Express Connect release notes cover new features, enhancements, and access point updates with links to related documentation.
May 2026
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Feature name |
Change type |
Description |
Related documentation |
|
Endpoint |
New |
New access points are available: Heyuan (Zijin) A, France (Paris) A, France (Paris) B, Malaysia (Johor) B, US (Atlanta) C, and Mexico (San Miguel) A. |
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|
MACsec |
New |
MACsec (Media Access Control Security) is a Layer 2 encryption protocol based on the IEEE 802.1AE standard. It provides hardware-based, low-latency encryption for data in transit over a physical connection. If you enable MACsec when you create a physical port, you can manage MACsec keys on the MACsec tab of the physical port details page. |
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400 Gbps port support |
New |
Express Connect now supports 400 Gbps ports. This feature is not enabled by default. To use it, contact your account manager. |
April 2026
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Feature name |
Change type |
Description |
Related documentation |
|
Endpoint |
New |
The following new endpoints are available: China (Chengdu)-Pidu-A, China (Hangzhou)-Yuhang-F, China (Hangzhou)-Linping-A, Japan (Tokyo)-G, US (Silicon Valley)-C, China (Shanghai)-Pudong-G, China (Shenzhen)-Longgang-B, and China (Ulanqab)-Kaifaqu-B. |
March 2026
|
Feature |
Type |
Description |
Documentation |
|
Access point |
New |
The Malaysia (Johor) - A access point is now available. |
February 2026
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Feature |
Change type |
Description |
Documentation |
|
Jumbo frame (8500 bytes) support |
New |
Adds support for jumbo frame (8500 bytes) transmission in hybrid cloud networking. This feature allows data centers to transmit large packets without fragmentation, improving bulk data transfer efficiency. |
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Access point |
New |
New access point: Singapore - F. |
January 2026
|
Feature |
Type |
Description |
Related documents |
|
Access point |
New |
Added new access points: Zhongwei (Shapotou)-A and Zhongwei (Shapotou)-B. |
December 2025
|
Feature |
Category |
Description |
References |
|
Access point |
New |
Added access points: UAE-Dubai-E and Japan-Tokyo-F. |
November 2025
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Feature |
Category |
Description |
References |
|
Access point |
New |
Added access points: Baoding-Zhuozhou-A, Chengdu-Jianzhou-A, and Germany-Frankfurt-D. |
October 2025
|
Feature |
Type |
Description |
References |
|
One-stop cloud connectivity |
New |
The one-stop cloud connectivity service connects you with compliant providers experienced in Alibaba Cloud Express Connect. A dedicated service manager helps you plan your cloud migration, accelerate deployment, and optimize your Express Connect setup. |
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Access point |
New |
Added the following access points: US-Atlanta-B, Philippines-Manila-B, Malaysia-Kuala Lumpur-D, Dongguan-Xiegang-A, and Japan-Tokyo-E. |
August 2025
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Feature |
Category |
Description |
References |
|
MED |
New |
ECR route entries now support the MED attribute. If an ECR connects to TRs in different regions, you can set a default MED value on the ECR for a specific TR to prioritize a path and prevent suboptimal routing across multiple TRs. Important
For existing topologies where an ECR is connected to TRs in multiple regions, contact Alibaba Cloud to enable this feature. |
Use MED to configure multi-path selection between an ECR and TRs |
|
access point |
New |
Added the following access points: UAE-Dubai-C and Shijiazhuang-Zhengding-A. |
July 2025
|
Feature |
Category |
Description |
References |
|
Endpoint |
New |
New endpoints are available: US-Atlanta-A, South Korea-Seoul-C, Malaysia-Kuala Lumpur-C, Germany-Frankfurt-C, and Beijing-Chaoyang-D. |
May 2025
|
Feature |
Category |
Description |
References |
|
Optical modules for Alibaba Cloud physical ports |
Update |
Alibaba Cloud provides 1 Gbps, 10 Gbps, 40 Gbps, and 100 Gbps single-mode optical modules at no cost, supporting a transmission distance of up to 10 km. |
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|
Access points |
New |
The following access points are available: Chengdu-Gaoxin-B, Zhangjiakou-Xiao'ertai-A, Beijing-Yizhuang-C, and Zhangjiakou-Zhangbei-A. |
March 2025
|
Feature |
Change type |
Description |
Documentation |
|
Failover |
New |
If multiple VBRs are associated with an ECR, you can enable failover for two or more VBRs. When BFD detects a failure, traffic automatically switches from the failed VBR to a standby VBR within seconds. This ensures service continuity. |
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ECR flow log |
New |
ECR now supports flow logs to collect and analyze traffic between VBRs and VPCs, or between VBRs and Transit Router (TR) instances. Use flow logs to monitor traffic patterns and evaluate network throughput and performance. |
