What is a virtual cross connect (VXC)?
Virtual Cross Connects are private, direct connections between cloud providers.
By Emily Bowen
Remember when the internet was just taking off? We all depended on the public internet to connect with each other because setting up direct private connections between networks was challenging. But as cloud providers and cloud services began to rise meteorically, the very infrastructure of the internet started to evolve. Large hosting services like AWS, Azure, and IBM Cloud began handling such massive amounts of data that relying on multiple ISPs as middlemen became inefficient.
Enter virtual cross connects (VXCs), the solutions big players have adopted. Instead of the old ways—back when data traveled through various internet service providers (ISPs), which was less efficient and secure than the direct connections now used by major hosting services—they've built direct infrastructure, connecting their services to each other and to carriers without the need for the public internet. It's like creating shortcuts for data, ensuring speed and security.
If you want to understand how this shift impacts our digital world and why it's making waves in the tech industry, stick around as we explore VXCs and their transformative role in internet connectivity.
What are virtual cross connects?
For example, through our connectivity partners, Telnyx maintains redundant 10GB fiber connections with all major cloud providers in multiple geographic locations. Enterprise networks and service providers leverage these virtual connections because they act like a physical connection. They’re faster, more secure, and delivered with lower latency than connections over the public internet.
What’s the difference between physical and virtual cross connects?
VXCs and physical cross connects serve the same fundamental purpose: connecting networks. However, their methods differ significantly. Physical cross connects involve tangible connections—usually through cables—between two networks. VXCs, on the other hand, establish these connections virtually without the need for physical infrastructure.
This virtual approach offers several advantages:
- Speed: VXCs can be set up more quickly than their physical counterparts.
- Flexibility: Virtual connections can be easily modified or rerouted as needed.
- Scalability: As businesses grow, VXCs can be effortlessly scaled to accommodate increased traffic.
Now that you have a general idea of what a VXC is, it’s time to explore how VXCs function and the technology behind their efficiency.
How do virtual cross connects work?
At its core, a VXC provides a secure bridge between two networks located in different physical locations. But how does it achieve this connection without cables or hardware?
VXCs employ a network of virtual routers, switches, and firewalls to bridge two distinct networks securely. These connections use established protocols to ensure a secure and reliable connection between networks in different locations. Once the virtual link is established, data and services are securely transmitted across this bridge, ensuring speed and security.
With VXCs, businesses can ensure optimal proximity, ensuring faster and more reliable digital transactions. And with the digital economy's rapid pace, latency has become a critical factor. The closer a company's servers are to the end user, the lower the latency.
Real-world VCX applications and scenarios
The practical applications of VXCs are vast and varied. Consider the example of a ride-hailing service with the following process:
- A user requests a ride via an app.
- The app authenticates the user and uses GPS to determine their location and destination.
- The app calculates the fare and waits for user confirmation.
- Once confirmed, the app guides the driver to the user's location.
Throughout this process, the user's request might traverse multiple networks before reaching the ride-hailing company's server—all within milliseconds. The proximity of the company’s servers to the user and driver determines the latency. If responses are delayed, users might opt for a different service. VXCs ensure such digital services, whether in finance, gaming, or advertising, are delivered promptly and reliably.
Scaling with virtual cross connects
As businesses expand, so does their need for robust and reliable connectivity. VXCs play a pivotal role in this scaling process. Unlike physical cross connects, which might require extensive infrastructure changes to scale, VXCs offer a more agile solution. They allow businesses to:
- Link multiple facilities: VXCs can connect multiple data centers seamlessly, ensuring consistent and reliable data exchange.
- Extend reach: By being part of a larger data center ecosystem, businesses can deploy virtual connections to hundreds of locations and expand their reach without significant infrastructure investments. \
As the demands of businesses grow and the complexities of data exchange intensify, traditional connectivity methods have become bottlenecks. VXCs are a modern-day solution that bridges the gap between the need for expansion and the challenges of infrastructure. By enabling businesses to link multiple facilities effortlessly and extend their reach across vast ecosystems, VXCs are redefining what it means to scale in the digital age.
Key benefits and performance improvements with virtual cross connects
VXCs offer many benefits, from allowing businesses to combine multiple networks for enhanced data transmission speed and capacity to facilitating the creation of private networks between sites for secure data transit.
The inherent virtual nature of VXCs means there's no need for physical hardware or cables, streamlining setup and maintenance. As businesses grow and evolve, VXCs provide the flexibility to swiftly expand networks to cater to more users, devices, or services—all while minimizing the costs and complexities traditionally associated with network setups.
