Console-AWS: disrupting the cloud to provide security and connectivity | #reInvent Amazon Web Services knows its strengths and acknowledges its weaknesses; in many areas of provisioning, it knows it cannot be “everything to everybody,” and therefore relies on vendors who have been providing specialized services for many years; one of those is Console Connect Inc. Console is an enterprise software and interconnection platform that is changing the way businesses directly connect to their customers, vendors and partners. Console recently became an AWS Standard Level Technology Partner, an upgrade that is the result of Console’s expanding success as a partner of the AWS Direct Connect program and highlights its growth as a software interconnection platform. Bill Norton, chief scientist of Console, and Brad Mandell, chief revenue officer at Console, joined Stu Miniman (@stu), co-host of theCUBE*, from the SiliconANGLE Media team, during AWS re:Invent, held in Las Vegas, NV. They discussed how Console thinks of itself as a disruptive software and the future of providing connections to many more SaaS providers via AWS. Disruption and security Regarding how Console fits into the cloud ecosystem, “Think of us as very disruptive software, now,” said Mandell. He added, “The enterprises of the past, they had many apps, interconnectivity, PLS networks connected to their branch offices.” He explained that customers are looking for the same type of experience, but it’s now going to many SaaS providers; it’s going to AWS for hybrid cloud; or it can be connected to a different, co-located data center somewhere. Console provides the seamlessly interconnectivity that customers need through a software solution, Mandell explained. Regarding the security in this environment, Norton said that the security in a private, dedicated ecosystem comes in a couple of different forms. The first form is, between any two destinations on the internet, there are four and a half networks, each of which has routers, etc., that can be compromised. This provides what is called a “large attack surface.” If you go directly (and not through the internet), you’re decreasing the size of the attack surface down to just one connection. Rather, it’s a dedicated path between the two endpoints that is invisible to most. “You cannot attack what you cannot see,” said Norton. It’s all about the connectivity Mandell emphasized the importance of the partnership with AWS; Console is a connectivity provider, and much more. During the conference, he spoke to many AWS customers, and they’re excited about Console connecting to AWS. Then, once they’re connected to Console, they can connect to many more SaaS providers. That is precisely what AWS wants to provide to its customers, an enterprise solution that not only connects customers to them, but that also brings more value to their customers. “The simplicity of our solution is one of the things that is really resonating with the population here,” added Norton. #reInvent #theCUBE