Equinix launches network edge in five new European countries

Equinix has expanded its Network Edge services—already available in the UK—in five new European markets comprising France, Finland, Ireland, Italy and Sweden.

Already deployed in the UK, Netherlands, Germany, and Spain, Network Edge enables any company to establish a presence where they don’t have an existing footprint, as well as process data closer to the user without the need for a physical deployment in a data centre. By adding Network Edge to five key markets, Equinix enables businesses that want to deploy or expand their services in these countries to interconnect to businesses throughout Europe without excessive expenditure on hardware.

Network Edge is a gateway to the full potential of Platform Equinix® for companies using the service. In this way, any company that wants to establish a presence virtually will be able to do so by deploying network function virtualisation (NFV) from multiple vendors, connecting their digital supply chains at Equinix, while scaling their IT and network infrastructure within minutes.

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed greater emphasis on the need to put data closer to the user as businesses and workers across the globe adapt to a hybrid working environment. Deploying a traditional hardware-centric geographic presence is time consuming and expensive, with many businesses already re-evaluating their traditional office deployments. According to the Equinix’s 2020-21 Global Tech Trends Survey, 47% of IT decision-makers globally reported they had accelerated digital transformation plans because of the pandemic. A significant majority (60%) of respondents across all regions also said the pandemic forced them to revisit and revise their IT strategy.

To succeed in their digital transformation journeys, global businesses need modern IT infrastructures in proximity to digital services and the ability to connect securely with multiple partners in various business ecosystems across the world. Equinix customers already benefit from Network Edge availability throughout the world, and this latest announcement will bring the number of countries using the service to over 25 markets, across four continents. In EMEA, Network edge is already deployed in the UK, Netherlands, Germany, and Spain and so by adding five more countries to the Network Edge portfolio, Equinix further strengthens the opportunity for thousands of existing and potential customers.

Russell Poole, Managing Director for the UK at Equinix notes: “By expanding the reach of Network Edge into these new markets, we are allowing businesses to establish themselves in more metros without the need to physically deploy hardware in a data centre. Through unrivalled access to new markets, UK enterprises can unlock new revenue streams and compete in some of the world’s most digitally advanced and important business hubs.”

Network Edge enables real-time selection, configuration and connection of network and security devices from all major vendors worldwide, including Cisco, Juniper Networks and Palo Alto, among others. Network Edge is fully integrated with Equinix Fabric, the global on-demand, SDN-enabled interconnection service, now available at Equinix data centres across EMEA. These newly available services offer companies throughout Europe the ability to scale their businesses in response to digital demand.