​Tata Communications Unveils IZO Network Platform to Enable Hybrid Cloud

​Tata Communications has unveiled IZO, a global network platform for enhanced hybrid cloud enablement. Billed as a game changing new network platform – IZO brings a new way of tackling the complications and challenges that businesses face in realising the potential of the cloud. For the first time, a single provider offers access to a full ecosystem of network, cloud and data centre connectivity making it simple for a business to connect and build its cloud, their way – be it private, hybrid or public.

The IZO network platform takes the public internet and uniquely engineers it for predictable routing, together with enterprise cloud connectivity and interconnected data centres. Bringing together a growing ecosystem of over 20 service providers reaching 85% of the world’s GDP, two of the largest cloud platforms - Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure - and over 50 data centres across the globe, the IZO network delivers the most comprehensive cloud enablement platform available today.

The platform comprises of IZO Internet WAN, IZO Private and IZO Public - each of which tackle a significant issue faced by enterprises managing cloud solutions.

A first of its kind, IZO™ Internet WAN brings the security, flexibility and predictability of a private network to the public internet - with the global reach of the Internet. Through partnerships with 20 service providers around the world, IZO™ Internet WAN provides multi-national organisations deterministic routing of traffic with guaranteed end-to-end SLAs and business standard reporting. Multi-national businesses will now experience faster deployment times, whilst reducing their total cost of ownership by up to 30%, fostering more secure ways to capitalise on the cloud evolution.

IZO™ Private connects businesses to cloud service providers via private network connectivity. Through a global partnered interconnect arrangement under the AWS Direct Connect program with Amazon Web Services and Azure ExpressRoute program with Microsoft, companies now have access to a one-stop-shop for end-to-end management to ensure network performance and end-user experience.

Vinod Kumar, Managing Director and CEO, Tata Communications says, “We’re taking the necessary steps towards making the Internet Fit For Business™ by bringing a new level of predictability and reliability to the public Internet that does not exist today. This isn’t something we can do alone and we’re joined in this initiative to bring about a new era of internet, by some of the world’s leading ISP and cloud providers as we collaborate to achieve a common goal. Cloud, in every form, continues to transform the way businesses operate, innovate and generate revenue. Our role is to make sure that we’re delivering a network that supports and enhances everybody’s network cloud.”

The third element of the platform is IZO™ Public which tags and prioritises content with guaranteed performance for Tata Communications enterprise customers. For businesses looking to deliver large volumes of content over the Internet, this service provides unparalleled performance, reach, and capacity ensuring a consistently good user experience.

The IZO™ network platform gives multi-national organisations the freedom to choose a cloud environment suited to their requirements with a platform backed by Tata Communications’ leading global network and global partnerships. Today, over 24% of the world’s Internet routes travel over Tata Communications’ network and the company is the only Tier-1 provider that is in the top five by routes in five continents.

Speaking on this development, Sui-lun Lo, Chief Technology Officer and Co-Owner, Hong Kong Broadband Network Limited, said, “IZO Internet WAN is set to provide the next level of internet solutions with high stability, performance and determinist routing to deliver end-to-end business grade SLAs and high-performance connections. As an eco-system partner of this ground-breaking global service, HKBN, with ongoing expansions to our fibre network infrastructure and core network switching platform, continues to follow our commitment of being at the forefront of communications technologies. We are proud to work with Tata Communications, who is taking big strides in making the Internet usable for enterprise WANs and our multinational business customers.”

Giving his opinion on the launch, Benjamin Tan, VP International Business, StarHub, said, "Enterprise adoption of cloud and the use of dedicated business internet access has been on the rise in the past few years. These trends are here to stay and rapid growth is expected in the coming years. In Singapore, StarHub operates an extensive fixed business network that provides a wide range of data, voice and wholesale services to serve businesses of any size. We are pleased to partner with Tata Communications to address opportunities emerging from these ICT trends."