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AWS Interconnect – Multicloud Preview Indicates a Shift Toward Cloud-Operated Networking
AWS has introduced a new, managed inter-cloud architectural standard that improves as it grows, extending hyperscale-grade resiliency across organizations of all sizes
2/12/2025
Key Highlights:
AWS launches AWS Interconnect, a new family of managed networking services; the first preview offering is Interconnect – multicloud.
Provides private, high-speed, MACsec-encrypted connectivity between AWS VPCs and private networks hosted in partner CSP regions.
Works jointly with Google Cloud’s Cross-Cloud Interconnect to deliver a unified, managed multicloud networking experience.
Introduces a new open specification for cloud-to-cloud networking, published on GitHub for any provider or partner to adopt.
Supports in-place bandwidth scaling, integrates with DXGW, TGW, Cloud WAN, and carries a 99.99 percent SLA on the AWS portion of the connection.
The News
AWS introduced AWS Interconnect, a new family of managed networking services designed to simplify private connectivity across clouds, beginning with the preview of AWS Interconnect – multicloud. Delivered jointly with Google Cloud’s Cross-Cloud Interconnect, the service enables customers to create high-speed, MACsec-encrypted private connections between AWS and Google Cloud through a fully managed provisioning flow that completes in minutes. AWS and Google Cloud have pre-provisioned quad-redundant infrastructure across separate physical buildings to support high availability and deliver a 99.99 percent SLA on the AWS side.
The preview launches with five AWS–Google Cloud region pairs across the United States and Europe, with Azure expected to join the Interconnect program in 2026. The joint solution is built on a new open specification for multicloud networking, publicly available on GitHub for other cloud providers and partners to adopt. For more information read the Google Cloud blog here.
Analyst Take
The preview of AWS Interconnect – multicloud represents a significant rethinking of how enterprises will approach multicloud networking. AWS is shifting routing, failover, and provisioning into a cloud-operated model with deterministic resiliency and simplified support. This follows a similar philosophy to serverless, where customers define intent and the cloud handles the infrastructure.
A core architectural insight is that the system becomes more resilient as it scales. Expanded router density, additional PoPs, and broader partner participation all contribute to deeper path diversity and faster failover behavior. Traditional networking architectures often grow more fragile as they expand; Interconnect reverses that pattern, delivering hyperscale-grade resilience as a shared property rather than a customer-specific investment.
We believe there is a practical advantage for organizations without deep networking teams. Because AWS and its partners pre-build and operate redundant capacity, smaller and mid-size enterprises can access resiliency characteristics that historically required significant capital investment and engineering expertise. This is not the headline of the service, but it is a meaningful byproduct of the architecture and one that will matter for customers balancing multicloud strategy with limited operational resources.
Google’s participation adds meaningful weight to the unveiling. For Google Cloud, partnering with AWS lowers operational friction for AWS-centric enterprises adopting Google’s strengths in analytics, AI and data engineering. Co-defining the operational model and APIs gives Google early influence over an emerging standard for private inter-cloud connectivity, while reinforcing that multicloud does not require proprietary fabrics or bespoke routing. Rather than a concession, this is an on-ramp that broadens Google’s relevance in distributed workload placements.
In our opinion, there is also a strategic reality driving the collaboration. AWS’ scale, customer footprint, and centrality in global cloud architectures give it the market gravity to define an operational baseline for private multicloud connectivity. As Interconnect matures, other providers may find that adopting AWS’ model is the practical cost of participating in enterprise multicloud strategies. The technical requirements, such as MACsec enforcement, redundant PoPs, shared APIs, and consistent activation flows, set a bar that smaller providers will need to meet. In effect, AWS is guiding the industry toward a standard it controls, even as it presents the initiative as collaborative and open. This joint publication of an open specification indicates a broader intent to standardize private cloud-to-cloud networking and reduce the fragmentation that has historically constrained multicloud architectures.
Taken together, the simplified operations, rising resiliency curve, and cross-cloud alignment show that Interconnect is a meaningful step toward cloud-operated multicloud networking. The key proof points we will be watching include partner momentum, expansion of supported region pairs, cross-cloud support behavior during incidents, and whether AWS can deliver the scaling benefits it has outlined.
What Was Announced
AWS formally introduced the AWS Interconnect family as a foundational layer for cloud networking, beginning with Interconnect – multicloud, a managed service built jointly with Google Cloud’s Cross-Cloud Interconnect. The offering provides private connectivity between AWS and other cloud providers through a unified, SLA-protected operational model. The service replaces the need for customer-managed routers, cross-connects, VPN constructs, and third-party fabrics by using pre-provisioned capacity that AWS and its partner CSP configure across at least two physically independent buildings in each supported region pair. These deployments leverage quad-redundancy across facilities and routers, with customer traffic carried only when a MACsec-encrypted session is active.
