BT is offering a new service dubbed ExpressRoute in collaboration with Microsoft through which its customers will be able to gain direct, secure, private access to Azure cloud network.
ExpressRoute will enable users to access their data resident on Azure cloud network bypassing the public internet thereby doing away with key security as well as latency concerns.
“Customers will be able to take advantage of the flexibility and agility offered by cloud resources, with the assurance of a dedicated, more secure connection to their data and applications”, announced BT.
“BT’s IP Connect VPN service, which is available in 198 countries and territories, integrates the Azure infrastructure directly with the wide area networks of customers.”
ExpressRoute will be hosted on BT’s IP Connect VPN service and run through Microsoft’s data centres in Dublin and Amsterdam slated to go live by summer this year. BT also has plans for connections in Asia, but there is no set date.
Users can use ExpressRoute to implement hybrid scenarios involving storage, backup and recovery; data centre extensions; and hybrid applications.
“With ExpressRoute, you can establish connections to Azure at an ExpressRoute location (Exchange Provider facility) or directly connect to Azure from your existing WAN network (such as a MPLS VPN) provided by a network service provider”, noted Microsoft.