Moreover, the performance enhancements with VXCs are undeniable. They segment connectivity over existing fiber lines, effectively mimicking the attributes of a direct private line. This direct traffic routing ensures faster delivery speeds and reduces call degradation as call media traverses shorter physical distances.
One of the standout features of VXCs is the enhanced security. As data travels either on private networks or through VXCs, it remains shielded from potential threats, ensuring communications—be it calls, conferences, or other data—are of the highest quality.
All these advantages come at a fraction of the cost of traditional ISPs, and the speed of setting up these connections is unparalleled.
Harnessing the power of virtual cross connects with Telnyx
Gone are the days when businesses relied solely on the public internet for connections. Today, the very foundation of the internet is undergoing a transformation. Leading this change are VXCs, which offer direct, fast, and secure data transmission, bypassing the need for multiple ISPs as intermediaries.
Telnyx, with its deep-rooted expertise in VXCs, is at the forefront of this digital revolution. Our telephony service, underpinned by our physical fiber backbone, cloud infrastructures, and virtual cross connects, ensures optimal traffic routing. Many of our customers leverage VXCs to establish direct lines into the Telnyx environment, benefiting from our routing tables and exchanging traffic over dedicated links.
A prime example is our capability to set up virtual cross connects for a customers hosting PBX on AWS servers. Such a connection ensures that calls from customer numbers get forwarded directly, minimizing reliance on the public internet and reducing issues like jitter, latency, and packet loss.
Our global network, with its geographically distributed points of presence, offers flexibility in connection setups to provide you with the best connections. We continually monitor performance to ensure the fastest routes between endpoints. And for those seeking custom solutions, our Anchorsite™ feature allows customers to choose which Telnyx point of presence anchors their call media.
In an age where speed, security, and efficiency are paramount, businesses can't afford to miss out on the advantages of VXCs. With Telnyx as your partner, you won’t just keeping pace with the digital transformation. You’ll lead it.
Don't let your business get left behind. Talk to a Telnyx expert to harness the power of Virtual Cross Connects and propel your connectivity into the future.
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Nini Virtual Cross-Connection (VCC)? Virtual Cross Connects ni binafsi, uhusiano wa moja kwa moja kati ya watoa wingu. Emily Bowen: Je, unakumbuka wakati mtandao ulipokuwa ukianza? """Tunategemea mtandao wa umma kuunganisha kwa kila mmoja, kwa sababu kuanzisha uhusiano wa moja kwa moja kati ya mitandao ilikuwa changamoto." Lakini kama watoa huduma za wingu na huduma za wingu zilianza kuongezeka kwa kasi, miundombinu ya mtandao ilianza kubadilika. Huduma kubwa za kukaribisha kama vile AWS, Azure, na IBM Cloud zilianza kushughulikia kiasi kikubwa cha data kwamba kutegemea ISP nyingi kama waingiliano haikufanya kazi. Virtual Cross Connections (VCCs) ni njia ya mawasiliano ya mtandao ambayo inawezesha watumiaji wengi wa mtandao kuwasiliana na wateja wao. Badala ya njia za zamani wakati data ilisafiri kupitia watoa huduma mbalimbali wa mtandao (ISPs), ambayo ilikuwa chini ya ufanisi na salama kuliko uhusiano wa moja kwa moja sasa kutumika na huduma kubwa za mwenyeji, wamejenga miundombinu ya moja kwa moja, kuunganisha huduma zao kwa kila mmoja na kwa waendeshaji bila haja ya mtandao wa umma. Ni kama kuunda