This operational complexity is abstracted behind a single Interconnect object presented in each cloud’s console. On the AWS side, the attach point is the Direct Connect Gateway (DXGW), enabling global reach into VPCs, Transit Gateways, Cloud WAN, and Local Zones using the shortest available path across the AWS backbone. On the partner CSP side, initially Google Cloud, the attachment aligns with native constructs such as Google Cloud Router. Customers configure new Interconnects through a two-step create and accept workflow in which one cloud initiates the connection and generates an activation key, and the other cloud accepts and completes provisioning through its console or CLI.
The capacity model draws from large, pre-cabled pools in preselected PoPs for each region pair. These PoPs are chosen for resiliency, presence, latency, and cost and can be changed over time without impacting existing customer paths. Once active, customers can scale bandwidth in place, assuming available headroom in the underlying LAG. AWS is establishing a CloudWatch metric for percentage of connection capacity to help customers plan and automate utilization. The preview launches with five AWS–Google Cloud region pairs across the U.S. and Europe and integrates seamlessly with capabilities such as AWS SiteLink for any-to-any on-premises connectivity. During Public Preview, customers can create a single 1Gbps connection at no cost, which is removed when the service reaches general availability.
A new open interoperability specification, published on GitHub, enables other CSPs and partners to adopt the same architecture. AWS expects both region coverage and the number of participating providers to expand beginning in 2026, with Azure anticipated as the next major addition.
Looking Ahead
In our view, AWS Interconnect stands to influence how enterprises design and operate multicloud architectures over the coming years. As additional cloud providers join the program, with Azure expected first, Interconnect’s value will compound across new region pairs and expanded availability footprints. Each new participant increases path diversity, strengthens system-wide resiliency, and accelerates the shift toward shared operational standards for private multicloud connectivity.
Customer adoption will be an equally important metric. Early adopters in AI pipelines, regulated industries, distributed data architectures, and hybrid environments will test how well Interconnect performs under demanding workloads and whether the operational simplification translates into measurable reductions in incident volume and recovery time. We will be watching for broader uptake across mid-market and global enterprises as a key indicator of whether Interconnect is achieving its purpose as a long-term utility layer for multicloud environments.
From our viewpoint, AWS can improve its competitiveness and ecosystem influence over the next 12 months by rapidly expanding the AWS Interconnect service to include Microsoft Azure, its other primary rival, establishing the service as the industry standard for high-speed, managed multicloud networking. While the partnership with Google Cloud is a strong start, true competitive differentiation lies in offering a seamless, high-SLA private connection to all major hyperscalers; this would address the reality that most large enterprises now use a multi-cloud strategy for resilience and best-of-breed services.
Furthermore, AWS should leverage the fully managed provisioning flow to drastically reduce multicloud egress costs associated with data transfer and simplify the entire security and billing experience, which would remove two of the biggest friction points that currently deter customers from adopting complex cross-cloud architectures.
We expect AWS to extend the Interconnect footprint into last-mile and partner-telco ecosystems, deepen integration with identity and policy services, and broaden the Interconnect family as additional services emerge. If executed well, Interconnect will not only simplify multicloud, it will reset the expectations enterprises bring to cloud networking itself.
Ron Westfall | VP and Practice Leader for Infrastructure and Networking
Ron Westfall is a prominent analyst figure in technology and business transformation. Recognized as a Top 20 Analyst by AR Insights and a Tech Target contributor, his insights are featured in major media such as CNBC, Schwab Network, and NMG Media.
His expertise covers transformative fields such as Hybrid Cloud, AI Networking, Security Infrastructure, Edge Cloud Computing, Wireline/Wireless Connectivity, and 5G-IoT. Ron bridges the gap between C-suite strategic goals and the practical needs of end users and partners, driving technology ROI for leading organizations.
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Don Gentile | Analyst-in-Residence -- Storage & Data Resiliency
Don Gentile brings three decades of experience turning complex enterprise technologies into clear, differentiated narratives that drive competitive relevance and market leadership. He has helped shape iconic infrastructure platforms including IBM z16 and z17 mainframes, HPE ProLiant servers, and HPE GreenLake — guiding strategies that connect technology innovation with customer needs and fast-moving market dynamics.
His current focus spans flash storage, storage area networking, hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI), software-defined storage (SDS), hybrid cloud storage, Ceph/open source, cyber resiliency, and emerging models for integrating AI workloads across storage and compute. By applying deep knowledge of infrastructure technologies with proven skills in positioning, content strategy, and thought leadership, Don helps vendors sharpen their story, differentiate their offerings, and achieve stronger competitive standing across business, media, and technical audiences.