API - Connect to Alibaba
Establish a direct, layer 2 connection to Alibaba Cloud.
Identify Your Alibaba Account ID
Log in to Alibaba Express Connect Management Console and locate your Account ID.
Fabric API Prerequisites
-
Authenticate - Submit your user credentials, Client ID, and Client Secret for OAuth2 authentication. Refer to API Authentication for instructions on how to call OAuth API to validate and authenticate your credentials.
-
Determine Your A-side Information. Either:
- Retrieve your Equinix Fabric ports information using the Get All Ports API request.
OR
- Determine your Network Edge device information. You need a provisioned Equinix Virtual Device/Redundant Devices/Cluster with a registered license. Check your available virtual devices and clusters by calling Get Virtual Devices or Get Virtual Device {uuid}. You may choose any available interface on the device for your connection. However, Equinix will select an interface if you do not specify one.
-
Choose the Z-side metro location. Use the Get All Metros API request to find all metros where Equinix Fabric is available and determine destination location.
-
Identify the service profile. Use the Retrieve Service Profiles API request to search for a specific service profile or use the Get Service Profiles API request to list all available service profiles, and identify the profile you want to connect to.
Connecting to Alibaba Express Connect from a DOT1Q Port
To create a connection from your DOT1Q port to Alibaba Express Connect, send a POST request to the /fabric/v4/connections endpoint. Specify your connection's configuration details in the body of the request.
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 |
Sample cURL Request:
curl -X
POST 'https://api.equinix.com/fabric/v4/connections'
-H 'content-type: application/json'
-H 'authorization: Bearer <token>'
-d '{
"type": "EVPL_VC",
"name": "Conn-1",
"order": {
"purchaseOrderNumber": "1-129105284100"
},
"bandwidth": 1000,
"aSide": {
"accessPoint": {
"type": "COLO",
"port": {
"uuid": "a867f685-41b0-1b07-6de0-320a5c00abdd"
},
"linkProtocol": {
"type": "DOT1Q",
"vlanTag": 1001
}
}
},
"zSide": {
"accessPoint": {
"type": "SP",
"profile": {
"uuid": "4c4b8edf-873b-4c6c-805a-edb2c335bd6c"
},
"location": {
"metroCode": "SV"
},
"authenticationKey": "xx-xxx-xx",
"sellerRegion": "us-west-1"
}
},
"notifications": {
"type": "ALL",
"emails": [
"test@equinix.com",
"test2@equinix.com"
]
}
}'
The parameters included in the request body are specific to this example. For a full list of parameters and their descriptions, see the API Reference.
Sample Response:
{
"href": "https://api.equinix.com/fabric/v4/connections/3a58dd05-f46d-4b1d-a154-2e85c396ea62",
"type": "EVPL_VC",
"uuid": "3a58dd05-f46d-4b1d-a154-2e85c396ea62",
"name": "Conn-1",
"state": "PROVISIONING",
"order": {
"purchaseOrderNumber": "1-129105284100",
"billingTier": "Up to 1 Gbps"
},
"bandwidth": 1000,
"aSide": {
"accessPoint": {
"type": "COLO",
"port": {
"href": "https://api.equinix.com/fabric/v4/ports/a867f685-41b0-1b07-6de0-320a5c00abdd",
"type": "XF_PORT",
"uuid": "a867f685-41b0-1b07-6de0-320a5c00abdd"
},
"linkProtocol": {
"type": "DOT1Q",
"vlanTag": 1001
}
}
},
"zSide": {
"accessPoint": {
"type": "SP",
"profile": {
"href": "https://api.equinix.com/fabric/v4/services/serviceProfiles/20d32a80-0d61-4333-bc03-707b591ae2f5",
"type": "L2_PROFILE",
"uuid": "20d32a80-0d61-4333-bc03-707b591ae2f5"
},
"location": {
"href": "https://api.equinix.com/v4/metros/SV",
"metroCode": "SV",
"region": "AMER"
},
"authenticationKey": "xx-xxx-xx",
"sellerRegion": "us-west-1"
}
},
"notifications": [
{
"type": "ALL",
"emails": [
"test@equinix.com",
"test2@equinix.com"
]
}
],
"operation": {
"equinixStatus": "PROVISIONING",
"providerStatus": "PROVISIONING"
},
"changeLog": {
"createdDateTime": "2021-07-15T19:30:29.526Z"
}
}
Response payload includes configuration parameters defined in the request body. For a full list of possible parameters and their descriptions, see the API Reference.
Connecting to Alibaba Express Connect from a QINQ Port
To create a connection from your QINQ port to Alibaba Express Connect, send a POST request to the /fabric/v4/connections endpoint. Specify your connection's configuration details in the body of the request.
Sample cURL Request:
curl -X
POST 'https://api.equinix.com/fabric/v4/connections'
-H 'content-type: application/json'
-H 'authorization: Bearer <token>'
-d '{
"type": "EVPL_VC",
"name": "Conn-1",
"order": {
"purchaseOrderNumber": "1-129105284100"
},
"bandwidth": 1000,
"aSide": {
"accessPoint": {
"type": "COLO",
"port": {
"uuid": "a867f685-41b0-1b07-6de0-320a5c00abdd"
},
"linkProtocol": {
"type": "QINQ",
"vlanCTag": 1001,
"vlanSTag": 1002
}
}
},
"zSide": {
"accessPoint": {
"type": "SP",
"profile": {
"uuid": "4c4b8edf-873b-4c6c-805a-edb2c335bd6c"
},
"location": {
"metroCode": "SV"
},
"authenticationKey": "xx-xxx-xx",
"sellerRegion": "us-west-1"
}
},
"notifications": {
"type": "ALL",
"emails": [
"test@equinix.com",
"test2@equinix.com"
]
}
}'
The parameters included in the request body are specific to this example. For a full list of parameters and their descriptions, see the API Reference.
Connecting to Alibaba Express Connect from a Network Edge Device
To create a connection from your Network Edge device to Alibaba Express Connect, send a POST request to the /fabric/v4/connections endpoint. Specify your connection's configuration details in the body of the request.
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 |
Sample cURL Request:
curl -X
POST 'https://api.equinix.com/fabric/v4/connections'
-H 'content-type: application/json'
-H 'authorization: Bearer <token>'
-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"
}
}'
The parameters included in the request body are specific to this example. For a full list of parameters and their descriptions, see the API Reference.
{
"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 payload includes configuration parameters defined in the request body. For a full list of possible parameters and their descriptions, see the API Reference.
Monitoring the Connection Status
Send a GET request to the fabric/v4/connections/{connectionId} endpoint 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. |
Accept and Pay for the Connection
- Log in to Alibaba Express Connect Management Console.
- From the left manu, select Physical Connections.
- Identify the newly created instance and click Accept and Pay.
- Create a Virtual Border Router (VBR) instance and associate it with the connection.
For more information, refer to Billing - Pricing | Alibaba Cloud Documentation Center.