AWS Direct Connect: Your Gateway to the Cloud with 1547’s AlohaNAP and Pittock Block Data Centers
The 1547 Pittock Block (PTOR1) data center in Portland, Oregon has long provided direct connectivity to Amazon Web Services (AWS). Earlier this year, our AlohaNAP (HAII) data center in Kapolei, Hawaii joined the Pittock Block as an AWS Direct Connect location, marking the first AWS Direct Connect site in Hawaii. Users connecting to AWS via our AlohaNAP facility can now benefit from faster, more reliable, and cost-effective AWS cloud services. The integration of AWS Direct Connect within our data centers is a pivotal feature for businesses leveraging AWS, offering improved performance, security, cost savings, and scalability.
The Importance of AWS Direct Connect
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is among the top ten cloud platforms with the largest market share of 50.1%[1]. AWS Direct Connect is a dedicated network connection that links a company’s on-premises infrastructure directly to Amazon Web Services (AWS). This connection bypasses the public internet, reducing network congestion and latency while increasing security. This is a game-changer for businesses as it boosts efficiency by eliminating the variable performance of the public internet, providing a more consistent and low-latency experience crucial for applications requiring real-time data processing and high-speed transactions. AWS Direct Connect establishes a private network connection, offering an added layer of security over internet-based connections, which is particularly important for businesses handling sensitive data.
Additionally, leveraging a dedicated connection like AWS Direct Connect allows companies to reduce their bandwidth costs compared to transferring data over the internet. It offers a more predictable and often lower cost structure. Businesses can also easily scale their connection as their cloud needs grow since AWS Direct Connect supports multiple virtual interfaces, allowing users to manage different environments over the same physical connection.
Benefits of AWS Direct Connect for Businesses
The inclusion of AWS Direct Connect will deliver substantial benefits to businesses, including:
Improved Application Performance: Application performance is improved by providing a direct, private connection that bypasses the public internet. This can reduce latency and provide a more consistent network experience.
Bandwidth Options: Connection speeds up to 100 Gbps allows businesses to choose the appropriate bandwidth for their needs.
Cost Reduction: Networking costs may be reduced compared to other AWS services, particularly for bandwidth-heavy workloads. In some cases, egress charges can be reduced by as much as 50% compared to internet data transfer rates.
Enhanced Security: AWS Direct Connect offers additional security features, including encryption options like MACsec for 10 Gbps and 100 Gbps connections, and IPsec for other connections.
Flexibility: There are multiple deployment options including dedicated connections and hosted connections through AWS Direct Connect Partners.
Global Availability: AWS Direct Connect is available at locations worldwide, allowing businesses to make connections close to where they need them.
Consistent Network Experience: AWS Direct Connect provides a more reliable and consistent network experience compared to internet-based connections.
As cloud services continue to be a vital component of modern business operations, having a dedicated connection to AWS will be a substantial competitive advantage for companies in Hawaii and Portland.
1547 continues to demonstrate its commitment to providing state-of-the-art infrastructure solutions that meet the evolving needs of businesses. With the availability of AWS Direct Connect in our AlohaNAP and Pittock Block facilities, these data centers continue to become more important to the digital transformation journeys of our clients.
Reach out to our team to learn more about our AWS Direct Connect service in Hawaii and Oregon as well as our portfolio of highly connected data centers.
[1] HGInsights – The AWS Ecosystem in 2024