Connect Network Edge Device to Alibaba

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

connectToAlibaba_FabricV4

Step 1: Identify Your Alibaba 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

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

{
    "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

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.

Step 1: Identify Your Alibaba Account ID​

Step 2: Create Connection​

Step 3: Accept and Pay for the Connection​

Step 1: Identify Your Alibaba Account ID

Step 2: Create Connection

Step 3: Accept and Pay for the Connection