Equinix adds Nokia IP on its global interconnect network to support 5G

Nokia has announced that Equinix will deploy a new Nokia IP/MPLS network infrastructure to support its global interconnection services.

As one of the largest data center and colocation providers, Equinix currently runs services on multiple networks from multiple vendors. With the new network, Equinix will be able to consolidate into one, efficient webscale infrastructure to provide FP4-powered connectivity to all data centers – laying the groundwork for customers to deploy 5G networks and services.

Equinix currently provides metro, national and international interconnectivity and cloud services to its customers to distribute content that delivers the best user experience. As 5G rollouts continue, a fundamental shift in network design is critical to support 5G service capabilities such as ultra-low latency, high capacity and the power to connect multiple devices and systems into one, seamless and automated whole.

In response, Equinix is replacing its older multi-vendor networks with a single global IP/MPLS network from Nokia, powered by its innovative FP4 routing silicon and Network Services Platform (NSP). Equinix will now be able to deliver all of its interconnection services worldwide, saving its customers money, streamlining their operations and easing their unique 5G transformations.

With a presence in 24 countries across five continents, Equinix connects its hyperscale, communication service provider and enterprise customers with their end users in 52 markets worldwide, extending their digital infrastructure to wherever in the world they need to do business.

Muhammad Durrani, Director of IP Architecure for Equinix, said: “We see tremendous opportunity in providing our customers with 5G services, but this poses special demands for our network, from ultra-low latency to ultra broadband performance, all with business- and mission-critical reliability. Nokia’s end-to-end router portfolio will provide us with the highly dynamic and programmable network fabric we need, and we are pleased to have the support of the Nokia team every step of the way.”

Sri Reddy, Co-President of IP/Optical Networks, Nokia, said: “We are working closely with Equinix to help advance its network and facilitate the transformation and delivery of 5G services. Our end-to-end portfolio was designed precisely to support this industrial transformation with a highly flexible, scalable and programmable network fabric that will be the ideal platform for 5G in the future. It is exciting to work with Equinix to help deliver this to its customers around the world.”

With an end-to-end portfolio, including the Nokia FP4-powered routing family, Nokia is working in partnership with operators to deliver real 5G. The FP4 chipset is the industry’s leading network processor for high-performance routing, setting the bar for density and scale. Paired with Nokia’s Service Router Operating System (SR OS) software, it will enable Equinix to offer additional capabilities driven by routing technologies such as Ethernet VPNs (EVPNs) and segment routing (SR).