PacketFabric looks to extend its SDN platform to Europe using Aqua Comms’ AE Connect
Aqua Comms, the operator of Ireland’s first subsea fibre-optic network interconnecting New York, Dublin and London, announced it will provide PacketFabric, a NantWorks company, access to its trans-Atlantic America-Europe (AE) Connect cable system.
The AEConnect submarine cable system provides connectivity from New York to Ireland using backhaul fibre to Points of Presence (PoPs) in the U.S. and the U.K. Companies like Digital Reality, Equinix, AT&T and CenturyLinks have signed agreements with Aqua Comms to connect their data centers using AEConnect. Service locations include Boston, the New York Metro area, Ashburn/Washington, DC, metro Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Phoenix, San Jose/San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles.
PacketFabric deployed its SDN platform earlier this year, which allows customers to provision connectivity between two points through a web portal on the PacketFabric network. As part of the collaboration, PacketFabric customers will have access to trans-Atlantic capacity on AEConnect anywhere on its private and secure network.
“Leveraging AEConnect to establish end-to-end high-capacity transatlantic connectivity extends the reach of our network to provide more customers with scalable, reliable, and secure access to network and cloud environments in the U.S. as well as internationally,” said William Charnock, CEO of PacketFabric. “AEConnect’s state-of-the-art technology allows PacketFabric to further future-proof our terabit-scale networking infrastructure as well as obtain additional route diversity for network reliability. The subsea cable system is a key part of our global connectivity strategy.”
The agreement will allow PacketFrabric to expand the reach of its software-defined networking (SDN) platform into Europe. By the same token, Aqua Comms will be able to market its services in more than 150 colocation facilities across 17 U.S. markets where PacketFabric operates.
“We’re excited to partner with PacketFabric and help extend the international reach of its network with secure, low-latency connectivity via AEConnect,” said Andy Hudson, chief networks officer at Aqua Comms. “This mutually-beneficial partnership will also expand Aqua Comms’ North American footprint, enabling us to serve a wider range of customers across the continental United States.”
