Request a port in recommended mode - Express Connect - Alibaba Cloud Documentation Center

In recommended mode, the system calculates the latency between access points and zones within your selected region and recommends a suitable access point. This mode is ideal for latency-sensitive services. This topic describes how to request a physical port in recommended mode.

Prerequisites

You have enabled billing for outbound traffic.

Procedure

Step 1: Request a physical port in recommended mode

You can log on to the Express Connect console, click Request Physical Port, and select Recommended Mode.

Note

The latency data is for reference only. The actual latency may vary. We recommend that you perform your own tests.

Configuration	Description
Access point selection method	Select an access point in one of the following ways. System Recommended: The system calculates the latency from each access point to the specified zone in the selected region. By default, the system recommends the access point with the lowest latency. Manual Selection: After you select a region for the access point, the system calculates the average latency from each access point to each zone in that region. The results are displayed on a visualization dashboard.
Region of cloud resources	Select the region where your Alibaba Cloud resources are located. Note This parameter takes effect only when you set Access point selection method to System Recommended.
Zone of cloud resources	Select the zone where your Alibaba Cloud resources are located. Note This parameter takes effect only when you set Access point selection method to System Recommended.
Select access point	The system calculates the latency from each access point to the specified zone in the selected region. The access points are sorted by latency in ascending order. By default, the access point with the lowest latency is selected. You can select an access point that meets your latency requirements. Note This parameter takes effect only when you set Access point selection method to System Recommended. In the Trend column of the access point latency list, click the icon to view historical latency data for a specified or custom time range.
Latency dashboard	After you select a region for the access point, the system calculates the average latency from each access point to each zone in that region. In the right-side pane, you can turn on Show Latency, click to select a suitable access point, and view the Information about the selected access point. Note This parameter takes effect only when you set Access point selection method to Manual Selection. In the Trend column of the access point latency list, click the icon to view historical latency data for a specified or custom time range.
Port type	You can select 100GE single-mode optical port, 40GE single-mode optical port, GE single-mode optical port, or 10GE single-mode optical port. Alibaba Cloud-side port requirements: By default, Alibaba Cloud provides 1 Gbps, 10 Gbps, 40 Gbps, and 100 Gbps single-mode optical transceiver modules with a transmission distance of 10 kilometers. Only dual-core connections are supported. Customer-side port requirements: Purchase your own optical transceiver modules. Ensure that the specifications match those of the Alibaba Cloud-side modules.
Advanced Configuration	Click Advanced Configuration. You can select VBR Bandwidth Limits, IPv6, BFD, MPBGP, MPBGP-v6, QOS, and VBR-HA. If the backend resources do not have ports with the advanced capabilities that you select, the creation fails. Advanced capabilities VBR Throttling: This feature supports bandwidth throttling at the VBR level to prevent a single VBR from consuming excessive traffic and causing abnormal port utilization. IPv6: Physical ports support IPv6 traffic transmission, which allows IPv6 dedicated connection communication between on-premises data centers and VPCs in the cloud. BFD: This feature supports the detection of direct link connectivity between physical ports and peer devices (such as optical fiber breaks and optical module failures). MPBGP: This is an extension of the BGP protocol that supports the transmission of multi-protocol routing information in BGP sessions. MPBGP-v6: This is an extension of the MPBGP protocol that supports the transmission of IPv6 routing information in BGP sessions. QoS: QoS policies define different priorities for different services to ensure that high-priority services can obtain the required bandwidth first. VBR-HA: This feature allows you to configure two VBRs as a failover group. When BFD detects a link failure, traffic is automatically switched to the backup VBR, achieving sub-second switching and smooth service transition.
Resource group	Resource group: Select an existing resource group to manage physical ports by group.
Tag key	Tag key and value: Select existing tag keys and tag values, or enter new tag keys and tag values. You can bind specific tags to physical port instances for categorized management.
Tag value

Select the billing rule and click OK.

Note

After the Express Connect circuit is installed and payment is complete, the Port Status of the port changes to UP. Before payment, the Port Status is Down.

Step 2: Apply for Express Connect circuit construction

Note

Alibaba Cloud supports secondary LOA applications. To apply, repeat the operations in Step 2: Apply for Express Connect circuit construction.

On the Physical Connection page, find the port and click Apply for LOA.

In the Apply For LOA panel, enter the following information and click OK.

Parameter	Description
Company Name	For a corporate account, enter the company name specified when the Alibaba Cloud account was created. For an individual account, enter the name of the Alibaba Cloud account owner.
Construction Company That Enters Data Centers of Alibaba Cloud	The name of the construction company, typically the connectivity provider or IDC operator.
Leased Line Type	You can select MSTP, MPLSVPN, Fiber Connection, or Others.
Construction Schedule	The time when the construction company will enter the data center.
Customer Data Center Location	The location of the data center.
Leased Line Bandwidth	Enter the bandwidth value specified in your Express Connect circuit contract. Note The bandwidth value here is only used as a reference for Alibaba Cloud service configuration. Your actual fees and bandwidth limit are based on the contract you signed with the carrier. Please fill in the actual contract bandwidth.
Add Field Engineer	Click Add Field Engineer to add information about the personnel who need to enter the Alibaba Cloud data center for construction. You can specify one or more field engineers. Important The field engineer information is required.

