Data Center Interconnect

This topic provides high-level guidance on various methods available from Equinix Fabric to build a Layer 2 Data Center Interconnect (DCI) between two or more Equinix Fabric locations. Because Equinix Fabric is available in more than 55 Equinix metros globally, it introduces an automated solution to provision network services on-demand, as needed for any length of time.

DCI enables connectivity between Equinix metros for the purpose of sharing resources, data, or other assets with rapid elasticity, high availability, and scalability.

Equinix Fabric Backbone

The Equinix Fabric backbone is built on diverse path, fully redundant infrastructure so that each metro is connected to at least two other metros, with multiple circuits per path. The Fabric architecture includes two backbone routers per metro terminating 100 Gbps circuits from different carriers.

Traffic toward any given destination will be load-balanced across these backbone links for the selected path. If a failure occurs within the backbone, the next available shortest path will be chosen and traffic rerouted.

Equinix manages backbone capacity against a 99.999% SLA for dual Fabric ports and continuously monitors network performance to guide new routes and capacity upgrades.

Point-to-Point (P2P) Connection Types

Equinix Fabric offers both VLAN-based Ethernet Virtual Private Line (EVPL) and port-based Ethernet Private Line (EPL) options. EVPL and EPL P2P DCI connections can be made between two Fabric metros at various bandwidths ranging from 10Mbps to 50Gbps.

EVPL (VLAN-based) – EVPL connections originate from an EVPL (.1q or QinQ) Fabric port that can support multiple virtual connections or VLANs from the same port. If you want to use your Fabric port to connect to multiple Fabric destinations (for example, your own private network as well as CSPs), then EVPL should be a consideration.
EPL (Port-based) – EPL connections originate from an EPL port that is transparent and protocol agnostic. Only one connection can be created to/from an EPL port because all traffic is passed without segmentation. If you want to pass multiple VLANs to the same destination, or if you want to enable encryption protocols such as MACSec across your connection, then EPL should be a consideration.

Multipoint-to-Multipoint (MP2MP) Connection Types (E-LAN)

Customers with three or more Equinix locations may interconnect their assets using Equinix Fabric’s EVP-LAN or EP-LAN private networks. EVP-LAN and EP-LAN are two types of E-LANs, or Ethernet LAN connectivity options.

MP2MP delivers symmetrical bandwidth for data sent in either direction at provisioned connection speeds (full mesh). Each virtual connection will have its own bandwidth speed (up to 10Gbps).

All connections to the customer’s private network or E-LAN must be made from the same account (single customer). Multi-customer private networks will be delivered in a future release.

Equinix Fabric‘s E-LAN Services

EVP-LAN – The VLAN-based version of full-mesh private networks. All endpoints within an EVP-LAN network are initiated through an EVPL (.1q) Fabric port and connections are made from these ports to your private network.

Customers can connect to their private network from multiple endpoints/ports located in different metros.

EVP-LAN is not transparent to Layer 2 Control Protocols (L2CPs). All L2CPs are dropped on ingress.
EP-LAN – A port-based transparent service and as such, only one connection can be made from an EPL port to your private network. EP-LAN can be used when you want to pass multiple VLANs transparently without segmentation over Fabric or if you are interested in running L2CP or other security protocols like MACSec.

For more information about port types, see Port Types.

Note: EVPL VCs (either for P2P or MP2MP) will not pass Layer 2 Control Protocol (L2CP) traffic. This traffic is blocked by design at the port/UNI and its behavior cannot be changed. Some examples of commonly used L2CPs are STP, CDP, and LACP. If L2CP is required, customers use EPL.

WAN MACsec

WAN MACsec provides MACsec encryption at rates that aligned with Ethernet standards while also providing enhancements that allowed operators to leverage carrier Ethernet offerings (802.1Q) and allow the router supporting WAN MACsec to adjust to the multitude and inconsistent forwarding of certain protocols, MAC addresses, and Ethertypes. WAN MACsec gives operators the flexibility to virtually run over any public carrier Ethernet service, simplifying installations, while offering design capabilities with MACsec never seen before over public Ethernet transport. For a detailed examination of interconnection over Fabric using WAN MANsec, see Securing High-Speed Interconnection Over Equinix Fabric Using Cisco WAN MACsec For Public And Private Sector.