Connect Network Edge Device to Alibaba

Establish a direct, layer 2 connection to Alibaba Cloud from a Network Edge Device.

Step 1: Identify Your Alibaba Account ID

Log in to Alibaba Express Connect Management Console and locate your Account ID.

Step 2: Create Connection

1. Authenticate

Submit your user credentials, Client ID, and Client Secret for OAuth2 authentication.

Refer to Generating Client ID and Client Secret under the Getting Access Token section for instructions on how to create client ID and client secret and refer to Requesting Access and Refresh tokens section for instructions on how to call Oauth API to validate and authenticate your credentials.

If you are unaware of your user credentials for Equinix Fabric, contact your local Equinix Service Desk.

2. Determine A-side NE device information
You need a provisioned Equinix Virtual Device/Redundant Devices/Cluster with a registered license. Check your available virtual devices by calling Get Virtual Devices or Get Virtual Device {uuid}. You may choose any available interface of the device for your connection. However, Equinix will select an interface if you do not specify any.

3. Choose Z-side metro location
Use the Get All Metros API request to find all metros where Equinix Fabric is available and determine destination location.

4. Establish connection
Use the POST /fabric/v4/connections API request to create a connection with the pre-determined attributes.

POST /fabric/v4/connections
Method POST
Endpoint /fabric/v4/connections
Headers Authorization, Content-Type
Path Parameters Not applicable
Query Parameters Not applicable
Body Parameters type, name, order, bandwidth, aSide, zSide, additionalInfo, notifications

Use the Retrieve Pricing API request to retrieve connection price estimate.


Sample curl request - connection to Alibaba Express Connect from a Network Edge Device

Copy 
curl -X
POST 'https://api.equinix.com/fabric/v4/connections'
-H 'content-type: application/json'
-H 'authorization: Bearer qwErtY8zyW1abcdefGHI'
-d '
{
    "type": "EVPL_VC",
    "name": "vd2Alibaba-vvv-0425b",
    "bandwidth": "50",
    "aSide": {
        "accessPoint": {
            "type": "VD",
            "virtualDevice": {
                "type": "EDGE",
                "uuid": "XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX"
            }
        }
    },
    "zSide": {
        "accessPoint": {
            "type": "SP",
            "profile": {
                "type": "L2_PROFILE",
                "uuid": "XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX"
            },
            "location": {
                "metroCode": "SV"
            },
            "authenticationKey": "XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX",
            "sellerRegion": "us-west-1"
        }
    },
    "notifications": [
        {
            "type": "ALL",
            "emails": [
                "X@gmail.com"
            ]
        }
    ],
    "project": {
        "projectId": "16799d66-ef43-445c-ba29-d17522d8a137"
    }
}'

Body parameters

Parameter
Description
type string
REQUIRED
 Connection type.
  • EVPL_VC - Ethernet virtual private line connection type used for tagged layer 2 connections.
name string
REQUIRED
 Connection name.
Applicable values:
  • Maximum: 24 characters
  • Allowed characters: alpha-numeric, hyphens ('-') and underscores ('_')
Example: my_connection
order object
OPTIONAL
 Order details.
purchaseOrderNumber string
OPTIONAL
 Subscriber's purchase order identifier.
Example: 1-129105284100
bandwidth integer
REQUIRED
 Connection speed in Mbps.
Applicable values:
  • 10
  • 50
  • 200
  • 500
  • 1000
  • 2000
  • 5000
  • 10000
project object
CONDITIONAL
 Project details. Required for CRH-enabled users.
projectId string
CONDITIONAL
 Unique Id of the project. Required for CRH-enabled users.
Example: 16799d66-ef43-445c-ba29-d17522XXXXXX
aSide object
REQUIRED
 Source definition.
accessPoint object
REQUIRED
 Connection endpoint configuration from the A-Side.
type string
REQUIRED
 Connection endpoint type.
  • VD
virtualDevice object
REQUIRED
 Object containing the virtual device details.
type string
REQUIRED
 Type of virtual device.
  • EDGE
uuid string
REQUIRED
 Unique Id of virtual device.
Example: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
interface object
OPTIONAL
 Object containing the interface details of the virtual device.
type string
OPTIONAL
 Type of interface.
  • NETWORK
  • CLOUD
id string
OPTIONAL
 Id of interface. You can choose any available interface on your device for your connection. However, Equinix will select an interface if you do not specify any.
Example: 7
zSide object
REQUIRED
 Z-side details.
accessPoint object
REQUIRED
 Connection endpoint configuration.
type string
REQUIRED
 Connection endpoint type.
  • SP - Service profile.
profile object
REQUIRED
 A named provider service and its network connectivity requirements.
Applicable to SP type access points.
Call Retrieve Service Profiles API to search for service profiles and determine their identifiers and available locations.
uuid string
REQUIRED
 Service profile identifier.
Example: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
type string
OPTIONAL
 Service profile type.
Example:
  • L2_PROFILE - layer 2 service profile for establishing connections in layer 2 of the OSI networking model.
location object
REQUIRED
 Connection endpoint location information.
Applicable to SP type access points.
metroCode string
REQUIRED
 Metropolitan area identifier.
Call Get Specified Service Profile API to determine where a given service is available.
sellerRegion string
REQUIRED
 Seller region.
Example: us-west1
authenticationKey string
REQUIRED
 Alibaba Accound ID.
Example: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
notifications array[object]
REQUIRED
 Notification settings for messages.
type string
REQUIRED
 Notification messages category.
Applicable values:
  • ALL
emails array[string]
REQUIRED
 Email addresses of up to 12 recipients.
Example:["X@X.com","X@X.com"]

If you get “Access Denied” error, contact your local Equinix Service Desk for Equinix Fabric Portal access.


