AWS Interconnect Launches, Revolutionizing Multicloud and Last-Mile Connectivity for Enterprises
Amazon Web Services (AWS) has officially launched AWS Interconnect, a suite of managed private connectivity services designed to streamline and secure network connections for enterprises operating in multicloud environments and from remote locations. The announcement, made today, marks a significant advancement in simplifying complex networking challenges that have historically hindered seamless integration across different cloud platforms and on-premises infrastructure. AWS Interconnect offers two key capabilities: AWS Interconnect – multicloud, which establishes direct, private connections between Amazon Virtual Private Clouds (Amazon VPCs) and VPCs on other major cloud providers, and AWS Interconnect – last mile, a new feature that simplifies the creation of high-speed, private connections from branch offices, data centers, and remote sites to AWS via existing network providers.
The growing trend of enterprises adopting a multicloud strategy, driven by the desire to leverage specialized services, meet stringent data residency requirements, or accommodate diverse team preferences, has exposed a critical need for robust and secure inter-cloud connectivity. Traditionally, achieving such connectivity has been a complex and resource-intensive undertaking, often involving intricate management of VPN tunnels, significant coordination with colocation facilities, and the configuration of third-party network fabrics. This "undifferentiated heavy lifting" has frequently diverted valuable IT resources away from core business applications and innovation. AWS Interconnect aims to alleviate these burdens by offering a fully managed, turnkey solution.
Bridging the Multicloud Divide: AWS Interconnect – Multicloud
AWS Interconnect – multicloud provides a managed Layer 3 connection that routes traffic directly between an organization’s AWS environment and those of other leading cloud providers. Initially, this service will support connections with Google Cloud, with Microsoft Azure and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) slated for integration later in 2026. A key advantage of this service is that all data traffic flows exclusively over the AWS global backbone and the partner cloud provider’s private network, thereby completely bypassing the public internet. This architecture ensures predictable latency, consistent throughput, and isolation from internet congestion, all without the need for customers to manage any underlying physical infrastructure.
Security is a fundamental aspect of AWS Interconnect – multicloud, with IEEE 802.1AE MACsec encryption implemented by default on the physical links between AWS routers and partner cloud provider routers at interconnection facilities. This encryption is provisioned automatically, eliminating the need for separate customer configuration. While AWS ensures encryption on its end, customers are advised to review the encryption documentation of their specific cloud provider to ensure compliance with their organizational requirements. Furthermore, the service is engineered for resilience, with each connection spanning multiple logical links distributed across at least two physical facilities. This redundancy ensures that a failure at a single device or building will not disrupt connectivity.
For network monitoring and performance management, AWS Interconnect – multicloud integrates seamlessly with Amazon CloudWatch. Each connection includes a Network Synthetic Monitor that provides essential metrics such as round-trip latency, packet loss, and bandwidth utilization, which are crucial for capacity planning and proactive issue resolution.
AWS has also demonstrated a commitment to fostering an open ecosystem by publishing the underlying specification for AWS Interconnect – multicloud on GitHub under the Apache 2.0 license. This move invites any cloud service provider to collaborate with AWS and potentially become an integration partner. To qualify as an AWS Interconnect partner, cloud providers must adhere to the technical specification and meet AWS’s stringent operational requirements, including robust resiliency standards, comprehensive support commitments, and service level agreements (SLAs).
Streamlining the Provisioning Process
The provisioning of an AWS Interconnect connection is designed for speed and simplicity, reportedly taking only minutes. The process begins within the AWS Direct Connect console, where users navigate to the AWS Interconnect section. By selecting the desired cloud provider (e.g., Google Cloud), specifying source and destination regions, and defining bandwidth requirements, customers initiate the connection. AWS then generates an activation key that is used on the partner cloud provider’s side to finalize the setup. Once established, routes propagate automatically in both directions, enabling data exchange between the connected environments in a matter of minutes.
A demonstration of the multicloud provisioning process highlights its user-friendly nature. Starting with a single VPC in AWS, the connection is established via a Direct Connect Gateway, which is described as the most straightforward path. The steps involve requesting an interconnect in the AWS Management Console, selecting the cloud provider, AWS Region, and corresponding partner cloud region. Subsequently, users provide a description, choose the bandwidth, specify the Direct Connect gateway for attachment, and input their partner cloud project ID. Upon review and confirmation, AWS provides an activation key.
The next crucial step involves creating the transport and VPC peering resources on the partner cloud platform. In the case of Google Cloud Platform (GCP), this can be achieved using the GCP command-line interface (CLI). After noting the CIDR range of the GCP VPC subnet, users execute a gcloud network-connectivity transports create command, incorporating the activation key. Following the completion of this command, a peering is established between the GCP VPC and the newly created transport. This peering can be verified within the GCP console. Once the process is complete on the partner cloud side, the AWS Interconnect console will reflect an "available" status, and the attachment will be visible in the AWS Direct Connect console under "Direct Connect gateways."
