Multi-cloud networking gains momentum with AWS and Oracle

Oracle is taking another step in its connectivity journey with plans to expand its multi-cloud networking capabilities with AWS.  

AWS Interconnect - multicloud, a managed private connectivity service made generally available on April 14, will be able to connect to Oracle Interconnect to provide a private, managed connection that supports full- and split-stack multi-cloud deployments. Customers will be able to run applications and move data between Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) and AWS, across 26 interconnected partner cloud regions. 

Connecting different service providers is no easy task for customers and can involve building their own complex networking configurations, including physical connections and equipment. This not only takes time but can also involve internal and external teams paired with operational management challenges. With this multi-cloud networking collaboration, users will be able to focus on application modernization, unifying data and new opportunities in generative AI, according to Oracle.  

These are rare and valuable moments that network architectures and managers will appreciate.

"Simplicity is the top issue here, along with enabling automation. By using standard structures for networking services, barriers get lowered and complexity decreases. These are rare and valuable moments that network architectures and managers will appreciate," said Jim Frey, principal analyst at Omdia.  

Now there is a standard offering, "[customers] may be able to self-provision on their own -- letting them own a little piece more of their automation destiny," said Holger Mueller, vice president and principal analyst for Constellation Research. 

AWS and OCI aim for the multi-cloud networking capability to be available later in 2026 in the AWS US East (N. Virginia) us-east-1 region. 

It is expected that these types of partnerships and the multi-cloud networking push will continue, as they are consistent with broader trends around automation and using standardized, programmable approaches to deploy and operate mixed hybrid IT infrastructure, Frey said. Additionally, it paves the way for AI-powered autonomous systems and agents to operate more seamlessly across multi-cloud environments. 

Multi-cloud is here to stay 

After years of building an insular portfolio of services and tools -- and resisting customer demand for using multiple providers -- AWS is now working to bridge the gap. 

"AWS listened to their customers, and for the first time openly embraced the reality that they live and operate in a multi-cloud environment. Open multi-cloud networking is the easiest way to embrace that without giving up core differentiated services," Frey said. 

AWS has been making numerous multi-cloud networking moves, such as the December 2025 partnership between AWS Interconnect - multicloud and Google Cloud’s Cross-Cloud Interconnect. In addition to Oracle, it also plans to partner with Microsoft Azure later in 2026.  

While it is beneficial for customers that AWS is "collecting" clouds for its multi-cloud networking standard, delivering value to the enterprise is what matters most, Mueller said. It may be easier to move data between OCI and AWS, but enterprises must remain ever mindful of costs. Data egress fees are one of the top hidden costs of cloud computing, and customers will still have to pay for data moving across cloud environments. 

However, this multi-cloud networking push is good news for all enterprises, Mueller said, as vendors realize they can no longer lock-in customers and recognize the need for standard offers to move data across the cloud. 

Kathleen Casey is the site editor for SearchCloudComputing. She plans and oversees the site, and covers various cloud subjects including infrastructure management, development and security.