F5 today announced expanded technology partnerships and customer win milestones that reinforce its position as a leader in multicloud networking. According to IDC, the multicloud networking market is rapidly expanding and is expected to reach US$10.16 billion in 2028.^[1]

As a pioneer in multicloud application security and delivery, F5’s solutions help customers solve the unique complexity challenges inherent in securely connecting applications and APIs across hybrid multicloud environments. To help solve this challenge, F5 Distributed Cloud Services offer infrastructure-agnostic solutions that reduce the complexity of networking across data centres, clouds, and the edge while enabling consistent app security policy and enforcement, regardless of where the apps are hosted.

According to F5’s 2024 State of Application Strategy Report, the demand for multicloud networking strategies has grown significantly – with nearly 90 per cent of enterprises deploying apps and APIs across a mix of on-premises and cloud or edge environments. The report highlights significant challenges faced by today’s enterprises as they manage apps across multiple infrastructure environments. More than one third of respondents (38 per cent, nearly double the 2023 figure) operate apps across six or more different environments.

“Modern enterprises today must manage a multitude of disparate applications, all hosted on multiple clouds and on-premises environments. The realities of today’s hybrid multicloud infrastructures mandate that applications must be stitched together to deliver secure, fast, and reliable digital experiences,” said Arul Elumalai, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Distributed Cloud Platform and Security Services at F5. “With multicloud comes significant complexity, cost, and security risks, as applications become increasingly distributed. F5’s secure multicloud networking capabilities abstract this complexity to connect and protect these distributed applications, without having to pay attention to the cloud or infrastructure on which they run.”

F5 Introduces Technology Partnerships to Help Enterprises Tackle Multicloud Networking Challenges

F5 has developed partnerships with key technology leaders to extend the capabilities of its multicloud networking solutions and address a broader set of customer challenges.

NetApp

F5 is collaborating with NetApp, a global leader in data storage solutions, to provide enterprises with robust, secure, and agile data mobility capabilities, enhancing hybrid cloud ROI and reducing IT overhead. NetApp, with over three decades of expertise, and trusted by more than 10,000 customers globally, continues to innovate in the cloud era, offering unified data storage for any data type, workload, or application.

NetApp Blue XP provides a cloud-native unified management experience for storage and data services across multicloud, hybrid, and on-premises environments. Blue XP integrates on-site storage with the public cloud of a customer’s choice, keeping data secure and always available while optimising cost and performance. F5’s Distributed Cloud Services deliver a secure MCN solution for Blue XP users that enables safe, easy, and simplified operations of connecting NetApp storage on-premises and Cloud Volumes ONTAP (NetApp’s cloud-based data management service) in the cloud. Data mobility achieved by NetApp and F5 simplifies disaster recovery processes and promotes data as a strategic asset. This partnership empowers businesses to navigate the complexities of multicloud environments with confidence.

Red Hat

F5 has enhanced its collaboration with Red Hat to simplify the migration and management of cloud workloads using Red Hat OpenShift Service on AWS (ROSA). By enabling integration for F5 Distributed Cloud Services with ROSA, customers can connect and manage hybrid cloud environments with improved security capabilities, reduced complexity, and lower costs. This collaboration leverages F5 Distributed Cloud App Connect to provide more seamless app-to-app communication and security-optimised workload migration, delivering greater consistency, security, and visibility.

Console Connect

F5 is also introducing its collaboration with Console Connect, a premier Network as a Service (NaaS) provider. This partnership integrates Console Connect with F5 across multiple Points of Presence (PoPs), extending F5’s global backbone and reinforcing its multicloud networking solutions. Underpinned by a Tier 1 IP network that is ranked in the top 10 globally, Console Connect brings significant network reach, enabling secure and efficient data movement across cloud environments.

Together, F5 and Console Connect enhance multicloud connectivity and security by removing the need to rely on the public internet, resulting in private and secure connectivity across clouds. Through this partnership, customers benefit from F5 Distributed Cloud Services such as DDoS Protection on Console Connect’s global network for public-facing applications in addition to seamless deployment of customer edge (CE) software capabilities for Network Auto-Discovery, Cloud Orchestration, Distributed Application and API Security, and more.

Proven Customer Success with F5 Distributed Cloud Secure Multicloud Networking Solutions

Organisations are harnessing the multicloud networking capabilities of F5 Distributed Cloud Services to enhance their app and API security, performance, and management. Here are four standout case study snapshots that showcase how customers have transformed their operations with F5:

• Ailos Cooperative, a financial services provider, implemented F5 solutions such as F5 Distributed Cloud Network Connect to connect its app portfolio between multiple public clouds and its proprietary data centres. F5 enabled Ailos to fortify its app and API security, ensuring consistent protection and high performance across various cloud platforms. F5 provided comprehensive traffic management, robust security measures, and streamlined compliance, which helped Ailos manage its multicloud infrastructure efficiently. As a result, Ailos could focus on delivering reliable digital experiences to customers, who could be confident in the security and performance of their applications.
• Grupo Élève, an educational technology provider, needed to overcome the complexity of delivering a first-class student experience from its multicloud environment. A secure multicloud networking solution centred on F5 Distributed Cloud Services ensured seamless integration and fortified security to streamline traffic management and enhance application protection across different cloud platforms. This resulted in a unified approach to compliance and performance that reduced complexity while reducing admin workloads by 90 per cent.
• McGraw Hill, a leading educational content provider, aimed to streamline its multicloud management and enhance security. By adopting F5 Distributed Cloud Services, McGraw Hill simplified its infrastructure and management while delivering consistent app-level security across various cloud platforms. F5 simplified the company’s ability to deploy and scale apps across disparate cloud environments, while providing robust traffic management, fortified application protection, and ensured compliance.
• The Scottish Government needed a streamlined approach to connect clouds, services, apps, and APIs with consistent visibility and security across assets. With F5 Distributed Cloud Services, the Scottish Government has created a single administration model across cloud environments where they can keep policies consistent on an ongoing basis, while eliminating multiple dashboards. F5 multicloud networking solutions facilitated a seamless transition to a multicloud infrastructure, allowing the organisation to leverage future cloud innovations while ensuring operational security and efficiency.

All the above solutions are available to F5 Distributed Cloud Services customers. For more information, visit f5.com.

[1]Source cited: IDC, Worldwide Multicloud Networking Forecast, 2024–2028, Document # US52189024, May 2024