What is a cross connect?

November 22, 2024

A cross connect is a point-to-point connection between two endpoints in a data center. These could be two devices, networks, or data center environments within a facility.

The aim is to create private network connectivity between these two entities. It avoids public internet exchanges while establishing seamless data transfers within the business ecosystem. This ensures that transfers happen quickly, more efficiently, and privately — improving performance and boosting data security.

As businesses depend more on data and quick transfers, cross connects are becoming essential. They can reduce latency and save costs. There are also many IT infrastructure and disaster recovery advantages.

In this blog, we’ll explore the basics of a cross connect. Then, we’ll cover the types, their key benefits, and what the future holds for data centers.

What are the types of cross connects?

Data center providers create connections using different types of cross-connect cables. These cables can connect various endpoints, such as:

• Data center environments

• Cloud service providers

• Internet service providers

• Telecom networks

• Devices

• Network providers

No matter the cross connection, the aim is to allow rapid, secure, and reliable data transfers. For example, colocation facilities use meet-me rooms for physically connecting two pieces of equipment. Depending on the use case and aims, data centers may use different types to build these connections.

1. Fiber-optic

Fiber optic cables facilitate high-speed, long-distance data transfers. Depending on the bandwidth and distance involved, they may use single-mode fiber or multimode fiber connections. These connections best support high-performance or data-intensive workloads.

2. Copper

Copper cables, also known as Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS), are tried-and-tested and still used for shorter and smaller connections. Though relatively cost-effective and reliable, these are unsuitable for modern high-bandwidth data streams. However, fiber-optic connections gradually replace copper cross connects, offering enhanced speed and bandwidth capabilities.

3. Ethernet

Ethernet cables, like CAT5 and CAT6, are still widely used in data centers. These are common in local area networks, facilitating the flexible and efficient connection of two entities.

4. Virtual

Virtual connections, which are increasingly common within software-defined networking, are created through orchestration portals. These are flexible and scalable, reducing the need for manual cable connections.

What are the benefits of cross connects?

Cross connects offer numerous advantages that are crucial for the efficient operation of data center networks. The first is cost-efficiency.

A cross connect can lower the need for extra data transmissions. Direct connections between devices can also cut IT infrastructure and connectivity costs. Likewise, efficient data transfers improve power usage — reducing energy costs over time.

Scalability is similarly crucial for meeting modern business demands. A cross connect’s scalability allows the slightest infrastructure changes to have the maximum impact. Businesses can add new connections or alter existing ones quickly and efficiently.

Cross connects also offer tremendous flexibility. Businesses can work directly with many partners, customers, and service providers in the same data center. This offers endless connectivity options. These can manage different business needs or improve collaboration.

Some tasks may require the highest latency, while others might focus on cost reduction. Working with an experienced colocation data center will help you identify the best cross connect for your needs.

The importance of a cross connect

By connecting services, data centers can achieve many crucial benefits.

1. Enhanced performance

A cross connect provides dedicated bandwidth to a given connection. This reduces data transfer times and bottlenecks, improving the performance of a given task. In instances such as financial services operations, a cross connect provides the uninterrupted uptime needed.

2. Increased security

Establishing a private cross connection can also help protect critical data. Since the two entities are connected in a secure data center, it's difficult to intercept the traffic. The physical connection makes it hard to access the data flow.

Also, because there are no public networks in the data exchange, cross connects help businesses follow important privacy rules. These rules include GDPR and HIPAA.

3. Improved reliability and redundancy

Downtime costs organizations billions of dollars annually. Thus, achieving higher reliability and redundancy through cross connections is more vital than ever.

A cross connect can help businesses improve network services reliability. It promotes uptime by providing multiple data transfer paths. This also helps prevent data loss. Should one line suffer an incident, another ensures business continuity.

4. More simplicity

Above all, point-to-point cross connections are relatively straightforward. These don’t need much equipment or functionality. This makes it easy to set up, fix, and manage. This helps reduce the overall complexity of ecosystems — all while promoting more efficient, secure, and cost-effective performance.

Future trends

Driven by several key advancements and industry trends, cross-connect technology is constantly progressing. Most notably, emerging technologies, like 400G Ethernet and hollow-core fiber cables, are revolutionizing cross connects with unprecedented speeds and minimal latency. The introduction of these technologies will only continue to increase data transfer speeds.

Similarly, experts predict that the role of cross connects will continue to expand. We’ve already seen advances in cloud computing, the Internet of Things, 5G, and artificial intelligence. Because these cutting-edge technologies all require vast data transfers from robust and flexible connectivity solutions, cross connects will be essential in ensuring their seamless and efficient data flow.

Finally, as edge computing continues to experience widespread use, it also brings increasingly localized data processing and storage needs. Cross connects will be important for linking edge data centers with core facilities. They help enable fast data transfer for real-time applications.

Digital Realty is at the cutting edge of these changes, helping businesses unlock the potential of their data. With PlatformDIGITAL®, our global platform, we provide a strong foundation for growing digital businesses. We are always adapting and improving our data collaboration services. This helps our customers prepare for the future.

Building a robust cross-connect strategy

Cross connects are essential for the efficient, secure, and scalable operation of modern data centers. Among the many impactful benefits are cost-efficiency, security, flexibility, and enhanced performance.

As technology advances, the importance of a robust cross connect infrastructure will only increase. To prepare, evaluate your current strategy and explore potential upgrades to stay ahead of the competition.

Digital Realty provides secure, dedicated connections to power modern data transfers. From the carrier to the cloud and everything in between, create the private connections that matter the most to your business. Learn more about our Cross Connects. And if you need connections in different cities or around the world, check out our ServiceFabric™ Connect solution.

FAQs

What is the difference between a cross connect and interconnection services?
A cross connect is the direct, point-to-point routing between two entities within a single data center. On the other hand, interconnection typically involves connecting two virtual networks or facilities.

What is the difference between a cross connect and direct connect?
A cross connect is a type of connection between two entities in the same data center. In contrast, a direct connection usually links two facilities or networks. For example, an on-premises endpoint with a cloud-based service.

What is an example of a cross connect?
An example is the physical connection of two critical business services. For example, a business may have two endpoints that require rapid and private data transfers. Ideal for this task, it brings dedicated bandwidth without using a public internet connection.

What is the reason for a cross connection in mobile networks?
A mobile network may use cross connections to connect two networks or components. Because the cross connection allows dedicated data transfers, it provides low-latency links between critical services.

What is the use of a cross connection in a data center?
A cross connection in a data center has many potential uses. It avoids bottlenecks and other network traffic, allowing for high-speed data transfers while enhancing network performance. Likewise, it improves security by building a private connection. Finally, it builds redundancy by increasing overall network resilience.