Akamai 'building the cloud the next decade needs' with latest release

Akamai Technologies has launched Akamai Connected Cloud, a massively distributed edge and cloud platform for computing, security and content delivery, designed to keep applications and experiences closer and threats farther away.

The new strategic cloud computing services and architecture will be available in Asia Pacific-Japan (APJ) for developers to build, run, and secure highly-performant workloads closer to wherever businesses and users connect online.

Akamai has officially announced:

• Four new enterprise-scale core cloud computing sites across APJ in 2023, in Chennai, Osaka, Jakarta, and Auckland. Like Akamai's existing 11 core sites, including core sites in Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo and Mumbai, the new regional sites will plug into the Akamai backbone - connecting them to the most distributed edge network on the planet. Akamai says the new sites will contain cloud computing services acquired from Linode, and will become the template for additional core sites that Akamai plans to roll out across the globe.
• More distributed sites. In addition to the planned new core sites, Akamai has identified more than 50 cities globally in which it plans to begin rolling out distributed sites this year, to bring basic cloud computing capabilities into difficult-to reach-locations currently underserved by traditional cloud providers.
• New cloud egress pricing. The new pricing structure is able to use the power of Akamai's network to drive the cost of cloud egress by bringing CDN-like economics to cloud data transfer. The new egress pricing model is designed to result in significantly discounted egress rates relative to the hyperscalers and alternative cloud providers.
• New ISO, SOC 2 and HIPAA standards compliance, available immediately. The new standards compliance reflects Akamai's focus on the security of its cloud computing services and customer data within, and allows customers to move workloads among Akamai and other public clouds. Akamai Qualified Computing Partner Program. This new technology partner program is designed to provide Akamai customers with solution-based services that are interoperable with Akamai Connected Cloud. The services will be provided by Akamai technology partners that complete a thorough qualification process, ensuring they are readily available to deploy and scale across the globally distributed platform.

Dr. Tom Leighton, Akamai's Co-Founder and CEO, says, "We're taking a fundamentally different approach to cloud computing - building on 25 years of experience scaling and securing the internet for the biggest companies in the world. Akamai is building the cloud the next decade needs."

Parimal Pandya, Senior Vice President, Sales, and Managing Director, Asia-Pacific, says, "The launch of Akamai Connected Cloud comes at a time where the Asia Pacific & Japan region continues to experience rapid advancements in digital transformation.

"As organisations look to address the diverse infrastructure and network capabilities across markets, while decreasing costs and increasing agility through multi-cloud and open-source architectures, there are tremendous growth opportunities with the cloud."

In building out Akamai Connected Cloud, Akamai is adding core and distributed sites on top of the same underlying backbone that powers its edge network - spanning more than 4,100 locations across 134 countries.

More specifically, Akamai is placing compute, storage, database, and other services closer to large populations, industry, and IT centres. The result is designed to be a continuum of compute, from core to edge, enabling companies to more efficiently build, deploy, and secure performant workloads that require single-digit millisecond latency and global reach. Industries such as media, gaming, SaaS vendors, retail, and government are examples where these requirements are in high demand today, the company states.

Leighton says, "Akamai's leadership position at the edge enables us to scale everything we touch: We scale content, putting digital experiences closer to users than anyone. We scale cybersecurity, keeping threats farther away from business and people. Our customers know us and trust us for this scale. Now we plan to scale cloud computing, to provide customers with better performance at a lower cost."

Akamai Connected Cloud is under the leadership of Adam Karon, Chief Operating Officer, and General Manager of Akamai's Cloud Technology Group, where he has led teams focused on enabling today's leading media, gaming, and software companies to deliver the best possible experiences, at scale, to their customers on any device, anywhere, and helping carriers operate high-performing and cost-efficient networks.

Karon comments, "Cloud is a stepping stone to solving larger business challenges. Business leaders are looking to continue the momentum of digital transformation and stretch the boundaries of what's possible for their organisations in an increasingly digital world.

"Our distributed scale is designed to deliver highly-performant cloud computing everywhere our customers' business connects online, empowering them with the speed, flexibility, performance, and connectivity they need to grow without compromise, innovate without friction, and delight customers without fail."