• Run dynamic routing protocols with multiple providers to directly deliver traffic to specific networks

• Leverage route diversification and reduce autonomous system hops

• Utilize dynamic routing protocols to enable fail-over between providers and increase availability

More than 4,000 customers on Platform Equinix are only a cross-connect away.

Equinix Ethernet Exchange delivers connectivity to more than eight million buildings in 17 markets globally.

Over 90% of all Internet routes traverse Platform Equinix, allowing customers to connect to the core of the global Internet from within an Equinix data center.

With over 750 participants, Platform Equinix has the most members of any Internet Exchange Point (IXP) in the world.

3. “List of Internet exchange points by size,” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Internet_exchange_points_by_size

14NETWORK OPTIMIZATION WHITE PAPER | THE NEW DISTRIBUTED ARCHITECTURE

Enterprises can create a distributed architecture by deploying a small set of common network infrastructure in multiple NPHs located near their end-user communities. By locating their hubs inside Equinix’s carrier-neutral, network-dense data centers, businesses get access to a wider variety of NSPs and connectivity technologies. This allows them to consolidate multiple low-bandwidth circuits onto high-speed backbones for hub-to-hub connectivity, as well as dramatically change how they connect and exchange traffic with various service providers. In addition, NSP density creates a competitive marketplace enabling consumers to reduce their connectivity and transport costs. The NPH also enables enterprises to distribute applications physically closer to users and on the most direct route, reducing latency and optimizing their experience.

As shown in Figure 8, the result is an evolved network architecture that:

• Is optimized for application performance

• Is built on cost-effective, high-bandwidth circuits

• Has greater resiliency

• Delivers more consistent performance

• Provides a higher quality of experience for end-users

THE NEW DISTRIBUTED ARCHITECTURE

Figure 8: Distributed Equinix NPH Example

15NETWORK OPTIMIZATION WHITE PAPER | THE EPICENTER OF CONNECTIVITY

Why do more than 4,000 network, financial, cloud, content and enterprise customers deploy infrastructure and connect to each other on Platform Equinix? Because Equinix provides the most secure, reliable and well-connected data centers in the world, serving 31 markets on five continents. These data centers are the “epicenter of connectivity” for WAN optimization using an NPH architecture.

By deploying NPHs in these epicenters of connectivity, enterprises can take better control of their network and leverage service provider choice, leading to:

• Improved performance of applications and data

• Equinix data centers provide <10ms latency to 90% of North America, Western Europe and top markets in Asia/Pacific and Brazil.

• Direct connection delivers <1ms latency to the NSP and cloud service provider community.

• Reduced total cost of ownership of the WAN

• 15-30% savings due to elimination of local loop with NPH

• 20-30% cost reduction using Tier 1 providers only in home markets

• 35-60% savings leveraging Tier 2 metro providers

• 25-60% reduction in operational costs for cloud services

• Increased access to bandwidth and supplier solutions

• More than 900 network service providers available on Platform Equinix

• Improved reliability and security for connected assets — data, network, and application infrastructure

• Equinix offers a 99.999% availability SLA.

• Reduced deployment time

• Customer-to-customer cross-connects can be provisioned in 48 hours or less.

• Equinix Marketplace offers a portal for customers to locate and interact with service providers.

THE EPICENTER OF CONNECTIVITY

“Partnering with Equinix allows us access to our carriers where they have the most density. As a result, we get access to their network at a fraction of the cost for a typical deployment…”

Chris Sussman, Director, Engineering & Operations, Contact Solutions

The Equinix Marketplace portal provides customers access to:

• 450+ cloud service providers

• 600+ IT service providers

• 900+ network service providers

• 800+ financial services companies

• 475+ content companies

16NETWORK OPTIMIZATION WHITE PAPER | PROOF POINT: EQUINIX-ON-EQUINIX

Equinix’s own CIO, Brian Lillie, has the same information challenges as many other enterprise CIOs. To meet these challenges, he chose to deploy a distributed NPH architecture to optimize the performance of Equinix’s applications, an initiative he calls “Equinix-on-Equinix.” As Figure 9 shows, Equinix’s use of NPHs has resulted in significantly greater bandwidth and scalability at much lower operating costs and with much greater flexibility.

