Infrastructure Platform Service
Infrastructure Platform Service (IPS) is the Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) platform delivered by Equinix Managed Services.
With IPS, you can purchase hardware resources, build a Virtual Data Centre, and enable a low latency hybrid solution with the major CSPs (such as AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Oracle Cloud, and Salesforce).
IPS consists of compute (dedicated or shared), storage, and networking resources; managed from a single self-service portal and combined with other services in the Equinix portfolio, such as Managed Backup, Managed Firewall, and Managed DDoS Protection.
With availability in Slough (LD7), London Docklands (LD8), and North London (LD9), geographical separation of applications and workloads can be achieved on a single platform.
We offer network and connectivity possibilities to enable you to link your IPS environment with several parties and partners (ecosystems). An example is Equinix Fabric, which enables you to set up reliable, fast, and secure connections with various cloud service providers and partners, such as Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services.
For more information, see also:
IPS Types
Equinix offers the IPS platform in the following service variants:
| Variant | Service | Deployment | Management Portal |
|---|---|---|---|
| IPS Shared | Shared Host | Multi-tenant virtualization | vCenter |
| IPS Dedicated | Dedicated Host | Single-tenant virtualization | vCenter |
Service Variant Differences
The following table highlights the key differences between the IPS variants in the areas of management, licensing, purchase units, and disaster recovery (DR).
| IPS Shared | IPS Dedicated |
|---|---|
| Available Slough (LD7), London Docklands (LD8), and North London (LD9) | Available Slough (LD7), London Docklands (LD8), and North London (LD9) |
| Management via vCenter | Management via vCenter |
| Shared Compute platform | Dedicated Hosts |
| Highly available Internet Protocol (IP) transit | Highly available Internet Protocol (IP) transit |
| No overages possible | Overages possible – billed monthly |
| Standard solution with possibilities for customization | Dedicated, highly customizable solution |
| Suitable for DR on application level | Suitable for DR at platform and application level |
| Microsoft Windows and SQL licensing available | Microsoft Windows and SQL licensing available or Bring Your Own License (BYOL) options |
Use Cases of IPS Variants
IPS dedicated is a suitable environment for most workloads and applications. Examples of use cases where you may need more in-depth access or control over the platform are:
- Compliance requirements – entire environment dedicated.
- Third-party vCenter integration
- Direct vCenter access
- Active use of compute resources at the (DR) location
- In-depth control over DR fallback implementation and execution
- License restrictions
- Custom solutions
If one or more of the examples listed above applies to you, the IPS dedicated platform may be a better option.
Advantages of IPS
- OPEX model – efficient use of compute, storage, and network functions without hardware investment.
- Possibility to scale - start with a small purchase (monthly costs).
- Possibility to apply customer’s own Microsoft Server application licenses.
- Suitable for business continuity
- Safety and security in Equinix facilities
- Data sovereignty
- Multi-tenancy
Service Description
Relations and Dependencies
IPS Backup & Restore - In addition to IPS shared or dedicated, the purchase of a Backup & Restore service may be required. Equinix provides an integrated backup service for IPS consisting of the tools and storage required to recover VM-related data.
IPS Migration
Equinix Managed Services provide a migration service to migrate existing, on-premises VMware-based workloads to IPS. We agree on the chosen connectivity in advance, typically based on internet or private connection.
We deploy multiple Backup proxies to the customer environment and replicate the virtual machines based on VMware snapshots. After completing all initial migrations, we execute a final delta synchronization job at cut-over.
We determine the migration cost based on a price per environment.
Equinix Internet Access
You have the option to connect your IPS environment to external networks. This connectivity is made possible through a service called Equinix Internet Access. This service is essential if you need to connect to different places like your cabinet, another Equinix data center, an on-premises location, a WAN provider, or a combination of these.
You can purchase the service as a redundant connection with a bandwidth of up to 10 Gbps.
Contact your sales representative if you have any questions regarding the use of additional bandwidth or other internet-related services like Managed DDoS Protection or Intrusion Detection/Prevention (IDS/IPS) functionality.
Customer Connect
The Customer Connect service enables you to establish network connectivity between your branch/HQ location and the Equinix IPS service.
Equinix Fabric
Equinix Fabric allows you to connect to one or more Public Cloud Providers (CSP), Network Service Providers (NSP), other Equinix customers (such as your suppliers), or your other Equinix locations around the world. You must install virtual devices that provide BGP-based routing functionalities to establish connections within your IPS platform. Equinix can provide these virtual devices as part of a solution.
Managed Firewall
An optional component of the IPS environment is a Managed Firewall solution called Next Generation Firewall (NGFW). This service offers the following benefits:
- Enables secure access to the public cloud and other external networks
- Adds intrusion prevention functions to the IPS platform
- Transfers the management of firewall operations to Equinix
The Managed Firewall service offers several key features, including:
-
Firewalling - protection against unauthorized access and threats
-
Routing - efficient directing of network traffic
-
NAT (Network Address Translation) - mapping of IP addresses for communication
-
VPN (Virtual Private Network) - secure remote access to the network
-
Intrusion Prevention -detection and prevention of unauthorized activities
-
Simple load-balancing - distributing network traffic evenly for optimal performance
IPS Integrated Backup
IPS is fully integrated with the Managed Backup product, which uses best-in-class Backup and Replication technology.
Customers can request backup jobs and schedules for their virtual workloads as well as restores.
To ensure comprehensive data protection, customers can acquire backup and object storage, with a license assigned per protected object or virtual machine (VM).
