You can apply for a dedicated Express Connect circuit or use a shared Express Connect circuit pre-installed by an Express Connect partner to connect to Alibaba Cloud.
Connection methods
Dedicated connections over Express Connect circuits
You can lease an Express Connect circuit from a connectivity provider to connect to an access point of Alibaba Cloud. Each Express Connect circuit occupies a physical port. You can apply for an Express Connect circuit in the Express Connect console. For more information, see Create and manage a dedicated connection over an Express Connect circuit.
Hosted connections over Express Connect circuits
The networks of Express Connect partners are already connected to the Alibaba Cloud access points. You can use an Express Connect circuit pre-installed by an Express Connect partner to connect to Alibaba Cloud. If you select this method, you must request the Express Connect partner to create a hosted connection. In this case, the Express Connect circuit is shared by multiple tenants. For more information, see Overview of hosted connections.
Comparison between the solutions
Item | Dedicated connections over Express Connect circuits | Hosted connections over Express Connect circuits |
Recommended bandwidth | 1~100 Gbps | <1 Gbps |
Overall construction period | Two to three months | Within one month |
Procedure | The procedure involves multiple parties:
| The procedure involves two parties:
|
Port type | Dedicated | Shared |
Billing | Alibaba Cloud charges a monthly resource usage fee. The colocation provider of the Alibaba Cloud access point charges a cable fee. The colocation provider of your data center charges a cable fee. The connectivity provider charges fees for the installation service and bandwidth resources. For more information, see Billing overview. | Alibaba Cloud charges a monthly resource usage fee. The colocation provider of your data center charges a cable fee. The connectivity provider charges fees for the installation service and bandwidth resources. |
Installation limits at the Alibaba Cloud side |
| None. |
Installation limits at the colocation provider side | Only the Hangzhou-Yuhang-A access point and the access points in the China (Zhangjiakou) region are managed by Alibaba Cloud. The colocation providers of other access points are third-party service providers. The installation rules vary based on the colocation provider. Specific China Telecom branches may request permissions to install cables in their data centers. In this case, you must contact your connectivity provider to obtain the required permissions. Some China Telecom branches may request an authorization letter for installing cables in your data center. The authorization letter must be affixed with the seal of your company and that of Alibaba Cloud. To apply for the seal of Alibaba Cloud, contact your account manager. | None. |
Site survey | After your application is approved, Alibaba Cloud helps engineers perform the site survey within two business days. | None. |
Service Level Agreement (SLA) that is provided by Alibaba Cloud for fiber pigtail installation |
| N/A |