The final step on the AWS side involves associating the Direct Connect Gateway with the appropriate Virtual Private Gateway (VGW) or, for more complex deployments, a Transit Gateway or AWS Cloud WAN. A critical network routing configuration involves adding a route entry in the VPC route tables to direct all traffic destined for the partner cloud’s IP address range through the associated gateway.
To confirm the successful establishment of the private network route, a practical test is conducted. Compute instances are launched on both AWS and GCP. On AWS, a simple web server is initiated on port 8080. From the GCP instance, a curl command is used to access the AWS web server via its private IP address. A successful response, such as "Hello AWS World!", confirms that a private network route has been established and is fully functional, managed seamlessly by both cloud service providers.
Enhancing On-Premises Connectivity: AWS Interconnect – Last Mile
Mirroring the architecture and design principles of its multicloud counterpart, AWS Interconnect – last mile offers a simplified pathway for connecting on-premises or remote locations directly to AWS. This service leverages the last-mile infrastructure of participating network providers, accessible directly through the AWS Management Console.
The onboarding experience is designed to be as intuitive as the multicloud offering. Users select a network provider, authenticate, and specify their connection endpoints and desired bandwidth. Similar to the multicloud service, AWS generates an activation key that is then used in the provider’s console to finalize the configuration. AWS Interconnect – last mile automatically provisions four redundant connections across two physical locations, configures BGP routing, and enables MACsec encryption and Jumbo Frames by default. This automated setup ensures a resilient private connection to AWS that adheres to best practices without requiring manual configuration of complex networking components.
AWS Interconnect – last mile supports a wide range of bandwidths, from 1 Gbps to 100 Gbps, with the flexibility to adjust bandwidth directly from the console without the need for reprovisioning. The service includes a 99.99% availability SLA up to the Direct Connect port and integrates CloudWatch Network Synthetic Monitor for comprehensive connection health monitoring. Like the multicloud offering, AWS Interconnect – last mile attaches to a Direct Connect Gateway, which then connects to the customer’s Virtual Private Gateway, Transit Gateway, or AWS Cloud WAN deployment.
Scalability and Reference Architectures
For organizations with expanding deployments that involve multiple VPCs within a single AWS region, AWS Transit Gateway serves as a centralized routing hub, efficiently connecting these VPCs through a single Interconnect attachment. This approach facilitates traffic segmentation between environments, enforces consistent routing policies, and enables integration with AWS Network Firewall for inspecting traffic crossing the cloud boundary.
At a global scale, where workloads are distributed across multiple AWS Regions and various cloud environments, AWS Cloud WAN extends this unified connectivity model worldwide. This allows any region within the network to reach any Interconnect attachment globally, supported by centralized policy management and segment-based routing that ensures consistent application across all operational locations. Detailed documentation on these advanced reference architectures is available in a related blog post, "Build resilient and scalable multicloud connectivity architectures with AWS Interconnect – multicloud."
Pricing and Availability
The pricing structure for both AWS Interconnect – multicloud and AWS Interconnect – last mile is based on a flat hourly rate for the provisioned capacity, billed prorata by the hour. Customers select the bandwidth tier that best suits their workload demands.
For AWS Interconnect – multicloud, pricing varies depending on the region pair. For instance, a connection between US East (N. Virginia) and Google Cloud N. Virginia will have a different cost compared to a connection between US East (N. Virginia) and a more geographically distant region. When utilizing AWS Cloud WAN, the global routing model can influence the overall cost, as traffic may traverse multiple regions. Customers are encouraged to consult the dedicated AWS Interconnect – multicloud and AWS Interconnect – last mile pricing pages for detailed rate cards by region pair and capacity tier before finalizing their connection sizing.
AWS Interconnect – multicloud is currently available in five region pairs: US East (N. Virginia) to Google Cloud N. Virginia, US West (N. California) to Google Cloud Los Angeles, US West (Oregon) to Google Cloud Oregon, Europe (London) to Google Cloud London, and Europe (Frankfurt) to Google Cloud Frankfurt. Support for Microsoft Azure is anticipated later in 2026, with OCI following thereafter.
AWS Interconnect – last mile is launching initially in US East (N. Virginia) with Lumen Technologies as the first partner. Additional partners, including AT&T and Megaport, are in the process of integration, with expanded regional availability planned.
Enterprises looking to leverage these new connectivity solutions can get started by visiting the AWS Direct Connect console and selecting AWS Interconnect from the navigation menu. This launch represents a significant step forward in enabling organizations to build more agile, secure, and efficient hybrid and multicloud infrastructures.
