CoreSite Expands AWS Direct Connect Availability to Chicago Data Center, Empowering AI, Machine Learning, and Data-Intense Applications

Hold onto your hats, folks, because the Windy City just got a whole lot more connected! CoreSite, the hybrid IT solutions provider that’s like the cool kid on the block (and a subsidiary of American Tower, no less), just announced that AWS Direct Connect is now live in their Chicago data center campus.

This is huge news, especially if you’re a business in the Chicago area looking to supercharge your applications with the power of AWS. We’re talking about private, low-latency connections that make your data zoom faster than a cheetah on a sugar rush. And we’re not just talking about any old connections; this is the big leagues, with support for dedicated connections ranging from a respectable ten Gbps all the way up to a mind-blowing one hundred Gbps. And if you’re thinking, “Hey, what about hosted connections?”, don’t worry, CoreSite has got you covered there too, with options from a solid fifty Mbps to a very respectable twenty-five Gbps.

But wait, there’s more! This isn’t just some fling, folks. This expansion means that AWS Direct Connect is now a full-blown resident in six CoreSite markets: sunny Los Angeles, the tech hub of Silicon Valley, the mile-high city of Denver, the city that never sleeps, New York, the bustling tech corridor of Northern Virginia, and now, the Second City, Chicago.

Benefits for Customers: Why This Matters More Than Your Morning Coffee

Okay, we’ve established that this is a big deal, but let’s break down why this matters for you, dear reader, in a way that even your grandma can understand (no offense to your grandma, of course). Imagine this: you’re trying to send a giant video file over the internet. It’s like trying to fit an elephant through a straw, right? Slow, painful, and you might just give up and go watch paint dry instead. That’s what using the public internet for data-intensive applications can feel like.

Now, imagine a dedicated highway lane, just for your data, with no traffic, no speed limits, and a police escort (okay, maybe not the police escort, but you get the idea). That’s what AWS Direct Connect is like. It’s a private connection between your infrastructure and AWS, which means:

Reduced Data Transfer Costs: Say Goodbye to Bill Shock

Remember those hefty internet bills that make you want to cry? Well, kiss them goodbye! With AWS Direct Connect, you can potentially slash your data transfer costs by up to a whopping sixty percent compared to using the public internet. That’s right, sixty percent! Think of all the things you could do with that extra cash. You could finally buy that fancy espresso machine or that lifetime supply of avocado toast!

Enhanced Performance: Because Nobody Likes a Lagging App

We live in a world of instant gratification. We want our videos to load in a blink, our games to run smoothly, and our applications to respond faster than we can say “cloud computing.” AWS Direct Connect makes that a reality with its low-latency connections. No more buffering, no more waiting, just pure, unadulterated speed.

Increased Resilience: Because Uptime is King (or Queen)

Imagine this: you’re in the middle of a critical online transaction, and suddenly, BAM! The internet goes down. Your heart drops, your palms get sweaty, and you start questioning every life decision that led you to this moment. With AWS Direct Connect, you can say “not today, internet gremlins!” because it offers redundant connectivity options, ensuring that your mission-critical workloads stay up and running, no matter what curveballs the internet throws your way.

Improved Security: Because Data Breaches Are So Last Season

In today’s digital age, data is the new gold, which also makes it a prime target for cybercriminals. It’s like leaving your front door wide open with a neon sign that says, “Come on in, thieves!” AWS Direct Connect helps you sleep soundly at night knowing your data is tucked away safely behind a virtual fortress. With private network connections, you can access your AWS resources securely, keeping those pesky hackers at bay.

Simplified Management: Because Who Has Time for Complicated Tech Headaches?

Let’s be honest, managing network infrastructure can be about as fun as watching paint dry. But fear not, tech-challenged friends, because CoreSite’s Open Cloud Exchange (OCX) platform is here to save the day! This nifty platform integrates seamlessly with AWS Direct Connect, making it easier than ever to manage your network connections. Think of it as the Marie Kondo of cloud networking—it sparks joy by simplifying everything.

Key Applications: Where AWS Direct Connect Really Shines Brighter Than a Diamond

By now, you’re probably thinking, “Okay, this AWS Direct Connect thing sounds pretty awesome, but what can I actually *do* with it?” Well, buckle up, buttercup, because we’re about to dive into the exciting world of AWS Direct Connect applications:

Artificial Intelligence (AI): The Brains Behind the Operation

AI is revolutionizing the world as we know it, from self-driving cars to personalized shopping experiences. But all that brainpower requires some serious computing muscle. That’s where AWS Direct Connect comes in, providing the low latency and high bandwidth needed to handle demanding AI workloads without breaking a sweat. It’s like giving your AI a shot of espresso, except without the jitters.

Machine Learning (ML): Teaching Machines to Be as Smart (or Almost as Smart) as Humans

Machine learning is like the cool kid on the AI block, and it’s all about teaching machines to learn from data and make predictions. But just like training for a marathon requires dedication and the right fuel, training ML models requires speed and efficiency. AWS Direct Connect steps in as the ultimate personal trainer, accelerating ML model training and deployment with lightning-fast data transfer speeds.

Data Storage: Your Data’s Cozy (and Secure) New Home

Remember those giant filing cabinets that took up half your office space? Yeah, those are *so* last century. These days, it’s all about storing your precious data in the cloud. But moving massive datasets between your on-premises infrastructure and AWS can feel like trying to move a mountain, one pebble at a time. AWS Direct Connect swoops in like a superhero, providing a secure and efficient way to transfer large datasets, making data migration a breeze.

Production Workloads: Keeping Your Business Running Like a Well-Oiled Machine

In the business world, time is money, and downtime is the ultimate productivity killer. AWS Direct Connect ensures that your mission-critical applications run like a dream, with enhanced performance and reliability that would make even the most demanding CEO crack a smile. It’s like having a team of expert technicians working around the clock to keep your systems humming along smoothly.

Partnerships and Integrations: Because Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

You know what they say: “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” CoreSite clearly understands the power of collaboration because they’ve teamed up with some of the biggest names in the tech industry.

First up, we have the AWS Partner Network (APN). CoreSite is a proud member of this elite group, which means they’ve met Amazon’s rigorous standards for quality and customer satisfaction. It’s like getting a gold star in the cloud computing world.

And let’s not forget about CoreSite’s Open Cloud Exchange (OCX) platform, which we mentioned earlier. This bad boy integrates seamlessly with AWS Direct Connect, making it ridiculously easy for customers to manage their network connections. Think of it as the ultimate matchmaker, bringing together the best of CoreSite and AWS in perfect harmony.