Equinix Enhances Its Global Platform with New Cloud Security Service to Manage Encryption Keys

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., March 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Equinix, Inc. (Nasdaq: EQIX), the global interconnection and data center company, today announced the launch of Equinix SmartKey^TM , a global key management and encryption Software as a Service (SaaS) offering that simplifies data protection across any cloud or destination. The service leverages Equinix's globally interconnected platform of more than 190 International Business Exchange™ (IBX^®) data centers in 48 markets to securely host encryption keys separate from, but in close proximity to, the data located across networks and hybrid multicloud environments.

According to the Global Interconnection Index , the next three years are forecasted to see approximately 50% growth in the traffic capacity needed by enterprises to directly connect with, and exchange data across, multiple clouds, IT providers and third-party network destinations. This move to disperse data across multiple clouds and third-party providers creates an immediate need that SmartKey is uniquely positioned to solve, including:

• Improving security for multicloud, hybrid-cloud and distributed environments by separating the encryption keys from the data, so that both keys and data are not held by the same entity
• Eliminating the need to purchase and deploy specialized hardware by replacing this traditional method with a private, secure and distributed SaaS capability
• Enabling firms to globally manage encryption keys across multiple, disparate regions, countries and partners
• Providing management controls to maintain data and encryption keys in the same region or country in support of data sovereignty and regulatory requirements

SmartKey is the next step in a series of adjacent coverage, connectivity and service initiatives that Equinix will deliver via the evolution of Platform Equinix^® to serve customer needs in a hybrid, multicloud world. When implemented as a part of an Interconnection Oriented Architecture™(IOA™) strategy, SmartKey enables security and data professionals to achieve a globally consistent end-to-end encryption strategy with central control over access, latency, compliance and performance. 

As announced last year, Equinix is physically and virtually connecting its global data center footprint, enabling customers to discover and dynamically connect to any other customer or destination across the Equinix platform. This provides an ecosystem platform of more than 9,800 customers and partners at Equinix, including leading cloud service providers (Alibaba Cloud, Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, IBM Cloud, Microsoft Azure and Oracle Cloud) and SaaS providers (Salesforce, SAP and ServiceNow, among others) that can now be integrated on Equinix Cloud Exchange Fabric^TM (ECX Fabric) and supported with the adoption of SmartKey key management capabilities.

Highlights/Key Facts

• SmartKey is the industry's first globally available key management and cryptography SaaS using Intel^® SGX technology, which ensures confidentiality of customer information. The service is powered by Fortanix's next-generation HSM and features Fortanix Runtime Encryption technology to ensure the privacy of keys.
• Principal SmartKey benefits include:
• Security policy enforcement at the edge to improve corporate governance and provide optimal performance
• Simplification of key management in heterogeneous IT environments (provisioning, storage and management of keys in any public, private, hybrid or multicloud environment)
• HSM-grade security in an easy-to-use cloud service with built-in encryption and tokenization and FIPS 140-2 Level 3 certification
• SmartKey is available globally and will be expanding physical points of presence in multiple regions to support particular data sovereignty requirements. Colocation at an Equinix IBX data center is not required to use the service, and customers can trial the service via a no commitment 30-day trial.
• Equinix will be demonstrating SmartKey at the RSA 2018 Conference at the Moscone Center in San Francisco (booth 2240) April 16-20, 2018

Quotes

• Christina Richmond, Program Vice President, Worldwide Security Services, IDC
  "Digital transformation efforts by enterprises and service providers alike are moving more data and systems to the cloud, pushing an ever-increasing amount of sensitive enterprise and customer data to be stored in multi-tenant, shared computing and storage environments. This trend is being driven by data sovereignty requirements like GDPR, creating demand for secure data localization solutions like key management-as-a-service offerings such as Equinix SmartKey."
• Brian Lillie, Chief Product Officer, Equinix
  "As Equinix continues to evolve our global platform with the addition of new products and services, we are delivering increasing value to companies by easing their shift to digital and the hybrid multicloud. SmartKey is the first of several emerging services we plan to introduce in the coming months. Our commitment is to deliver new and customer-inspired products and services that provide increasing value to customers and enable them to reach everywhere, interconnect everyone and integrate everything through a globally consistent data center and interconnection platform."
• Lance Weaver, Vice President, Emerging Services, Equinix
  "Given the cybersecurity risks of today's distributed application, cloud and data environments, customers are turning to encryption as one of the most effective controls to protect their critical information, and as a result the need for private, secure, globally available key management becomes paramount. Equinix SmartKey solves this challenge by seamlessly integrating with public and hybrid clouds globally while providing the privacy that puts control of data back where it belongs--in the hands of the customer."
• Rick Echevarria, Vice President, Software and Services Group and General Manager, Platforms Security Division, Intel
  "Intel's silicon and software technologies can improve data center privacy, security and scalability. Intel's collaboration with Equinix advances these capabilities and delivers innovation in data encryption and privacy technologies that span multiple industries."
• Ambuj Kumar, CEO, Fortanix
  "Fortanix is excited to partner with Equinix on the SmartKey service. Fortanix Runtime Encryption combined with Intel® SGX is designed to protect the cryptographic key material from malicious threats, including insiders with root access. Together with Equinix, we can now ensure that this highest level of confidentiality reaches the broadest set of customer environments."

Additional Resources

• Equinix SmartKey [service details]
• Equinix SmartKey [video]
• The Platform Equinix Vision -- Build Here, and Go Anywhere [Equinix Paper]
• www.IOAKB.com [Interconnection Open Community Knowledgebase]
• Key Management as a Service: A Concept for Modern Encrypted Data Requirements [451 Research Pathfinder Report]
• Fortanix Runtime Encryption and Intel® SGX [Fortanix Technical Brief]

About Equinix

Equinix, Inc. (Nasdaq: EQIX) connects the world's leading businesses to their customers, employees and partners inside the most-interconnected data centers. In 48 markets worldwide, Equinix is where companies come together to realize new opportunities and accelerate their business, IT and cloud strategies. www.equinix.com/

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from expectations discussed in such forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such differences include, but are not limited to, the challenges of acquiring, operating and constructing IBX data centers and developing, deploying and delivering Equinix services; unanticipated costs or difficulties relating to the integration of companies we have acquired or will acquire into Equinix; a failure to receive significant revenue from customers in recently built out or acquired data centers; failure to complete any financing arrangements contemplated from time to time; competition from existing and new competitors; the ability to generate sufficient cash flow or otherwise obtain funds to repay new or outstanding indebtedness; the loss or decline in business from our key customers; and other risks described from time to time in Equinix filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In particular, see recent Equinix quarterly and annual reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, copies of which are available upon request from Equinix. Equinix does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this press release.

Equinix, IBX and Platform Equinix are registered trademarks of Equinix, Inc.

Equinix Cloud Exchange Fabric and International Business Exchange are trademarks of Equinix, Inc.

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SOURCE Equinix, Inc.