PROOF POINT: EQUINIX-ON-EQUINIX

The Early Days Present

Cost • $327 per Mbps WAN• $200 per Mbps Internet• 50% of cost going to local loops

• $9 per Mbps WAN• <$10 per Mbps Internet

Bandwidth • Low bandwidth• 55 Mbps

• 2,800 Mbps• Ethernet (FastE/GigE), no more T1s• Port usage, not EVC

Redundancy None • 2 WAN providers• 3 Internet service providers• IP-SEC backs up WAN domestic

and dedicated international• 1 Gig to disaster recovery server site

Contracts • Bundled, 3-year (long term to get acceptable cost)

• Local loop, voice and data services all under one contract – hard to unbundle

• High switching cost

• Unbundled• 1-year and Month-to-month• Leverage 6 providers

Flexibility Locked In Easy to switch

Uptime 99.9% 99.999%

Scalability Flat topology not scalable • Multiple geographies• Multi-homed

Figure 9: Results of Moving Equinix IT to an NPH Architecture

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NETWORK OPTIMIZATION WHITE PAPER | PROOF POINT: EQUINIX-ON-EQUINIX

Equinix also leveraged this new architecture to securely enable cloud applications via multiple connectivity methods. As shown in Figure 10, Direct Connect, Ethernet Connect and Optimized Internet Connect enable many business functions, including sales force automation, human resources, IT help desk, call center, enterprise video, collaboration and file sharing and operational monitoring. In each case, Equinix aligned the application connectivity solution with the targeted performance objectives of the application. Each application connectivity solution was enabled by the NPH on Platform Equinix.

Figure 10: NPH for Cloud Enablement

18NETWORK OPTIMIZATION WHITE PAPER | BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER

Faced with tight budgets and competitive pressures, CIOs must provide cost-effective services while delivering performance, agility and scalability. The NPH architecture ensures an optimal user experience for all information and application consumers. It allows IT to be more responsive to business needs and add more value.

Platform Equinix enables enterprises to distribute applications and connectivity in network performance hubs to increase performance and reduce total cost of ownership. By implementing an NPH architecture, enterprises can best optimize user experience on a global scale. With a strong network foundation in place, enterprises will be well positioned to take full advantage of more technologies and services to meet their IT challenges – both today and into the future.

BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER

Equinix, Inc.One Lagoon Drive4th FloorRedwood City, CA 94065

Main: +1.650.598.6000Fax: +1.650.598.6900

Email: info@equinix.com

Worldwide Corporate HQ EMEA Asia-Pacific

Equinix Group Ltd.80 Cheapside LondonEC2V 6EEUnited Kingdom

Main: +44.845.373.2900Fax: +44.845.373.2976

Email: info@eu.equinix.com

Equinix Hong Kong LimitedBusiness Reg. No.: 30749622-000-02Suite 6504-07 65/F Central Plaza18 Harbour RoadWanchai, Hong Kong

Main: +852.2970.7788 Fax: +852.2511.3309

Email: info@ap.equinix.com

© 2013 Equinix, Inc.WP-EN Network-Optimization-White-Paper 1F3 MB-CL 1304

www.equinix.com

About EquinixEquinix, Inc. (Nasdaq: EQIX), connects more than 4,000 companies directly to their customers and partners inside the world’s most networked data centers. Today, enterprise, cloud, networking, digital media and financial services companies leverage the Equinix interconnection platform in 31 strategic markets across the Americas, EMEA and Asia-Pacific.

By connecting directly to their strategic partners and end users, customers are forming dynamic ecosystems inside Equinix. These interconnected ecosystems enable companies to optimize the performance of their content and applications and protect their vital digital assets.