After you apply for an LOA, the LOA Status of the instance becomes LOA Being Applied. After the Alibaba Cloud reviewer approves the application within two business days, the LOA Status changes to LOA Approved.

Receive a text message notification and perform the following steps:
Note
You can skip this step if your access point is a third-party data center access point, or an access point in China (Hong Kong) or an international data center.
1. Obtain an entry credential: Click the entry credential link in the text message and log on to the entry application platform. Select the data center information and Confirm Visit, then click Entry Credential to obtain the entry QR code.
2. Complete your personal information:
  1. Copy the text message link to a computer browser and access the link. Read and agree to the privacy protection statement and the Alibaba Cloud data center entry agreement.
  2. Fill in your personal information and click Submit Information. When the page displays Submitted Successfully, you can close the browser window.

Step 3: Implement Express Connect circuit construction and pay the resource occupation fee

Implement Express Connect circuit construction
1. On the Physical Port page, find the instance, view, and download the LOA file.
2. Based on the LOA information, contact the Express Connect circuit construction company to connect the Express Connect circuit to the equipment outside the Alibaba Cloud data center room according to the survey plan.
  Note
  - Data centers in the Chinese mainland: Alibaba Cloud engineers assist the Express Connect circuit construction company in connecting the Express Connect circuit to the Alibaba Cloud data center room.
  - Data centers outside the Chinese mainland: The Express Connect circuit construction company connects the Express Connect circuit to the access equipment (ODF or Patch Panel, etc.) outside the Alibaba Cloud data center room.
  The process for entering the data center room is as follows:
  - Third-party data center access points: Submit the LOA file to the on-site engineer at least one day in advance.
    Third-party data center access points
    Xi'an-Xixian-A, Beijing-Fengtai-A, Dalian-Pulandian-A, Changsha-Yuelu-A, Shanghai-Minhang-A, Tianjin-Jinnan-A, Shanghai-Baoshan-E, Hangzhou-Jianggan-B, Shanghai-Pudong-E-Neutral, Shanghai-Baoshan-C, Shenzhen-Nanshan-A, Beijing-Yizhuang-A, Guangzhou-Huangpu District-C, Beijing-Chaoyang-C, Qingdao-Licang-A, Shanghai-Pudong-C, Jinan-Gaoxin-A, Beijing-Haidian-A-Ali, Shenzhen-Bao'an-B, Guangzhou-Huangpu District-B, and Zhengzhou-Gaoxin-A
  - China (Hong Kong) and international region data center access points: Contact the on-site engineer.
  - Other data center access points: Show the entry QR code obtained in Step 2 and enter the data center by scanning the QR code.
3. After construction is completed, obtain the Express Connect circuit test report from the construction company and contact the carrier personnel to obtain the carrier's Express Connect circuit ID, in-building cable label, or patch panel port information.
Alibaba Cloud fiber pigtail construction
1. On the Physical Connection page, find the target instance, click Confirm Dlivery, enter the line information you obtained, and click OK. The instance status changes to Alibaba Cloud Pigtails Connection.
2. The Alibaba Cloud on-site engineer inserts the Express Connect circuit into the specified Express Connect circuit port in the Alibaba Cloud data center. After the connection is successful, the instance status changes to Pay Resource Occupation Fees.
  Note
  Fiber pigtail laying and Express Connect circuit port connection are completed within two business days for data centers in the Chinese mainland and within three business days for access points outside the Chinese mainland.
Pay the resource occupation fee
1. On the Physical Connection page, find the instance and click Pay Resource Occupation Fees.
2. Select the subscription duration and renewal method, and click Buy Now to complete the payment. When the instance status becomes Active, the Express Connect circuit is successfully activated.

What to do next

After the Express Connect circuit port is activated, follow the steps in Connect an on-premises data center to a VPC through an Express Connect circuit for subsequent operations.

References

To request a physical port in other modes, see the following topics:

For more information about the relevant API operations, see the following topics:

CreatePhysicalConnection: Request a connection over an Express Connect circuit.
ApplyPhysicalConnectionLOA: Apply for an LOA.
CompletePhysicalConnectionLOA: Report that the connection construction is complete.
CreatePhysicalConnectionOccupancyOrder: Create an order to pay a resource usage fee.
ConfirmPhysicalConnection: Confirm that the Express Connect circuit is in the Active state.
EnablePhysicalConnection: Enable an Express Connect circuit.