DCN November 2016 | Page 29

security Cross-connect security Another way to dramatically improve security is by using cross-connects. A cross-connect means that two companies can interact one-to-one, separated by a couple of feet in a secure, private data centre – not miles across the public Internet. There are already 180,000 Equinix cross-connects in existence, and that number is growing rapidly – not just between businesses in one region but across dozens of markets around the world. Business critical As the reputational and financial importance of cyber security continues to grow, the significance of the decisions businesses make on security and network architecture will only grow with it. Fifty-eight per cent of CIOs surveyed by consultant Deloitte last year said their current investments in data protection and privacy would have a significant impact on their company within the next two years. Network security has become more than an add-on to an existing system; it now has to be built in at every level. The challenge for business leaders is to adopt a security system that is rigorous and secure, but also responsive and flexible. This is why services providing secure network architecture are growing rapidly, and why so many companies are now sending their data outside of the public Internet. By doing so, they are making their data transfers faster, more secure and more stable, whether it’s travelling to one point or many, and allowing their businesses to leverage all of the potential of the cloud without sacrificing privacy protection. Security is a critical challenge for so many of today’s businesses. At Equinix, we believe that interconnection can meet that challenge. Traditional security systems are struggling to keep up with the increasingly sophisticated attacks launched across the globe.