In order to help customers improve their connections and optimize cloud performance, CenturyLink has joined the Networking Managed Service Provider (MSP) Program for Microsoft Azure.
By joining the MSP Program, CenturyLink can offer consultation expertise around Azure's services in order to make it easier for customers to connect and build cloud solutions. With the consultation services, CenturyLink is banking on its combined expertise as a networking provider and IT services consultant to offer the enterprise a tailored customer experience around Azure's network products and services.
CenturyLink said its global fiber network and service capabilities can help customers optimize application performance, lower cost and ensure security. CenturyLink and Microsoft also recently reached an agreement for CenturyLink to provide high performance network connections to Azure locations.
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CenturyLink announced last year that it was using its Cloud Connect Dynamic Connections platform to turn up, or delete, cloud connections in real-time for enterprises in Microsoft Azure and Azure Government. CenturyLink, which also has cloud deals in place with Amazon Web Services, Oracle and Google Cloud Platform, is a Microsoft Gold Partner.
CenturyLink's network capabilities include approximately 450,000 route miles of fiber, with approximately 170,000 on-net buildings and connectivity to more than 2,200 public and private data centers across the globe.
With organizations of all sizes moving their workloads and applications into multi-cloud environments and the edge, the integration of networking and cloud is key for optimizing performance. New services and applications, such as 5G, IoT, virtual reality and augmented reality, need low latency in order function correctly.
In August, CenturyLink announced its blueprint for edge compute services. To date, CenturyLink has booted up more than 106 initial edge compute locations across the U.S. to provide a range of managed services and hybrid cloud solutions to its customers. The edge compute services blend compute, storage and networking capabilities into one package.
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On the fiber front, CenturyLink is adding 4,500 to 5,000 on-net fiber buildings each quarter, and currently has more than 150,000 buildings on-net.