AWS Fastnet Cable: Boosting Cloud Reach, but at What Cost?

Key points:

• Amazon Web Services (AWS) is building a new transatlantic subsea cable system called Fastnet, which will link its data centers in the US and Ireland, providing a strategic and reliable connection for cloud computing, AI, and edge applications.
• The Fastnet cable system will have a capacity of over 320 terabits per second (Tbps) and will feature advanced optical switching branching unit technology to handle growing AI traffic loads and adapt to future growth.
• The increasing role of hyperscalers like AWS in building and owning subsea cables can have a significant impact on enterprises, including improved operational efficiency and reliability, but also increased vendor dependency and potential changes in pricing models.

We have just received news that Amazon Web Services (AWS) is working on a new project called Fastnet, a dedicated transatlantic subsea cable system that will connect its data centers in the US and Ireland. This new cable system is expected to be operational by 2028 and will provide a strategic and reliable connection for cloud computing, AI, and edge applications. Fastnet will be designed to ensure that AWS services remain uninterrupted, even if other submarine cables face disruption. It will also create a network design that can handle growing demands in cloud computing, AI, and edge applications that use AWS services such as Amazon CloudFront and AWS Global Accelerator.

The Fastnet cable system will have a capacity of over 320 terabits per second (Tbps) and will feature advanced optical switching branching unit technology to handle growing AI traffic loads and adapt to future growth. This technology will allow for rapid data rerouting and multiple layers of redundancy, ensuring that data is delivered quickly and reliably. The cable system will also include AWS‘s centralized, real-time traffic monitoring system, which will implement millions of daily optimizations to avoid congestion and other issues before they impact applications.

The increasing role of hyperscalers like AWS in building and owning subsea cables is a significant trend in the industry. This move is driven by the explosive growth in data and AI workloads, which has pushed hyperscalers to control the connectivity layer. AWS‘s ownership of Fastnet will give the company greater control over capacity, routing, and network management, which will be tailored to its cloud and AI service needs. This will result in higher reliability and performance for end users, as well as better throughput and faster recovery when things go wrong.

However, this increased consolidation also introduces new risks for enterprises. Dependence on the same company for running compute, storage, and sea cable routes connecting regions increases the depth and complexity of vendor dependency. This means that enterprises will have less visibility into how traffic is routed or prioritized, and their resilience will depend on a single vendor’s decisions. If the provider changes direction, pricing, or policy, the enterprise’s options will narrow quickly.

The cost impact of hyperscalers building and owning subsea cables is complex. While it may lead to lower network transit costs through internal economies of scale, the effect on enterprise pricing remains uncertain. Hyperscalers may hold greater pricing power, especially if their cable networks become essential for high-capacity international cloud connectivity. This could lead to pricing models that favor bundled cloud and network services, potentially reducing the transparency of network cost components for enterprises.

As AWS continues to invest in its infrastructure, including Fastnet, it’s clear that the company is committed to providing reliable and high-performance connections for its customers. With Microsoft and Azure also investing in their own infrastructure, it will be interesting to see how the landscape of cloud computing and AI evolves in the coming years. For now, Fastnet is a significant development that will have a major impact on the industry, and we will continue to monitor its progress and provide updates as more information becomes available.

Read the rest: Source Link

Don’t forget to check our list of Cheap Windows VPS Hosting providers, How to get Windows Server 2022, Try Windows 11 Pro for Workstations & browse Windows Azure content.

Remember to like our facebook and follow us on twitter @WindowsMode.