# Direct Connect

**Introduction**

* A dedicated private connection from on-premise to AWS (bypass ISP, reduce network cost, increase bandwidth and stability)
* Require time (over 1 month) and money to setup
* Not redundant by default (must setup a failover DX or VPN)

**Feature**

* Private access to AWS through Direct Connect Virtual Interfaces (VIF)
* VIF types:
  * Public VIF
    * Connects to public AWS Endpoints (ex. S3)
  * Private VIF
    * Connects to resources in a VPC
    * PS. VPC Endpoint cannot be accessed through Private VIF (doesn't need it)
  * Transit Virtual Interface
    * Connects to resources in a VPC with a Transit Gateway
* Connection Types
  * Dedicated Connections: 1 Gbps or 10 Gbps capacity
    * Physical Ethernet port dedicated to a customer
    * Request made to AWS first, then completed by AWS Direct Connect Partners
  * Hosted Connections: 50 Mbps / 500 Mbps, to 10 Gbps
    * Connection requests are made via AWS Direct Connect Partners
    * Capacity can be added or removed on demand
* No encryption in transit
  * But can apply VPN IPSec for encryption
* BGP dynamic routing (**mandatory**)
  * Like GPS navigator, the best route is determined by different factors, such as traffic congestion, roads temporarily closed for maintenance, etc. The path is calculated dynamically depending on the situation of the network nodes.
* Direct Connect Link Aggregation Groups (LAG)
  * Get increased speed and failover by summing up existing Direct Connect connections into a logical one.
  * Can aggregate up to 4 (active active mode)
  * Can add connections over time to the LAG
  * All connections in the LAG must have the same bandwidth
  * All connections in the LAG must terminate at the same AWS Direct Connect Endpoint
  * Can set a minimum number of connections for the LAG to funciton

![LAGs in different DX locations](/files/-MF1LUAf9MV8r7076BHn)

**Direct Connect Gateways**

* Connects to one or more VPCs (same account or corss-account) over a private virtual interface in the **same or different Regions**.

![DX Gateway for cross region VPCs](/files/-MF1MfhJMsPbtcuGoZ09)


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