Responsibilities
Below is an outline of the responsibilities for the platform's provisioning, installation, and operation.
| Functionality | Shared | Dedicated |
|---|---|---|
| VM – Power On / Off / Reset | Y | Y |
| VM – Console | Y | Y |
| VM – Create / Remove / Revert / Snapshots | Y | |
| VM – Create / Delete / Rename VM – Change Settings VM – Assign Network VM – Disk Create / Resize / Delete VM – Template Management | N | Y |
| Host – Power On / Off / Reboot Host – Maintenance Host – Create / Edit Resource Pool Host – Create / Edit vApps | N | Y |
| Operational Management | Equinix | Customer |
|---|---|---|
| Functional management of the customer environment within the service (overall) | R | |
| Monitoring and maintenance of the underlying components of the service provided | R | |
| Operation of Integrated Backup Functions (schedule etc.) | R | |
| Management of “Managed Backup” Product (where applicable) | R | |
| Management of the Shared Management service layer | R |
Service Requests
You can request the following standard changes through the Equinix Managed Services Customer Portal as a service request. Basic requests are included in the cost of IPS.
| Request Name | Description | Included/Additional |
|---|---|---|
| Expand storage | Increase the quota of a storage tier | Included |
| Expand compute capacity | Expand the CPU Capacity (where applicable) | Included |
| Whitelist IP | Add IP to trusted range for Management | Included |
| Add/Delete User | Add user to vCenter portal | Included |
| VM and Network Configuration changes | Create, add, modify VMs and Networks within the environment | Additional |
| All Other Configuration Changes | Make bespoke service requests and determine and approve the associated cost. | Additional |
Maintenance and Support
Availability
The availability levels of the service are shown in the table below.
| Availability Level | Availability (%) |
|---|---|
| IPS Standard Level | 99.95% |
Incidents
Incident Parameters
| Service Window | Availability |
|---|---|
| Incident Repair Service Window | 24x7 |
Incident Prioritization
| Priority | Impact |
|---|---|
| Critical | The IPS is completely unavailable |
| High | The IPS is available with reduced functionality |
| Normal | The IPS is available but a risk to service is evident |
| Low | Work or Change Request |
Incident Response Times
| Priority | Performance of Work | Response Time |
|---|---|---|
| Critical | 24x7 | 0.5 Hours |
| High | 24x7 | 1 Hour |
| Normal | 8x5 | 8 Hours |
| Low | 8x5 | 16 Hours |
Maintenance
Scheduled maintenance activities are announced by Equinix change management at least two weeks in advance of work commencement.
For emergency maintenance, Equinix reserves the right to deviate from any agreements. In the above situation, an emergency maintenance request can be scheduled immediately, after which you are informed when the maintenance takes place.
Migration to IPS
Equinix Managed Services can assist with the migration of your existing virtualized environment to the IPS solution.
A dedicated private circuit or encrypted replication across the public internet is used for the onboarding process. Once the initial replication is completed, delta jobs can keep the environments in sync until the agreed cutover time.
Depending on the environment size, a connection of 1 Gbps or greater is preferable. Lower bandwidths can be used if the environment is small and can be agreed at the consultancy stage.
The customer is required to install multiple virtualized Backup proxy devices into their environment and configure the required policies, NAT and IP addressing.
IPS Use Cases
IPS Dual Site
When IPS services are consumed at two locations, inter-site connectivity is provided by Equinix over multiple, shared 10+ Gbps links.
This solution is suitable for disaster recovery or multi-site architecture at the application layer.
IPS Hybrid/Multicloud via Equinix Fabric
To connect the IPS environment to Equinix Fabric, a combination of services is required. These include Equinix Fabric ports, IPS External networks, and Infrastructure Ports. Most providers connected to Equinix Fabric require routed (Layer 3) based connections. To support Fabric connections to the IPS environment, Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) based routers are required in general. Equinix can provide this type of router via:
- Managed Firewall
- Managed Network Device
- Managed Network Edge
Equinix Fabric connections are offered in a redundant way. Therefore, two (2x) Fabric ports (primary and secondary), and two (2x) virtual connections (one per port) are required. Fabric connections themselves can be of type local or remote, depending on where the service provider is located. See Equinix Fabric to learn more.
The following table shows which Equinix services are needed for these use-cases.
IPS to Equinix Fabric
| External Network Options | IPS to Equinix Fabric |
|---|---|
| Type of connectivity | Dedicated connectivity |
| Included Equinix services | 2x Cross-Connect |
| Additional required Equinix services | 2x Equinix Fabric ports ≥ 2x IPS External networks 1x Infrastructure Port – redundant ≥ 2x Equinix Fabric Virtual Connections (local or remote) |
| Bandwidth | 1 / 10 Gbps |
| Remarks | 2x Equinix Fabric connections per provider are needed. For each connection, one IPS External network is required. |
Multi-site IPS to Equinix Fabric with Managed Firewall/Network
| External Network Options | IPS to Equinix Fabric |
|---|---|
| Type of connectivity | Dedicated connectivity |
| Included Equinix services | 4x Cross-Connect |
| Additional required Equinix services | 2x Equinix Fabric ports 2x Equinix Fabric Metro ports ≥ 8x IPS External networks 2x Infrastructure Port – redundant ≥ 2x Equinix Fabric Virtual Connection (local or remote) |
| Bandwidth | 1 / 10 Gbps |
| Remarks | 2x Equinix Fabric connections per provider are needed. For each connection, one IPS External network is required. |