njia za mkato kwa data, kuhakikisha kasi na usalama. Ikiwa unataka kuelewa jinsi mabadiliko haya yanavyoathiri ulimwengu wetu wa dijiti na kwa nini yanafanya mawimbi katika tasnia ya teknolojia, fanya karibu wakati tunapochunguza VXCs na jukumu lao la mabadiliko katika uunganisho wa mtandao. Ni nini viunganishi vya msalaba vya virtual? Kwa mfano, kupitia washirika wetu wa muunganisho, Telnix inadumisha muunganisho wa nyuzi 10GB na watoa huduma zote kuu za wingu katika maeneo mengi ya kijiografia. Mitandao ya biashara na watoa huduma kutumia uhusiano huu virtual kwa sababu wao kutenda kama uhusiano wa kimwili. Wao ni haraka zaidi, salama zaidi, na kutolewa na latency chini kuliko uhusiano juu ya mtandao wa umma. Ni nini tofauti kati ya kihalisi na virtual msalaba kuunganisha? VXCs na viungo vya kimwili vya msalaba hutumikia kusudi moja la msingi: kuunganisha mitandao. Hata hivyo, mbinu zao hutofautiana sana. Viunganishi vya kimwili vya msalaba vinahusisha uhusiano halisi - kwa kawaida kupitia nyaya - kati ya mitandao miwili. VXCs, kwa upande mwingine, kuanzisha uhusiano huu karibu bila haja ya miundombinu ya kimwili. Njia hii virtual inatoa faida kadhaa: - Kasi: VXCs inaweza kuanzishwa kwa haraka zaidi kuliko wenzao wa kimwili. - Kubadilika: uhusiano virtual inaweza kwa urahisi kubadilishwa au redirected kama inahitajika. - Scalability: Kama biashara kukua, VXCs inaweza effortlessly scaled ili kukidhi kuongezeka kwa trafiki. Sasa kwa kuwa una wazo la jumla la nini VXC ni, ni wakati wa kuchunguza jinsi VXCs kazi na teknolojia nyuma ya ufanisi wao. Jinsi gani virtual msalaba kuunganisha kazi? VXC ni daraja salama kati ya mitandao miwili ya mtandao katika maeneo tofauti. Lakini inawezaje kufanikisha uhusiano huo bila nyaya au vifaa? VXCs kutumia mtandao wa routers virtual, swichi, na firewalls daraja mitandao miwili tofauti kwa usalama. Maunganisho haya hutumia itifaki zilizowekwa ili kuhakikisha uhusiano salama na wa kuaminika kati ya mitandao katika maeneo tofauti. Mara baada ya kiungo virtual ni imara, data na huduma ni salama kupitishwa juu ya daraja hili, kuhakikisha kasi na usalama. VXCs ni njia ya biashara ya kuimarisha uhusiano wa karibu na kuhakikisha shughuli za dijiti za haraka na za kuaminika. Na kwa kasi ya uchumi wa dijiti, latency imekuwa sababu muhimu. Karibu zaidi seva za kampuni ni kwa mtumiaji wa mwisho, chini ya latency. Vifaa vya kweli vya VCX na hali za matumizi ya vitendo vya VXC ni kubwa na tofauti. Fikiria mfano wa huduma ya kusafiri na mchakato ufuatao: - Mtumiaji anaomba safari kupitia programu. - Programu hiyo huthibitisha mtumiaji na kutumia GPS kuamua eneo na marudio yao. - Programu mahesabu nauli na kusubiri kwa ajili ya uthibitisho wa mtumiaji. - Mara baada ya kuthibitishwa, programu inaongoza dereva kwa eneo la mtumiaji. Katika mchakato huu wote, ombi la mtumiaji linaweza kuvuka mitandao mingi kabla ya kufikia seva ya kampuni ya kusafiri - yote ndani ya milisekunde. Ukaribu wa seva za kampuni kwa mtumiaji na dereva huamua latency. Ikiwa majibu hucheleweshwa, watumiaji wanaweza kuchagua huduma tofauti. VXCs kuhakikisha huduma hizo digital, kama katika fedha, michezo ya kubahatisha, au matangazo, ni alitoa haraka na kuaminika. Kuongeza kwa njia ya kuunganisha kwa msalaba: Kadiri biashara zinavyoongezeka, ndivyo inavyokuwa na mahitaji yao ya kuunganisha kwa nguvu na kuaminika. VXCs kucheza jukumu muhimu katika mchakato huu scaling. Tofauti na viungo vya kimwili vya msalaba, ambavyo vinaweza kuhitaji mabadiliko makubwa ya miundombinu kwa kiwango, VXCs hutoa suluhisho la haraka zaidi. VXCs zinaweza kuunganisha vituo vingi vya data bila shida, kuhakikisha kubadilishana kwa data kwa uthabiti na kuaminika. Kwa kuwa sehemu ya mazingira makubwa ya kituo