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IBM Cloud Internet Services

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What is IBM Cloud Internet Services

IBM Cloud Internet Services (CIS) is a cloud-based edge security and performance service that provides DNS, CDN caching, web application firewall (WAF), and DDoS mitigation for internet-facing applications. It targets teams running websites and APIs on IBM Cloud or hybrid environments that want to reduce attack surface and improve availability at the network edge. The service is delivered as a managed offering with policy configuration through IBM Cloud, and it integrates with IBM Cloud networking and security services.

pros

Integrated edge security controls

CIS combines DNS, CDN, TLS/SSL configuration, WAF rules, and DDoS mitigation in a single managed service. This reduces the number of separate components required to protect and accelerate web applications. Centralized configuration supports common web security use cases such as bot and application-layer filtering and edge caching.

Managed DDoS mitigation at edge

The service provides DDoS protection designed to absorb and mitigate volumetric and protocol-based attacks before they reach origin infrastructure. This is useful for organizations that need baseline DDoS defenses without deploying and operating dedicated mitigation appliances. It also supports always-on protection patterns typical of edge-delivered services.

IBM Cloud account integration

CIS is provisioned and managed through IBM Cloud, aligning with IBM Cloud identity, billing, and resource management workflows. This can simplify procurement and operations for organizations already standardized on IBM Cloud. It also fits into IBM Cloud network architecture patterns where DNS and edge security are managed alongside other cloud services.

cons

Best fit for IBM Cloud

While it can front-end applications hosted outside IBM Cloud, the strongest operational integration is within IBM Cloud tooling and processes. Organizations primarily using other cloud platforms may find less native integration and fewer ecosystem conveniences. This can increase operational friction compared with edge stacks built around their primary cloud provider.

Feature depth varies by plan

Capabilities such as advanced WAF controls, analytics, and performance features can depend on the selected service plan and add-ons. Teams may need to validate which security controls are included versus requiring upgrades. This can complicate cost forecasting when requirements expand (for example, more granular rules or reporting).

Less control than self-managed

As a managed edge service, CIS abstracts underlying components and limits low-level tuning compared with self-managed reverse proxies or on-prem security appliances. Some advanced customization, bespoke traffic handling, or specialized logging/export needs may not be available or may require workarounds. This can matter for teams with strict observability or custom routing requirements.

Plan & Pricing

Plan Price Key features & notes
Trial (No-cost Trial) Free for 30 days Same feature set as Standard Next; only one free trial instance per account; trial expires after 30 days.
Standard Next Not publicly listed (metered/pay-as-you-go) Included: 1 domain; 0.5 TB protected traffic (does not include attack-related traffic); 5M HTTP requests and 1M DNS queries included; 250 DNS records per domain; basic WAF (OWASP/CIS ruleset); limited GLB (3 pools, 3 origin servers). Pricing details are not published on the public docs/catalog — use the IBM Cloud Cost Estimator or Global Catalog API for account-specific pricing.
Enterprise Essential Not publicly listed (metered/usage-based) Included: 1 domain; 5 TB protected traffic; 150M requests/queries combined; 3500 DNS records; 25 custom certificates; GLB: 20 pools / 20 origins; logging & basic features. Pricing not published publicly; contact IBM or use catalog API.
Enterprise Advanced Not publicly listed (metered/usage-based) Included: 2 domains (additional domains available for monthly fee); 5 TB protected traffic; 150M requests/queries combined; advanced WAF, rate limiting, smart routing, logging, 3500 DNS records, 25 custom certificates. Pricing not published publicly; contact IBM or use catalog API.
Enterprise Premier Not publicly listed (metered/usage-based) Included: 2 domains; 5 TB protected traffic; 150M requests/queries; bot management included; advanced WAF, rate limiting, smart routing, logging, 3500 DNS records, 25 custom certificates. Pricing not published publicly; contact IBM or use catalog API.
Enterprise Usage Pay-as-you-go / usage-based (no public list price) Usage-oriented plan for large/custom deployments (up to 100 GLB pools, 100 origins); metered billing. Exact per-metric rates are not published on the public IBM docs/catalog pages — pricing returned via Global Catalog API or the IBM Cloud console estimate.

Notes:

  • IBM Cloud Internet Services (CIS) is delivered on Cloudflare infrastructure; IBM describes a "predictive billing model" and recommends using the Global Catalog API or the IBM Cloud cost estimator for exact pricing.
  • Public IBM docs/catalog provide included quantities, quotas, and which features are metered vs fixed, but do not publish per-unit or per-plan dollar prices on the public-facing documentation pages we reviewed.

Seller details

IBM
Armonk, New York, USA
1911
Public
https://www.ibm.com
https://x.com/IBM
https://www.linkedin.com/company/ibm/

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