Kyndryl & Cloudflare Expand Partnership for Multi-Cloud Connectivity

Kyndryl, the world’s largest IT infrastructure services provider, and Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE: NET), a leading connectivity cloud company, today announced a global strategic alliance, an expansion of their partnership, to enable enterprises to migrate and manage networks for multi-cloud connectivity and comprehensive network security. The partnership combines Kyndryl’s end-to-end consulting services and expertise across enterprise networking, security and resiliency with Cloudflare’s robust connectivity cloud that offers security, performance, and cloud flexibility all-in-one. 

Kyndryl and Cloudflare first partnered in May 2023 to modernize enterprise infrastructure with end-to-end services, bringing managed WAN-as-a-Service and Cloudflare Zero Trust to the entire corporate network. Now, the two companies are focused on further innovation across all technology stacks to design, build, manage and modernize customers’ vital systems. Cloudflare’s capabilities will now be activated across Kyndryl’s practice areas including Network & Edge and Security & Resiliency.

Network Modernization Partnership

Enterprises have turned to Cloudflare and Kyndryl since they started partnering for complete network modernization, protections, and performance solutions — across sectors worldwide — from a supply chain distribution provider in the US, a leading financial institution in Spain, to Ashok Leyland, a leading commercial vehicle manufacturer in India.

“As one of the premier automotive manufacturers worldwide, it is imperative that we are equipped with robust and secure networks to ensure our global IT infrastructure runs seamlessly. From dealer management to vehicle tracking, we need to run our 50+ Internet applications with zero or minimal disruption and enhanced security,” said Vinod Gopinathan, CIO at Ashok Leyland. “Kyndryl’s managed services with Cloudflare’s DDoS protection and mitigation solution enables Ashok Leyland to focus on our pursuit to technology innovation, advanced engineering, and enhanced connectivity.”

The Kyndryl and Cloudflare global strategic alliance is focused on helping enterprises streamline connectivity to multiple clouds and data centers, while providing robust network security. Together, they will help businesses: 

●        Accelerate digital maturity and network modernization: Cloudflare is the technology platform and Kyndryl is the services provider that will shepherd customers through this journey. Together, Kyndryl and Cloudflare will guide customers to increase security across the network, enhance performance of business-critical applications, and seamlessly access business data.

●        Reduce spend on private network links and appliances while saving IT teams from manual work: The two companies will provide enterprises with leading global network capabilities needed for flexible work environments, including reducing tech debt and legacy architecture. Kyndryl will advise and assist enterprises in managing their IT infrastructure as they evolve their networks and transfer workloads into Cloudflare’s connectivity cloud.

●        Extend network security to offices and data centers by replacing traditional WAN: Cloudflare’s complete enterprise cybersecurity can tackle risks and attacks from every location and vector. The Zero Trust migration with Kyndryl seamlessly modernizes networks while helping to ensure business continuity.

●        Leverage sustainable networking: Cloudflare’s connectivity cloud eliminates the need for hardware and traditional networking equipment. With Kyndryl’s expertise in technology stack migration combined with Cloudflare’s global network services, the partnership enables customers to seamlessly integrate environmental sustainability directly into their business model. Organizations migrating from on-premises network hardware to Cloudflare’s cloud-based services can decrease related carbon emissions between 78% and 96%. 

As testament to the partnership, Cloudflare has helped Kyndryl transform its network services and provide cloud cybersecurity protection, including DDoS mitigation. Cloudflare currently protects Kyndryl’s internet properties, with Kyndryl operating on a self-service model including the ability to make changes seamlessly throughout the transformation without incurring additional charges. Since adopting Cloudflare's global connectivity cloud network and security services, Kyndryl has seen a reduction in IT infrastructure costs, accelerated web traffic and increased performance for data load balancing.

“Together with Cloudflare, we are enabling enterprises to migrate to next-generation networks and capitalize on advanced cloud features to achieve greater agility and innovation. We are thrilled to expand our relationship with Cloudflare, an industry leader in cloud networking,” said Paul Savill, Global Practice Leader of Network and Edge Computing at Kyndryl. “With Kyndryl’s expert managed and consulting services, we will be helping our joint customers secure, streamline and simplify their IT infrastructure, all while reducing costs and improving operational efficiencies.” 

“Cloudflare and Kyndryl is the duo that enterprises can fully lean on to migrate their networks and innovate across the cloud. Working hand-in-hand with customers, we’ve seen the demand and impact from Cloudflare’s leading connectivity cloud and comprehensive cybersecurity for business environments, right in hand with Kyndryl's industry-leading consulting and managed network services,” said Matt Harrell, Global Head of Channels and Alliances at Cloudflare. "Since partnering with Kyndryl, we have been able to scale Cloudflare’s services at a new level. Our global strategic alliance can support any enterprise now across their entire network stack, regardless of where they stand in their cloud journey.”