BT unveiled its new Global Fabric network for connecting enterprise customers with multiple clouds.
BT says Global Fabric represents a generational shift in technology, based on a network-as-a-service (NaaS) technical and commercial model.
The new network “underlay” will be an AI-powered digital orchestration layer. Global Fabric will be “deterministic”, selecting the optimal end-to-end paths for applications and workloads to move to and between multiple clouds and end users. Options will include a new BT-enhanced Internet service, point-to-point Ethernet, multi-point Ethernet and MPLS and these will be offered in bandwidth increments of 1 Mbps up to 100 Gbps. Connectivity will be interchangeable on the same port, offering flexibility not possible on current networks.
The fully programmable network is built with state-of-the-art equipment. BT estimates that when fully rolled out, Global Fabric will use 79 per cent less electricity than its current global networks.
Bas Burger, CEO, Business, BT, said: “Global Fabric will future proof customers’ connectivity by providing flexibility to ensure they’re always connected so they can always be productive. They’re facing a new wave of digital revolution with AI, IoT and automation driving demand for simplicity and better multi-cloud connectivity. Customers can achieve better total costs, boost app performance and user experience, all while complying with regulations and mitigating cyber threats. Global Fabric means multi-cloud works better on BT.”
Chris Sharp, Chief Technology Officer, Digital Realty, said: “Global Fabric is a great example of how service providers should be innovating and will offer enterprises new options for connecting to Digital Realty, the world’s largest data centre platform. By building a cloud-centric network and locating its PoPs inside our world-leading carrier neutral facilities (CNFs), BT will be able to offer its customers terrific speeds with low latency while helping them minimise their environmental impact.”
Brenden Rawle, Senior Director Business Development EMEA at Equinix said: “We welcome BT’s launch of Global Fabric, which builds on its Connected Cloud Edge solution launched with Equinix last year. We enjoy a great partnership with BT and look forward to working together to connect customers to the doorstep of the cloud with a vast and varied choice of potential partners and other SaaS providers, in the Equinix location of their choice.”
https://newsroom.bt.com/bt-wraps-multi-cloud-in-a-new-global-fabric/
