Circuit Construction

How long does it take to apply for a dedicated connection and create a dedicated connection to connect to Alibaba Cloud over an Express Connect circuit?

The access cycle varies depending on the locations of your on-premises IDC and the Alibaba Cloud access point:

• If the on-premises data center and Alibaba Cloud access points are in different campuses and connected by physical optical fibers, the construction period of connecting the on-premises data center to Alibaba Cloud depends on the time consumed for laying cables by the connectivity provider. The overall period is one to three months.

• If the on-premises data center and Alibaba Cloud access points are in the same campus and connected by indoor cables, the overall period is within two weeks.

For more information, see Dedicated circuit access.

In addition to applying for a dedicated Express Connect circuit, what other methods can be used to connect to Alibaba Cloud?

You can use one of the following methods to connect to Alibaba Cloud by using an Express Connect circuit:

• Apply for a dedicated Express Connect circuit from a connectivity provider.

• Choose a shared Express Connect circuit pre-installed by an Express Connect partner.

For more information about how to select a solution, see Features.

How long does it take to create a hosted connection over an Express Connect circuit between an on-premises data center and Alibaba Cloud?

If the access point of your connectivity provider has been connected to the access point of Alibaba Cloud, you can consult the connectivity provider and require the connectivity provider to connect your on-premises data center to Alibaba Cloud by using the shared Express Connect circuit pre-installed by the connectivity provider.

The connectivity provider only deploys the leased line from the on-premises data center to the access point of the connectivity provider. The overall construction period is within one month. For more information, see Shared circuit access process.

What is the difference between a dedicated connection and a hosted connection?

The main differences between a dedicated connection and a hosted connection are the billing methods and construction periods:

• You must pay multiple related service providers for a dedicated connection and the construction period is one to three months.

• You only need to pay the required fees to the connectivity provider for a hosted connection. The construction period is within one month.

For more information, see Features.

Why must a site survey be performed by a connectivity provider when I apply for a dedicated connection to connect to Alibaba Cloud?

The fees for a dedicated connection are determined by the physical distance between the on-premises data center and access points of Alibaba Cloud. The connection environments provided by the connectivity providers are different. Therefore, the connectivity provider must perform an end-to-end site survey before cable purchase.

After a site survey, the connectivity provider offers you the information about the distance, lease fees, and construction period. You will also see a description of the costs of cables at the Alibaba access points and indoor cables of the on-premises data center. You can prepare the project planning and budget in advance based on the survey report.

How do I choose the connectivity provider when I purchase a dedicated connection?

If you want to connect to Alibaba Cloud from the access point nearest to your location, you can find the access point on the buy page and choose the corresponding connectivity provider. Different access points are supported by different connectivity providers. For more information about the mappings between access points and connectivity providers, see Preparations.

If I purchase a dedicated connection from China Mobile, can the on-premises data center be connected to an access point of China Telecom?

No, you cannot. China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom are mutually exclusive. They do not support an exclusive physical connection with other connectivity providers.

Can a bare optical fiber be used to connect the on-premises data center to the access point of China Mobile?

China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom do not support bare optical fibers to connect to on-premises data centers. Consult your connectivity provider for details.

Why are fees charged for indoor cables of Alibaba Cloud access points?

Only the data centers of the Hangzhou-Yuhang-A access point and the access points in the China (Zhangjiakou) region are managed by Alibaba Cloud. The other data centers are leased from connectivity providers or are third-party data centers.

If you apply for a dedicated connection to connect your on-premises data center to Alibaba Cloud, you must purchase additional indoor cables from the colocation provider.

What are the costs of applying for a dedicated connection?

A dedicated connection includes the following fees:

• Alibaba Cloud charges you only the port resource usage fee and outbound data transfer fee.

• You must pay the leased line fee to the connectivity provider.

• You must pay the indoor cable fee of the data center where the Alibaba Cloud access point is located to the colocation provider.

• You must pay the indoor cable fee of the on-premises data center to the colocation provider.

For more information, see Billing overview.

What are the costs of creating a hosted connection?

A hosted connection includes the following fees:

• Alibaba Cloud charges you only the port resource usage fee and outbound data transfer fee.

• You must pay the leased line fee to the connectivity provider.

• You must pay the indoor cable fee of the on-premises data center to the colocation provider.

For more information, see Billing overview.

Apart from a letter of authorization (LOA) issued by Alibaba Cloud, why do I need an LOA issued by the connectivity provider for construction in the on-premises data center?

Only the data centers of the Hangzhou-Yuhang-A access point and the access points in the China (Zhangjiakou) region are managed by Alibaba Cloud. The other data centers are leased from connectivity providers or are third-party data centers. When you enter a data center for construction, you must obey the rules of both Alibaba Cloud and connectivity providers.

Data centers of access points in the China (Beijing) and China (Shanghai) regions belong to China Telecom and China Unicom. You must apply for an LOA for construction and provide the LOA to the on-site manager of the connectivity provider at the on-premises data center for verification.

The LOA must be affixed with the seal of your company and that of Alibaba Cloud. To apply for the seal of Alibaba Cloud, contact your customer manager.

How can I choose a qualified physical connection in China?

According to stipulations of Chinese law, qualified leased line service providers in the Chinese mainland must be granted both the A26 and A14 licenses issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People's Republic of China. Before you purchase a leased line, you can consult a service provider.

Can Express Connect circuit capacity expansion or access construction be scheduled on Sundays?

By default, physical connection scale-out or access construction is performed on business days. If you need construction to be performed on a Sunday, perform the following steps:

1. Submit an LOA (Letter of Authorization) application.

2. Wait for the approval to be granted.

3. After the approval is granted, contact the equipment room staff to schedule a specific construction time.

Do I need to apply for an LOA in advance to enter an Alibaba Cloud equipment room to repair or replace old devices?

Yes. Complete the LOA approval process in advance before scheduling the on-site construction.

After changing the carrier for an Express Connect circuit, can I reuse the original physical port?

Whether it can be reused depends on whether the equipment room supports access by the new carrier: if it does, the original physical port may be reused; if not, you must apply for a new port. Before changing the carrier, we recommend that you confirm with the equipment room so that you can plan ahead.

Where is the cable entry point of an Express Connect circuit usually located in the equipment room?

The cable entry point of an Express Connect circuit is usually located in the ODF rack (Optical Distribution Frame rack) of the equipment room, which is typically outside the equipment room suite. Because the exact location varies with the equipment room environment, we recommend that you contact the carrier to conduct an on-site survey at the equipment room to confirm the precise location of the cable entry point.