Akamai, the renowned content delivery service provider, announced today a significant expansion of its cloud computing presence worldwide. Following its acquisition of Linode last year, Akamai has demonstrated its ambition to establish itself as a major player in the cloud computing industry, alongside its cybersecurity initiatives. While it may not currently have the same level of dominance as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud, Akamai boasts a strong foothold in various sectors, particularly entertainment, and possesses the capability to offer essential infrastructure services to its customers.
Key Takeaway
Akamai’s cloud computing services are well-suited for high-performance workloads, particularly those requiring close proximity to end users, such as streaming media, gaming, and e-commerce applications. These services are part of Akamai Connected Cloud, a distributed edge and cloud platform that prioritizes cloud computing, security, and content delivery, keeping applications closer to users while keeping threats at bay.
Recognizing its existing global presence, it comes as no surprise that the company is now rolling out its cloud computing services to additional locations across the globe. Earlier this year, Akamai unveiled its plans to launch regions in Paris, France; Washington, D.C.; Chicago; Seattle; and Chennai. Today, the company announced its expansion into new regions, including Amsterdam, Jakarta, Los Angeles, Miami, Milan, Osaka, and São Paulo.
Akamai’s Competitive Advantage
Akamai’s extensive network of over 4,100 edge points of presence across 131 countries provides a significant advantage. This network enables the company to offer users low-latency access to its compute service. Notably, Akamai’s Amsterdam region is connected to the AMS-IX, the world’s second-largest internet exchange. Additionally, the Miami and São Paulo regions will enhance connectivity and cater to service users in Latin America. Given Akamai’s industry strength in entertainment, the decision to establish a region in Los Angeles is hardly surprising.
The company currently operates in Atlanta, Dallas, Fremont, Newark, Toronto, Frankfurt, London, Mumbai, Singapore, Sydney, and Tokyo. With the addition of the 13 regions announced this year, Akamai will expand its global presence to a total of 24 locations. It is likely that the company will continue to announce further regions before all of these new locations go online.
Adam Karon, the Chief Operating Officer and General Manager of Akamai’s Cloud Technology Group, emphasized the company’s approach with Akamai Connected Cloud: “We’re taking an outside-in, distributed-first approach built on a commitment to cloud-native technologies and the same network many of the world’s largest companies have relied on for more than two decades. It’s an approach focused on a future where scale becomes as much about the size of the network as it does the size of the data center.”
Akamai’s Acquisition of Linode
Akamai’s acquisition of Linode last year was a strategic move to bolster its position in the cloud computing market. While Akamai has long been recognized as a reliable content delivery service provider, the acquisition signaled its intent to expand and compete in the cloud computing space. Linode’s technology and expertise have contributed to Akamai’s ability to offer robust cloud computing solutions to its growing customer base.
