After you apply for a dedicated Express Connect circuit, the connectivity provider must complete tasks such as installation site survey and cabling. It requires about one to three months for the provider 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. This topic describes how to apply for a dedicated Express Connect circuit. This topic also describes the workflow of installing a dedicated Express Connect circuit and the status of the Express Connect circuit in different stages.

Workflow of connecting to Alibaba Cloud through a dedicated Express Connect circuit

The following figure shows the workflow of connecting to Alibaba Cloud through a dedicated Express Connect circuit.

Workflow of connecting to Alibaba Cloud through a dedicated Express Connect circuit
Note
  • A Letter of Authorization (LOA) is the authorization to connect to Alibaba Cloud. The connectivity provider must present the LOA before they can enter the Alibaba Cloud data center (access point location) and complete the installation.
  • The amount of time that is required to review the LOA and install the Express Connect circuit may be extended due to public holidays and local laws.
  1. Before you apply for a dedicated Express Connect circuit, you must select an access point, check the stock, and contact your connectivity provider to complete the pre-installation site survey. For more information, see Preparations.
  2. Create a connection over an Express Connect circuit in the Express Connect console. For more information, see Create a dedicated connection over an Express Connect circuit.
    1. Enable billing for outbound data transfer. For more information, see Enable billing for outbound data transfer.
    2. Apply for an Express Connect circuit, contact the provider to install the Express Connect circuit, and complete the payment. For more information, see Create a dedicated connection over an Express Connect circuit.
  3. Connect your data center to Alibaba Cloud through the Express Connect circuit.
    1. Create a virtual border router (VBR). For more information, see Create a VBR.
    2. Attach the VBR and virtual private cloud (VPC) to a Cloud Enterprise Network (CEN) instance, add routes to the VBR and configure health checks, and verify the network connectivity. For more information, see Connect to an ECS instance from a data center by using an Express Connect circuit.

Workflow of installing an Express Connect circuit

The workflow of installing an Express Connect circuit may vary based on the network topology. The following figures show the workflows of installing Express Connect circuits in two commonly used network topologies. You can contact your connectivity provider for installation details.

  • The following figure shows the installation workflow when your data center and the access point location are in different campuses. Express Connect circuit installation workflow 01
  • The following figure shows the installation workflow when your data center and the access point location are in the same campus. Express Connect circuit installation workflow 02

Status of an Express Connect circuit in different stages

The workflow of connecting to Alibaba Cloud through a dedicated Express Connect circuit involves you, your connectivity provider, and Alibaba Cloud. The Express Connect console displays the status of an Express Connect circuit throughout different stages except Under Construction and provides relevant instructions. You can check the Construction Procedure of an Express Connect circuit on the Exclusive Physical Connection page in the Express Connect console.

Express Connect circuit status