Unleashing #Africa’s Digital Potential: #Rack Centre and #AWS Innovate to Connect #Continents

Rack Centre, a premier carrier and cloud-neutral data centre in West Africa, has joined forces with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to propel Africa’s connectivity into a new era. The collaborative effort was showcased in the webinar “AWS Direct Connect – Extend Your On-Premise Networks into AWS,” which took place on May 28, 2023, marking a milestone in the continent’s digital transformation journey.

The session, which dwelled on the significant implications of enhancing connectivity solutions in Africa, brought together industry experts. During the session, they discussed the critical role of AWS Direct Connect in addressing connectivity challenges and opportunities for businesses in Nigeria and Zambia.

The webinar also examined various aspects of AWS Direct Connect, highlighting its capacity to offer robust traffic management and scalability solutions. AWS Direct Connect ensures businesses can dynamically adjust their bandwidth allocation in real-time, thus preventing over-subscription and ensuring optimal performance. The platform’s design also incorporates best routing and security practices, making it a trusted solution for global finance and consulting industries.

Local and global connectivity was another focal point, with AWS providing direct connections from local data centres to its expansive global network. This reduces reliance on public internet connections and ensures high performance and low latency, essential for efficient data exchange in business operations. The role of local service providers in facilitating AWS connections was emphasised, ensuring smooth integration with existing infrastructure.
Speaking during the webinar, the Solutions Architect at AWS, Ashraf Altalleh, elaborated on the technical benefits of AWS Direct Connect.

Maintaining that it is crucial for enterprises looking to optimise their operations and expand their capabilities in the digital age, he said “AWS Direct Connect provides a dedicated, high-performance connection that ensures businesses can operate with minimal latency and maximum reliability.”
Head of Interconnection and Peering, AF-CIX, Obinna Adumike, during his presentation, emphasised the intermediary role of AF-CIX between AWS and businesses, highlighting the availability of hosted Direct Connect Services through AF-CIX.

“AF-CIX acts as a crucial bridge, offering businesses cost-effective, reliable cloud interconnect solutions. We aim to enhance cloud interconnection, peering and functional traffic localisation, supporting digital transformation across Africa,” Adumike said.

The webinar also featured an interactive Q&A session, which addressed various concerns, such as resiliency solutions, equipment requirements, and AWS gateways in Nigeria. Participants were encouraged to engage with AWS representatives for personalised consultations, emphasising AWS’s commitment to supporting businesses in navigating regulatory landscapes and meeting compliance requirements.

Unleashing #Africa’s Digital Potential: #Rack Centre and #AWS Innovate to Connect #Continents

This strategic alliance between Rack Centre and AWS is a testament to their unified vision of enhancing Africa’s digital infrastructure. By leading the charge in delivering state-of-the-art connectivity solutions, Rack Centre is not only fostering a robust digital ecosystem but also catalyzing economic growth and innovation throughout the continent.