American Tower announced a series of aggregation edge data centers that are designed to accelerate customer transition to the edge. These data centers deliver a seamless connection by extending the cloud to the edge.
They are designed to support enterprises that require a distributed, hybrid infrastructure to deploy edge applications.
Data center infrastructure that enables hybrid cloud computing ecosystems exists primarily in centralized cloud regions or on-premise, leading to challenges when deploying latency-sensitive use cases that are being targeted by edge computing capabilities. One way to address these challenges is for the technology ecosystem to come together to develop the network edge. This option leverages existing global network infrastructure to extend computing beyond today’s centralized data center footprint and create a more distributed, consistent, and interoperable experience for end customers.
The new product aims to extend the reach of centralized data centers further into the network while connecting wireless and wireline network infrastructure. Its goal is to enable a more efficient exchange of network traffic by providing a deterministic latency experience, supporting cloud services and overseeing peering in a more distributed manner.
Benefits include:
- Low latency performance, as American Tower owns distributed real estate within 50 miles of 99 percent of the continental U.S. population. Aggregation edge data centers utilize the ground space of existing towers to provide local infrastructure for enterprise and service provider customers.
- Robust technology ecosystem. An important requirement for edge applications is access to cloud and communications services outside of a core data center. Aggregation edge data centers help enterprise customers increase flexibility at the edge through enhanced connectivity to the technology ecosystem.
- Trusted technology partner. Enterprises depend on reliable infrastructure to deploy edge applications. This is critical to reduce business disruptions and maintain compliance with regulations. Aggregation Edge Data Centers offer redundancy and best-in-class customer support to deliver a predictable experience.
The first aggregation edge data center will be located in Raleigh, North Carolina, which American Tower regards as one of the fastest growing metro locations in the U.S..
For American Tower’s partner program, visit here.
