Cross connect: Definition
A cross connect refers to a physical connection between two network or telecommunications devices belonging to two different customers within a data center or data center hosting room. The digital transformations of recent years, with the advent of the IoT and artificial intelligence, have added an additional layer of connectivity requirements, necessitating the implementation of appropriate cross connects. This direct connection allows data to be exchanged between different networks or servers with extremely low latency, enabling faster and more secure communication between the connected parties.
How does a cross connect work?
The purpose of a cross connect is to set up a private connection via an MMR (Meet Me Room). It makes sure data flows smoothly between two private entities by improving performance and data security. Cross connects are usually fiber optic or copper cables that link two pieces of equipment in the same room or in neighboring racks.
Avantages of cross connects
Cross connects offer numerous advantages, such as:
1. Connectivity: cross connects facilitate access to the services of different providers in the data center, offering an alternative to the internet.
2. Reduced latency: since the connection remains local and direct, data transmission time is significantly reduced, facilitating the large-volume data exchanges required for IoT and AI services.
3. Enhanced security: AI workloads driven by machine learning platforms/environments use data center cross connects to avoid transiting data over public networks, thereby reducing the risk of cyberattacks.
4. Stability: With their private nature, cross connects are often more stable because they do not depend on multiple nodes or points of failure.
5. Flexibility: They allow for customization of interconnections between different partners or service providers hosted in the same data center.
Why use a cross connect?
Cross connects are essential for companies that need to communicate with other suppliers, partners, or customers while minimizing the risk of failure and optimizing performance. With architectures that we no longer call hybrid but distributed (multi-cloud) depending on the AI and IoT needs of businesses, cross connects remain the secure, high-performance solution for businesses. They are particularly used in the finance, cloud computing, telecommunications, and data hosting sectors.
In short, as one of the largest data center hosting providers in France and Europe, we offer cross-connect services for all our customers in our multiple data centers. Cross-connects offer fast, convenient, and affordable integration and remain a reliable and secure solution for interconnecting equipment in a data center, ensuring better performance while reducing the risks of latency and vulnerability.