Sample response - connection to Alibaba Express Connect from a Network Edge Device

Copy 
{
    "type": "EVPL_VC",
    "href": "https://api.equinix.com/fabric/v4/connections/66ed4e8a-584c-4027-9788-748fecb5ce35",
    "uuid": "XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX",
    "name": "vd2Alibaba-vvv-0425c",
    "operation": {
        "providerStatus": "PROVISIONING",
        "equinixStatus": "PROVISIONING"
    },
    "order": {
        "billingTier": "Up to 50 MB"
    },
    "notifications": [
        {
            "type": "ALL",
            "emails": [
                "X@gmail.com"
            ]
        }
    ],
    "changeLog": {
        "createdBy": "fabricamcrh1",
        "createdByFullName": "fabric amcrh1",
        "createdByEmail": "X@gmail.com",
        "createdDateTime": "2024-04-25T20:43:43.199Z",
        "updatedBy": "fabricamcrh1",
        "updatedByFullName": "fabric amcrh1",
        "updatedByEmail": "X@gmail.com",
        "updatedDateTime": "2024-04-25T20:43:43.199Z"
    },
    "bandwidth": 50,
    "redundancy": {
        "group": "160e06b5-cd42-4c2c-b674-6dcda54da4d8",
        "priority": "PRIMARY"
    },
    "aSide": {
        "accessPoint": {
            "interface": {
                "uuid": "XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX",
                "id": 6,
                "type": "CLOUD"
            },
            "location": {
                "metroCode": "DC"
            },
            "virtualDevice": {
                "uuid": "XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX",
                "type": "EDGE"
            }
        }
    },
    "zSide": {
        "accessPoint": {
            "location": {
                "metroCode": "SV"
            },
            "profile": {
                "href": "https://api.equinix.com/fabric/v4/serviceProfiles/4c4b8edf-873b-4c6c-805a-edb2c335bd6c",
                "type": "L2_PROFILE",
                "name": "Alibaba Cloud Express Connect",
                "uuid": "XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX"
            },
            "sellerRegion": "us-west-1",
            "authenticationKey": "1111111111111"
        }
    }
}

Response description

Parameter
Description
type string
 Type of connection.
Example: EVPL_VC
href string
 An absolute URL that returns the specified connection.
Example:https://api.equinix.com/fabric/v4/connections/3a58dd05-f46d-4b1d-a154-2e85c396ea62
uuid string
 Equinix-assigned connection Id.
Example: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
name string
 Name of the connection.
Example: Test-alibaba-to-vd-api
order object
 Order information.
billingTier string
 Billing tier of connection bandwidth.
Example: Up to 1 Gbps
bandwidth string
 Speed of the connection.
Example: Up to 1 Gbps
redundancy object
 Redundancy details.
group string
 Unique Id of the redundancy group.
priority string
 Whether the connection is PRIMARY or SECONDARY.
aSide object
 Source definition.
accessPoint object
 Connection endpoint configuration from the A-side.
interface object
 Object containing interface details.
uuid string
 Unique id of the interface.
Example: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
id string
 Id of the interface.
Example: 7
type string
 Type of interface.
Example: NETWORK
location object
 Object containing A-side location details.
metroCode string
 A-side Metropolitan area identifier.
Example: AM
virtualDevice object
 Object containing virtual device details.
type string
 Type of virtual device.
Example: EDGE
uuid string
 Unique Id of the virtual device.
Example: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
zSide object
 Destination definition.
accessPoint object
 Connection endpoint configuration from the Z-Side.
profile object
 The service profile associated with this access point.
href string
 An absolute URL that returns complete specification of the given entity.
Example:https://api.equinix.com/fabric/v4/serviceProfiles/ea4b5141-e4d2-49f1-9768-4ea6e215b37f
type string
 Service profile type.
Example:
  • L2_PROFILE - layer 2 service profile for establishing connections in layer 2 of the OSI networking model.
name string
 Name of the service profile.
Example: Alibaba Express Connect
uuid string
 Unique Id of the service profile.
Example: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
location object
 Connection endpoint location information.
metroCode string
 Metropolitan area identifier.
Example: DA
sellerRegion string
 Seller region.
. Example: us-west1
authenticationKey string
 Alibaba Accound ID.
Example: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
notifications array[object]
 Notification settings for messages.
type string
 Notification messages category.
Example: ALL
emails array[string]
 Email addresses of up to 12 recipients.
Example:["x@mx.com","x@x.com"]
operation object
 Connection operational data.
equinixStatus string
 Status of the connection on the Equinix side.
Example: PROVISIONING
providerStatus string
 Status of the connection on the provider side.
Example: NOT_AVAILABLE
changeLog object
 A permanent record of asset creation, modification, or deletion.
createdBy string
 Identity of the asset creator.
Example: AverageJoe
createdDateTime string
 Asset creation timestamp in the IETF ISO 8601 extended date/time format: YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.000+0000
Example: 2021-07-15T19:30:29.526Z

Use the Get Specified Connection API request to monitor connection status.

equinixStatus attribute values providerStatus attribute values Alibaba Cloud status Description
PROVISIONING NOT_AVAILABLE - Connection request has not been sent to Alibaba yet.
PROVISIONED PENDING_APPROVAL Pending creation The connection awaits for approval.
PROVISIONED PROVISIONING / PROVISIONED Create in progress Connection establishment in progress.
PROVISIONED PROVISIONED Active Connection established.

Step 3: Accept and Pay for the Connection

  1. Log in to Alibaba Express Connect Management Console.
  2. From the left manu, select Physical Connections.
  3. Identify the newly created instance and click Accept and Pay.
  4. Create a Virtual Border Router (VBR) instance and associate it with the connection.

For more information, refer to Billing - Pricing | Alibaba Cloud Documentation Center.