Equinix Network Edge Services

5/4/2023: PUR 7778 posted.

Equinix Network Edge is a network automation tool enabling customers to select virtual network services, deployed virtually in multiple locations, and connected instantly to all major cloud providers. There is no equipment to buy, and no CAPEX is required. Virtual network functions can be turned on/off/up/down as needed instantaneously through the Equinix Customer Portal. There are multiple OEM's to select from, including routers, firewalls and SDWAN devices. Network Edge improves customer latency because Equinix data centers are at the cross-roads of all major global networks.

Network Edge also allows customers to connect to multiple cloud providers simultaneously as most major cloud providers have their cloud on-ramps inside of Equinix Data Centers.

Equinix Fabric is the backbone of Network Edge. Through a private network, Fabric connects every global Equinix Data center together as well as connectivity to cloud providers, SaaS providers, partners and customers. Over 10,000 possible connection sites are available.

Equinix Connect Internet supplies direct Internet access from 1G to 100G with redundancy built in via a primary and secondary service provider. Equinix Connect routers are connected to local Equinix Internet Exchange switches that offer a shortcut to access local peers. This delivers optimal performance because almost every major ISP provider resides in Equinix Data Centers.

Due the diverse nature of the Department of Children and Families Cloud Environment, there is a defined need to have Cloud to Cloud Connectivity that no other provider currently offers. DCF has a large scale footprint in Amazon Web Services which housed the Florida Safe Families Network (FSFN) Application, a large scale CCWIS Solution, along with Qlik a data visualization and dashboarding solution, and an ongoing Modernization effort for our Access Economic Self Sufficiency Customer facing portal. The Department has large scale Enterprise Data Warehouse and Data Analytics workspace in Microsoft's Azure Cloud offering, and is building other modernization platforms in Azure. These services will provide the required high-speed connectivity for data conversion and replication between the DCF's Cloud offerings that will allow these systems to have dedicated bandwidth, speeds, and connectivity needed to meet our Cloud First and Application Modernization initiatives. The service will also provide connectivity to the Department's Cloud Environments to facilitate connectivity with the State's IT resources as well as connectivity to all future module vendor's cloud implementations and replicated resources for disaster recovery.