Cloud

Cloud security with Software-Defined Cloud Interconnect

Companies are increasingly jumping on the cloud bandwagon and outsourcing their data centres to the clouds provided by Microsoft, Amazon, etc. With Swisscom's innovative Software-Defined Cloud Interconnect Cloud Access product, the cloud infrastructure can be securely integrated into your existing company network.

Jan Tschopp, Product Manager Cloud Access
17 August 2021

Connectivity in the cloud

When a customer wants to outsource a workload to an external cloud, it must be integrated into the company network (WAN). This is typically realised with a Site-2-Site VPN (S2S VPN). However, this approach requires an Internet connection – which can have some disadvantages. As an alternative, clouds can also be integrated using private connectivity. In the case of private connectivity, data traffic is routed exclusively via private fibre-optic cables, avoiding the public Internet.

Such private connectivity can be obtained as a complete package from Software-Defined Cloud Interconnect (SDCI) providers.

What is “Software-Defined Cloud Interconnect”?

SDCI providers offer the following services as a complete package:

Site connections
User connections to the WAN via VPN
Cloud connections with a range of different cloud providers
Cloud to cloud connections
Central Internet connections
Simple management via a portal

Network functions play an important role, especially when several different cloud providers are integrated into the company network. The SDCI platform acts as a hub between site and cloud endpoints. New sites and clouds can be configured flexibly and easily via a portal and switched on rapidly. As well as the SDCI service, the respective SDCI components must also be purchased and configured for the clouds (e.g. Express Route). SDCI as well as cloud providers have each created individual product names for this. These include:

Cloud Access (Swisscom)
Express Route (Microsoft Azure)
Direct Connect (AWS)
Fast Connect (Oracle)

Cloud Access

Cloud Access is the product name of Swisscom’s SDCI product, part of the “Enterprise Connect” product family. The entire Enterprise Connect service can be managed via a central dashboard. The following functions are available within the scope of Cloud Access:

Connect the external cloud with Enterprise Connect locations
Connect the external cloud with LAN-I
Connect the external cloud with Swisscom clouds such as ESC or DCS+
Connect external clouds to each other
Connect the external cloud to the Internet
Connect from the Internet to the external cloud via NAT/PAT
Add firewall rules, content filtering, TLS inspection or antivirus for each connection

Benefits

Cloud Access offers the following benefits:

Performance: Constant values in terms of bandwidth, latency and jitter
SLA: High availability due to geo-redundant lines
Security: With no traffic routed through the Internet, there are no security risks
Simplicity and flexibility: Manage services in the dashboard at any time
Speed: Configure and order services in a matter of minutes
Transparency: All connections are centrally visible in the Enterprise Connect Dashboard
Integration level: Cloud Access is fully integrated into our SDN world and can be easily connected to other clouds, services and sites.