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|
Access point |
New |
The Mexico-Queretaro-A access point is now available. |
February 2025
|
Feature |
Type |
Description |
Related documentation |
|
access point |
New |
The Shanghai-Baoshan-B access point is now available. |
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|
recommendation mode |
New |
Express Connect now supports requesting a physical port in recommendation mode. This mode calculates the latency between access points and zones within your selected region to recommend the most suitable one for your latency-sensitive workloads. |
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physical port monitoring |
New |
You can now monitor physical ports with the following metrics:
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QoS queue monitoring |
New |
You can now monitor QoS queues with the following metrics:
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January 2025
|
Feature |
Change type |
Description |
References |
|
Endpoint |
New |
The Thailand-Bangkok-B endpoint is now available. |
December 2024
|
Feature |
Category |
Description |
References |
|
Endpoint |
New |
Added the South Korea-Seoul-B endpoint. |
November 2024
|
Feature |
Type |
Description |
References |
|
Route prefix |
Update |
When you associate an ECR with a VPC or a transit router, you can select either the matching or the incremental mode for adding route prefixes. |
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VBR-to-VPC monitoring |
Update |
The following metrics are now available for VBR-to-VPC connection monitoring:
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Physical port monitoring |
Update |
The following new metrics are now available for dedicated physical connection ports:
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|
Access point |
New |
The Japan-Tokyo-B access point is now supported. |
September 2024
|
Feature |
Type |
Description |
References |
|
Endpoint |
New |
A new endpoint is available in US (Silicon Valley) B. |
July 2024
|
Feature |
Category |
Description |
References |
|
Fault drill |
Update |
Fault drills now support Virtual Border Routers (VBRs) and BGP peers. |
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Advanced port capabilities |
Update |
When applying for a physical port, you can now select advanced capabilities, such as QoS and VBR failover groups. |
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Physical port monitoring |
Update |
You can now monitor inbound and outbound error packets for physical ports. |
February 2024
|
Feature |
Category |
Description |
References |
|
endpoint |
New |
New endpoints: Zhengzhou-Gaoxin-A in China (Zhengzhou - Local Region) and Hangzhou-Gongshu-A in China (Hangzhou). |
January 2024
|
Feature |
Category |
Description |
References |
|
QoS policy |
New |
A QoS policy manages network congestion by prioritizing different traffic flows. With Express Connect QoS, you can create high-priority and normal-priority queues and add classification rules to each. Traffic that matches a high-priority rule is prioritized for forwarding. |
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Express Connect Router |
New |
Express Connect Router (ECR) is a forwarding service component designed for global hybrid cloud networks that use Express Connect circuits. It enables global network interconnection, fully dynamic routing, and centralized route management. |
November 2023
|
Feature |
Category |
Description |
References |
|
High reliability mode |
New |
The high reliability mode provides several levels of resiliency by automatically failing over traffic if a connection fails. These levels include maximum resiliency (four dedicated connections across two access points), high resiliency (two dedicated connections across two access points), development and testing (two dedicated connections at a single access point), and high-bandwidth load balancing (multiple physical ports on a single access device). |
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Fault drill |
New |
Express Connect provides proactive fault drills to help you validate the reliability of your hybrid cloud network. |
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Access point |
New |
New access points are available in China (Hong Kong): Hong Kong-Kwai Chung-F and Hong Kong-Chai Wan-G. |
October 2023
|
Feature |
Category |
Description |
References |
|
Endpoint |
New |
Added new endpoints: Wuhan-Donghu-A in China (Wuhan - Local Region) and Taiyuan-Xiaodian-A in China (Taiyuan - Local Region). |
August 2023
|
Feature |
Category |
Description |
References |
|
tags and resource groups |
New |
VBRs and VBR-to-VPC connections now support tags and resource groups. |
June 2023
|
Feature |
Type |
Description |
References |
|
Access points |
New |
New access points are available: Changsha-Yuelu-A in China (Changsha - Local Region), Jinan-Gaoxin-A in China (Jinan - Local Region), Tianjin-Jinnan-A in China (Tianjin - Local Region), and Dalian-Pulandian-A in China (Dalian - Local Region). |
May 2023
|
Feature |
Type |
Description |
