Cross Connect VDCs

Cross Connect is a feature that allows you to connect virtual data centers (VDC) with each other using a LAN. The VDCs to be connected need to belong to the same IONOS Cloud contract and region. You can only use private LANs for a Cross Connect connection. A LAN can only be a part of one Cross Connect.

The IP addresses of the NICs used for the Cross Connect connection may not be used in more than one instance. They need to belong to the same IP range. For the time being, this needs to be checked manually. An automatic check will be available in the future.

Creating a Cross Connect

Prerequisites: Make sure you have the appropriate permissions. Only contract owners, administrators, or users with the Create Private Cross Connects privilege can work with Cross Connects. Other user types have read-only access and can't provision changes.

If you want to connect your virtual data centers with each other, you need to create a Cross Connect first.

1. Open the Cross Connect Manager: Menu > Resource Manager > Cross Connect Manager.

2. Select + Create. (Optional) Enter a name and a description for this Cross Connect.

3. Finish your entries by clicking Create Cross Connect.

4. (Optional) Make further changes to your data center.

5. Provision your changes.

The Cross Connect will be created.

Connecting data centers

When you want to connect your data centers, you need a Cross Connect which serves as a "hub" or "container" for the connection. This is created in the Cross Connect Manager. You can then add a VDC to the connection by setting up a Cross Connect element in the VDC

Prerequisites: Make sure you have the appropriate permissions. Only contract owners, administrators, or users with the Create Private Cross Connects privilege can work with Cross Connects. Other user types have read-only access and can't provision changes.

The data centers should be under the same contract. Prior to connecting, they should be provisioned and part of the same location. The LANs to be used for the connection should be private LANs. The NICs to be connected should have unique IP addresses that belong to the same IP range.

How to connect data centers

  1. Open the VDC that you wish to connect with other VDCs by means of a Cross Connect.

  2. Drag a Cross Connect element from the Palette to the Workspace.

  3. Connect the Cross Connect element to the LAN with which the connection is to be established.

  4. Select the Cross Connect element in the Workspace.

  5. From the drop-down menu in the Inspector, select the connection to which you wish to add your VDC.

  6. Ensure the IP addresses in use meet the requirements. (Optional) Make further changes to your data center.

  7. Provision your changes.

The selected VDC was added to the Cross Connect and is now connected with all VDCs that belong to this connection.

Removing a data center from a Cross Connect

When you don't want a virtual data center to be connected to other data centers, you can remove it from a Cross Connect. If you want to delete a Cross Connect, you need to remove all data centers from it.

  1. Open the required data center.

  2. In the Workspace, select the required Cross Connect.

  3. Set it to Not connected. Inspector > Private Cross Connect

  4. (Optional) Make further changes to your data center.

  5. Provision your changes.

The data center connection to the selected Cross Connect is deleted and the data center is removed from it.

Deleting a cross connect

If you no longer need a Cross Connect, you can easily remove it from the Cross Connect Manager. A Cross Connect can only be deleted when it does not contain any data centers.

  1. Open the Cross Connect Manager: Menu > MANAGER Resources > Cross Connect Manager

  2. In the Workspace, select the required Cross Connect.

  3. In the Connected LANs tab, ensure that the Cross Connect does not contain any virtual data centers.

  4. Remove existing data centers from the Cross Connect.

  5. Confirm your action by clicking Delete.

The selected Cross Connect will be deleted.

Last updated

Revision created on 9/7/2023