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Express Connect

What is Express Connect?

Express Connect helps you establish a fast, stable, secure, and private connection between your data center and a virtual private cloud (VPC). Express Connect circuits ensure secure data transmission, prevent network jitters, and reduce the potential for data breaches.

Alibaba Cloud Express Connect

An Alibaba Cloud Express Connect uses a physical circuit (a cable or optical fibers leased from an operator) to connect the local data center with the access point of Alibaba Cloud, thus enabling a fast stable and secure intercommunication between the local data canter and Alibaba Cloud VPC.
Note: The CIDRs from the local vRouter to Alibaba Cloud which use the express connect to realize an intercommunication cannot overlap with each other.
Figure 1. Alibaba Cloud Express Connect Architecture


An Alibaba Cloud express connect has the following advantages:
  • Low latency and high stability.
  • Supporting multiple access methods.
  • Supporting redundant lines.
  • Secure and reliable.

Express Connect Actions

The following lists the actions you can perform on an express connect:
  • Synchronize/Create router interfaces: You can synchronize router interfaces on Alibaba Cloud to local or create router interfaces on local.
  • Synchronize virtual border router (VBR): Synchronize VBRs from Alibaba Cloud to local for a central management.
  • Create Alibaba Cloud Express Connect:
    • You can follow Quick Start Wizard to create an express connect.
    • You can use a VPC to create an express connect on the VPC page and configure route entries.

Add a Router Interface

Router interfaces are categorized into two types:
  • Virtual Border Router Interface
  • VPC vRouter Interface

Add an Interface to a Virtual Border Router

On the main menu of ZStack Cloud Hybrid Cloud Management, choose Express Connect > Router Interface. On the Router Interfacepage, click Add Router Interface. Then, the Add Router Interface is displayed.

On the displayed page, set the following parameters:
  • Name: Enter a name for the router interface.
  • Description: Optional. Enter a description for the router interface.
  • Specification: Set the bandwidth specification of the VBR interface on Alibaba Cloud.
  • Region: Choose the region where the corresponding Alibaba Cloud VPC virtual router resides.
  • Virtual Border Router: Choose a virtual border router.
  • Access Point: Choose an access point on Alibaba Cloud.
Figure 1. Add an Interface to a Virtual Border Router


Add an Interface to a VPC vRouter

On the main menu of ZStack Cloud Hybrid Cloud Management, choose Express Connect > Router Interface > VPC vRouter. On the VPC vRouter tab page, click Add Router Interface. Then, the Add Router Interface page is displayed.

On the displayed page, set the following parameters:
  • Name: Enter a name for the router interface.
  • Description: Optional. Enter a description for the router interface.
  • Specification: Set the bandwidth specification for the router interface.
  • Region: Choose the region where the corresponding Alibaba Cloud VPC virtual router resides.
  • vRouter: Choose a VPC vRouter.
  • Access Point: Choose an access point for the router interface.
Figure 2. Add an Interface to a VPC vRouter


Configured router interfaces are displayed on the Router Interface page.
Figure 3. Router Interface


Sync VBR

On the main menu of ZStack Cloud Hybrid Cloud Management, choose Express Connect > Virtual Border Router. On the Virtual Border Router page, click Sync VBR. Then, the sync VBR page is displayed.

On the displayed page, choose regions to synchronize the virtual border routers in these regions to local.

Synchronized virtual border routers are displayed in the Virtual Border Router page.
Figure 1. Virtual Border Router


Add a Router Entry

On the Virtual Border Router page, click a name of a virtual border router. On the displayed virtual border router details page, click Route Entry > Add Route Entry. Then, the Add Route Entry page is displayed.

On the displayed page, set the following parameters:
  • Destination Network: Enter a destination CIRR.
  • Next Hop Type: Choose a next hop type. Valid values: Route Interface, ECS Instance, VPN Gateway, and Physical Connection Interface.
  • Then, choose a next hop device.
Figure 1. Add a Route Entry


Manage a VBR

On the main menu of ZStack Cloud Hybrid Cloud Management, choose Express Connect > Virtual Border Router. Then, the Virtual Border Router is displayed.

The following lists the actions that you can perform on a virtual border router (VBR).
Action Description
Edit VBR Edit the name and description of a VBR.
Sync VBR Synchronize a VBR and its route entries from Alibaba Cloud to local.
Modify Interconnection Address Modify the Alibaba Cloud gateway, local private gateway, and netmask used by a VBR.
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