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Akamai today announced the launch of its Gecko “Generalized Edge Compute” platform. This new initiative will increase the company’s cloud computing network with 10 additional regions worldwide in the first quarter of this year, then another 75 throughout the rest of the year.
Since acquired Linode in 2022, Akamai has made clear its intention to build a more complete cloud computing service that aims to bring computing power closer to its users, reducing latency for many traditional use cases and enabling new ones like immersive retail, spatial computing and consumer and industrial IoT. There is of course also an AI play here, as Akamai believes that many companies will want to run their models and other machine learning workloads close to their users.
Image credits: Akamai
AWS takes a similar approach with its Local areasbut Akamai says its competitors treat their cloud and edge networks separately, whereas Gecko is a single, highly distributed cloud platform.
“Gecko is the most exciting thing to happen to the cloud in a decade,” said Tom Leighton, co-founder and CEO of Akamai. “This is the next phase of the roadmap to a more connected cloud that we set out when we acquired Linode to add cost-effective, cloud-native computing capabilities to our portfolio. We began implementing this roadmap with the launch of Akamai Connected Cloud and the rapid deployment of new core IT regions around the world. With Gecko, we are furthering this vision by combining the computing power of our cloud platform with the proximity and efficiency of the edge, bringing workloads closer to users than any other cloud provider. When we say we operate on a global scale, that’s what we mean.
Given its extensive network, with more than 4,100 points of presence, Akamai also believes it can differentiate its service through the strength of its network. Additionally, the company also claims that many businesses today are looking for a more agile alternative to large centralized clouds.
“Akamai is delivering on the promise it made when it acquired Linode by rapidly integrating compute into its security and delivery mix,” said Dave McCarthy, IDC, research vice president of Cloud and Edge Services. “What they’re doing now with Gecko is an example of the more distributed cloud world we’re moving toward, driven by the demand to bring compute and data closer to the edge. »
The company plans to open hundreds of these small regions over the next few years. Although short-term, it is now being launched in cities like Hong Kong SAR; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Querétaro, Mexico; Johannesburg; Bogota – Colombia; Denver, Colo.; Houston, TX; Hamburg, Germany; Marseille, France ; and Santiago, Chile, launching later this quarter. This is in addition to the 25 core compute regions currently offered.
Once Akamai has a good number of regions in place, it plans to bring its container service there, and then later its automated workload platform, which the company promises will enable developers to easily distribute their applications to hundreds of locations.
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