References |
|
Support for specified CIDR synchronized route entries in Express Connect |
New |
Creating a Virtual Border Router (VBR) automatically creates a route table for it. You can add and manage specified CIDR synchronized route entries in this route table. |
February 2023
|
Feature |
Change type |
Description |
Related documentation |
|
VBR instance diagnostics |
New |
Virtual Border Router (VBR) is now integrated with Network Intelligence Service (NIS) for one-click, instance-level diagnostics. The diagnostics cover health checks, configuration, operational status, capacity limits, and costs, with intelligent recommendations for detected issues. You can also view your diagnostic history. |
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Detailed address query for access points |
New |
You can now query the detailed addresses of access points for your dedicated Express Connect circuits. |
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Self-service application for shared port permissions |
New |
You can now request shared port permissions by applying for a privilege quota in Quota Center. |
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Self-service application for cross-account VBR attachment |
New |
You can now request permission to attach a VBR to a Cloud Enterprise Network (CEN) instance or a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) in a different account by applying for a privilege quota in Quota Center or the Express Connect console. |
December 2022
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Feature |
Category |
Description |
References |
|
Express Connect access point map |
New |
Express Connect now supports an access point map view for physical ports. The map shows the locations of Alibaba Cloud access points. |
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Detaching a VBR from a Cloud Enterprise Network (CEN) instance |
Update |
You can now detach a VBR from a Cloud Enterprise Network (CEN) instance. To complete the detachment, you will be redirected to the Transit Router console. |
November 2022
|
Feature |
Category |
Description |
References |
|
Tag support for Express Connect |
New |
You can now add tags to Express Connect circuits and shared ports. |
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VBR-to-VPC connection workflow optimization |
Update |
The purchasing process for VBR-to-VPC connections has been optimized. If the VBR and the VPC are in the same region, billing for the connection is waived and the related order page is hidden in the Express Connect console. |
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Resource group support for Express Connect |
New |
You can now assign physical ports and VBRs to resource groups. |
October 2022
|
Feature |
Type |
Description |
References |
|
Optimized Express Connect port purchasing |
Update |
The purchasing process for Express Connect physical ports has been streamlined. The initial installation fee is no longer required, and the corresponding order page has been removed from the console. |
May 2022
|
Feature |
Change type |
Description |
Documentation |
|
IPsec encryption support |
New |
Adds support for IPsec encryption of private network traffic over a physical connection. |
February 2022
|
Feature |
Category |
Description |
Documentation |
|
IPv6 support for Express Connect |
New |
Express Connect now supports IPv4/IPv6 dual-stack forwarding. |
January 2022
|
Feature |
Category |
Description |
References |
|
Express Connect support for CloudBox |
New |
Express Connect now supports CloudBox, allowing you to connect an on-premises edge data center to local resources in CloudBox over an Express Connect circuit. |
Connect an on-premises edge data center to CloudBox using an Express Connect circuit |
August 2021
|
Feature |
Category |
Description |
References |
|
Monitoring and alerting for physical ports |
New |
Express Connect monitoring and alerting uses CloudMonitor to track the real-time status of physical ports and send notifications based on your configured alert rules, helping you prevent business disruptions caused by physical connection failures. |
July 2021
|
Feature |
Category |
Description |
References |
|
Billing for outbound data transfer |
New |
Outbound data transfer is data transferred from Alibaba Cloud to your data center. Effective July 1, 2021, you must activate the outbound data transfer fee to create an Express Connect circuit. |
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Shared ports for Express Connect |
New |
Express Connect now supports shared ports. In partner-hosted scenarios, partners can provision shared resources by pushing a shared port to end users instead of a cross-account VBR. The end user owns and manages the port resource. |
April 2021
|
Feature |
Category |
Description |
References |
|
VBR failover |
New |
You can add two VBRs to a failover group. If Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD) detects a link failure, traffic automatically fails over to the standby VBR. This sub-second failover accelerates route convergence and ensures service continuity. |