cha data, biashara zinaweza kupeleka uhusiano wa virtual kwa mamia ya maeneo na kupanua kufikia yao bila uwekezaji mkubwa wa miundombinu. Kwa kuwa mahitaji ya biashara yanaongezeka na utata wa kubadilishana data unaongezeka, mbinu za kawaida za kuunganisha zimekuwa vizuizi. VXCs ni suluhisho la kisasa ambalo linaunganisha pengo kati ya hitaji la upanuzi na changamoto za miundombinu. Kwa kuwezesha biashara kuunganisha vifaa vingi bila shida na kupanua kufikia yao katika mazingira makubwa, VXCs ni redefining nini inamaanisha kwa kiwango katika enzi ya digital. VXCs hutoa faida nyingi, kutoka kuruhusu biashara kuchanganya mitandao mingi kwa kasi ya uhamisho wa data iliyoimarishwa na uwezo wa kuwezesha uundaji wa mitandao binafsi kati ya maeneo kwa ajili ya usafirishaji salama wa data. VXCs ni vifaa vya kimwili, na hakuna haja ya vifaa vya kimwili au kebo, kuharakisha kuanzisha na matengenezo. Kama biashara kukua na kubadilika, VXCs kutoa kubadilika kwa haraka kupanua mitandao ili kukidhi watumiaji zaidi, vifaa, au huduma - wote wakati kupunguza gharama na utata jadi kuhusishwa na mitambo ya mtandao. Kwa kuongezea, uboreshaji wa utendaji na VXCs ni wa hakika. Wao segment connectivity juu ya mistari ya fiber zilizopo, ufanisi kuiga sifa ya moja kwa moja ya kibinafsi line. Hii moja kwa moja trafiki routing kuhakikisha kasi ya utoaji wa haraka na hupunguza wito uharibifu kama wito vyombo vya habari traverses umbali mfupi kimwili. Moja ya vipengele vya kipekee vya VXCs ni usalama ulioimarishwa. Kama data kusafiri ama juu ya mitandao binafsi au kupitia VXCs, inabaki kinga kutoka vitisho uwezekano, kuhakikisha mawasiliano - iwe ni wito, mikutano, au data nyingine -ni ya ubora wa juu. Faida hizi zote zinakuja kwa sehemu ndogo ya gharama ya ISP za jadi, na kasi ya kuanzisha uhusiano huu haijulikani. Kutumia nguvu ya uhusiano wa msalaba wa virtual na Telnyx Zamani ni siku ambazo biashara zilitegemea tu mtandao wa umma kwa uhusiano. Leo, misingi ya mtandao inabadilika. VXCs ni moja ya njia za kuongoza za kuhamisha data kwa njia ya moja kwa moja, haraka na salama, na kuepuka mahitaji ya ISP nyingi kama wasimamizi. Telnyx, na utaalam wake wa kina katika VXCs, iko mbele ya mapinduzi haya ya dijiti. Huduma yetu ya simu, iliyoungwa mkono na uti wetu wa mgongo wa nyuzi za kimwili, miundombinu ya wingu, na viunganishi vya msalaba wa virtual, inahakikisha njia bora ya trafiki. Wateja wetu wengi hutumia VXCs kuanzisha mistari ya moja kwa moja katika mazingira ya Telnix, kufaidika na meza zetu za njia na kubadilishana trafiki juu ya viungo vya kujitolea. Mfano bora ni uwezo wetu wa kuanzisha virtual msalaba kuunganisha kwa wateja mwenyeji PBX juu ya seva AWS. Kuunganisha kama hiyo inahakikisha kwamba wito kutoka kwa nambari za wateja hupelekwa moja kwa moja, kupunguza utegemezi kwenye mtandao wa umma na kupunguza masuala kama jitter, latency, na hasara ya pakiti. Mtandao wetu wa kimataifa, na pointi zake za uwepo zilizosambazwa kijiografia, hutoa kubadilika katika miundo ya muunganisho ili kukupa muunganisho bora. Sisi daima kufuatilia utendaji ili kuhakikisha njia ya haraka kati ya endpoints. Kwa wale wanaotafuta ufumbuzi wa kawaida, kipengele chetu cha AnchorsiteTM kinaruhusu wateja kuchagua ni nini Telnyx Point of Presence inaweka vyombo vya habari vyao vya wito. Katika enzi ambapo kasi, usalama, na ufanisi ni muhimu, biashara haziwezi kumudu kukosa faida za VXCs. Pamoja na Telnyx kama mshirika wako, huwezi tu kushikilia kasi na mabadiliko ya digital. Wewe utamwongoza. Usiruhusu biashara yako iachwe nyuma. Zungumza na mtaalam wa Telnix ili kutumia nguvu ya Virtual Cross Connects na kuendesha muunganisho wako katika siku zijazo. Kujiandikisha kwa barua pepe ya makala zetu za hivi karibuni na habari