You can apply for a dedicated Express Connect circuit to ensure that your data center is connected to Alibaba Cloud over the dedicated Express Connect circuit in an efficient and secure manner. After you apply for a dedicated Express Connect circuit, the corresponding Internet service provider (ISP) conducts tasks such as the site survey and cabling. It requires about one to three months for the ISP to complete these tasks. We recommend that you make a detailed plan about how to connect your data center to Alibaba Cloud and estimate the expenses in advance.
Connect to Alibaba Cloud over a dedicated Express Connect circuit
The following figure shows how to connect to Alibaba Cloud over a dedicated Express Connect circuit.
A Letter of Authorization (LOA) is the authorization to install an Express Connect circuit. The ISP must present the LOA before they can enter the data center in which the Alibaba Cloud access point is deployed and complete the installation.
The total duration that is required to review the LOA and install the Express Connect circuit may be extended due to public holidays and local policies.
Before you apply for a dedicated Express Connect circuit, you must select an access point, check the stock, and contact your ISP to complete the pre-installation site survey. For more information, see Preparations.
Create a connection over an Express Connect circuit in the Express Connect console. For more information, see Create and manage a dedicated connection over an Express Connect circuit.
Enable billing for outbound data transfer. For more information, see Enable billing for outbound data transfer.
Apply for an Express Connect circuit, contact the ISP to install the Express Connect circuit, and complete the payment. For more information, see Create and manage a dedicated connection over an Express Connect circuit.
Connect your data center to Alibaba Cloud over the Express Connect circuit.
Create a virtual border router (VBR). For more information, see Create and manage a VBR.
Attach the VBR and a virtual private cloud (VPC) to a Cloud Enterprise Network (CEN) instance, add routes to the VBR and configure health checks, and then verify the network connectivity. For more information, see Connect a data center to ECS by using an Express Connect circuit.
Install an Express Connect circuit
The installation process of an Express Connect circuit may vary based on the network topology. The following figures show the installation process of Express Connect circuits in two commonly used network topologies. You can contact your ISP to obtain more installation details.
The following figure shows how to install an Express Connect circuit if your data center and the access point are deployed in different campuses.
The following figure shows how to install an Express Connect circuit if your data center and the access point are deployed in the same campus.
Status of an Express Connect circuit in different stages
The connection over a dedicated Express Connect circuit involves operations performed by you, your ISP, and Alibaba Cloud. The Express Connect console displays the status of an Express Connect circuit in different stages except Under Construction and provides relevant instructions. You can check the installation process of an Express Connect circuit on the Physical Connection page in the Express Connect console.
