As companies increasingly move their workloads to the cloud, connectivity between on-premises data centers and cloud providers becomes a critical consideration. Oracle FastConnect is a service that provides dedicated, private network connectivity between on-premises data centers and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. In this article, we will discuss the technical specifications and requirements of Oracle FastConnect.
What is Oracle FastConnect?
Oracle FastConnect is a dedicated, private network connection between a customer’s on-premises data center and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. It provides a highly available, low-latency connection with high bandwidth that is ideal for mission-critical workloads.
Technical Specifications
Connection Types
Oracle FastConnect supports two connection types:
- Layer 2 Connectivity – This is a point-to-point Ethernet connection that provides a Layer 2 network link between the on-premises data center and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure.
- IPSec VPN Connectivity – This is an encrypted connection that uses the Internet to provide secure connectivity between the on-premises data center and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure.
Connection Speeds
Oracle FastConnect supports connection speeds from 1 Gbps to 100 Gbps. The actual speed that can be achieved depends on the type of connection, the distance between the on-premises data center and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, and the available bandwidth on the customer’s network.
Redundancy
Oracle FastConnect provides high availability by offering redundant connections to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. Customers can choose to configure a primary and secondary FastConnect location to ensure that their workloads remain available even in the event of a network failure.
Requirements
Network Requirements
To use Oracle FastConnect, customers must have the following:
- A dedicated physical connection between their on-premises data center and the Oracle FastConnect location.
- A router or firewall that is compatible with Oracle FastConnect and can provide the necessary configuration to establish the connection.
- The ability to configure Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) to advertise their routes to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure.
Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Requirements
To use Oracle FastConnect, customers must have the following:
- An Oracle Cloud Infrastructure tenancy.
- A Virtual Cloud Network (VCN) that is configured with the necessary subnets and security rules to allow traffic to flow between the on-premises data center and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure.
- The ability to configure Oracle Cloud Infrastructure to establish the connection and advertise its routes to the customer’s network.
Benefits of Oracle FastConnect
- Low Latency – Oracle FastConnect provides a dedicated, private network connection that is designed for low latency and high bandwidth.
- High Availability – Oracle FastConnect provides redundant connections to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure to ensure high availability and uptime.
- Security – Oracle FastConnect provides a private, dedicated network connection that is not exposed to the public Internet, which enhances security and reduces the risk of data breaches.
- Cost-Effective – Oracle FastConnect can help reduce network costs by eliminating the need for expensive, high-bandwidth Internet connections.
Conclusion
Oracle FastConnect is a service that provides dedicated, private network connectivity between on-premises data centers and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. It offers low latency, high bandwidth, high availability, and enhanced security. To use Oracle FastConnect, customers must have a dedicated physical connection, a compatible router or firewall, and the ability to configure BGP. Customers must also have an Oracle Cloud Infrastructure tenancy and a VCN that is configured with the necessary subnets and security rules. By using Oracle FastConnect, customers can reduce network costs and improve the performance and security of their cloud workloads.