IZO™+ Multi Cloud Connect comes in two service models:
IZO™+ Multi Cloud Connect Direct carries your cloud traffic over the private Tata Communications backbone end to end.
IZO™+ Multi Cloud Connect Flex extends cloud access to sites that reach the backbone over the internet, using encrypted tunnels.
Both terminate against the same cloud connections; they differ in how your sites reach the backbone.
The two models at a glance
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IZO™+ Multi Cloud Connect Direct |
IZO™+ Multi Cloud Connect Flex |
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How your sites reach the backbone |
Private network (MPLS) |
Internet, via encrypted tunnels |
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Path characteristics |
Private end to end; predictable performance |
Private from the gateway onward; first mile over the internet |
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Typical fit |
Sites already on, or able to join, the private network |
Sites where private access is impractical or not yet available |
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Resilience |
Dual-path options on the private backbone |
Dual gateway tunnels for site-side resilience |
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Encryption |
Private MPLS isolation |
Route-based IPsec with modern cryptographic algorithms |
IZO™+ Multi Cloud Connect Direct
In the Direct model, your traffic travels on the private backbone from your site all the way to the cloud connection. Because the path never touches the public internet, performance is consistent and the service carries committed quality-of-service behaviour across the Tata Communications network.
Direct supports both Layer 3 and Layer 2 styles of cloud connection: a routed Layer 3 service where routing is exchanged between the backbone and the cloud, and a point-to-point Layer 2 service that extends a connection through to an endpoint in the cloud. Which one applies depends on the cloud and the connectivity option you choose; see Connectivity Options: Direct vs Routed.
IZO™+ Multi Cloud Connect Flex
Flex is for sites that reach the backbone over the internet rather than over the private network. An encrypted tunnel is established from the site to a Tata Communications gateway, and from that gateway the traffic joins the private path to the cloud. A single site uses a point-to-point tunnel; multiple sites can be grouped together so they share access to the cloud through the gateway.
Flex tunnels can be terminated on two gateways for resilience, and the gateways support modern cryptographic algorithms so that internet-borne traffic is protected in transit. Flex is the right choice when you need cloud reach from locations that are not on the private network, or when you want to add cloud access quickly without first provisioning private links to every site.
Choosing between them
Choose IZO™+ Multi Cloud Connect Direct when your sites are on the private network (or can join it) and you want fully private, performance-assured paths to the cloud. Choose IZO™+ Multi Cloud Connect Flex when you need to reach the cloud from internet-connected sites, or when speed of deployment matters more than having a private first mile. The two models are not mutually exclusive — many enterprises run Direct for core sites and Flex for the long tail of branches.
Both models support resilient designs: IZO™+ Multi Cloud Connect Direct offers dual-path resilience on the private backbone, and IZO™+ Multi Cloud Connect Flex terminates tunnels on two gateways for site-side resilience, so either can be built for business continuity.
What’s on the cloud side
Both models terminate against connections into the public clouds. The cloud connection at the far end is created in the cloud provider’s console. This page covers the two Tata Communications service models; for the cloud-side connection request and routing, see the relevant per-cloud section.