Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure have introduced a joint multicloud networking solution for private, high-performance connectivity between the two cloud platforms. Customers can provision that connectivity on demand, offering a new option for organizations with workloads that span AWS and Azure.
The service enters Public Preview on August 31. It combines AWS Interconnect – multicloud with Azure Multicloud Interconnect, allowing customers to establish dedicated private bandwidth between the two environments in a few clicks. That replaces a process that could previously require weeks or months of manual provisioning.
AWS and Azure Multicloud Connectivity Availability
The initial rollout is available in four locations:
- US East (N. Virginia)
- US West (N. California)
- Asia Pacific (Sydney)
- Europe (Frankfurt)
The offering supports connectivity speeds of up to 100 Gbps from launch. AWS and Microsoft Azure also said they plan to expand regional availability and offer additional bandwidth options.
How the Joint Multicloud Networking Service Works
The joint service connects AWS and Azure through AWS Interconnect – multicloud and Azure Multicloud Interconnect. It is designed to provide dedicated, private bandwidth for workloads running across both cloud platforms.
The underlying architecture uses a quad-redundant design across physically diverse facilities. Data traveling between edge routers is protected with MACsec encryption.
AWS said the service provides MACsec security out of the box, four-nines availability, and click-based scalability. Robert Kennedy, VP of Network Services at AWS, said customers had asked for an easier way to connect workloads across AWS and Azure because previous approaches were cumbersome.
AWS Interconnect – Multicloud Expands Its Cloud Connections
Azure is the third major cloud provider connected through AWS Interconnect – multicloud. Google Cloud and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure are already connected through the service.
The collaboration relies on an open API specification for network interoperability that AWS first published at re:Invent 2025. The specification is available for other providers to join.
Why AWS and Microsoft Azure Are Working Together
AWS and Microsoft positioned the work as a response to customer demand for better interoperability between cloud environments.
Narayan Annamalai, Vice President of Product Management for Azure Networking at Microsoft, said the partnership is intended to simplify how customers connect AWS and Azure environments and give them greater flexibility to innovate on their own terms.
The arrangement is unusual because AWS and Microsoft Azure are the two largest cloud providers. Newsquawk described such commercial agreements as uncommon and said they have historically reflected customer demand for interoperability across clouds rather than strategic convergence between providers.
What Comes Next for Multicloud Interoperability
AWS and Microsoft Azure said the effort may eventually extend beyond cloud-to-cloud connectivity. Their longer-term plan includes network service providers and telecommunications carriers using the same open interoperability framework.
As the specification remains open to additional providers, the service could develop into a wider approach to multicloud connectivity. The companies connected that possibility to an environment where AI workloads increasingly operate across multiple environments.