Connect DigitalOcean to AWS: A Step-by-Step Guide Using Megaport

Need to connect your DigitalOcean Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) to Amazon Web Services (AWS) for a multi-cloud setup? Using Megaport's Partner Interconnect, you can establish a secure, low-latency, and high-performance connection. This guide provides a detailed walkthrough, significantly improving your application performance and data transfer rates.

Why Connect DigitalOcean and AWS with Megaport?

The DigitalOcean Partner Network Connect, combined with Megaport, is ideal for businesses with:

• Multi-cloud environments: Seamlessly integrate DigitalOcean and AWS resources.
• Hybrid cloud environments: Connect your cloud infrastructure to on-premises systems.
• High-bandwidth data transfer requirements: Efficiently move large datasets between clouds.
• Low-latency connectivity requirements: Improve the responsiveness of your applications.
• High Availability (HA) and Disaster Recovery (DR) requirements: Reliable and resilient connections for critical workloads.

Megaport streamlines multi-cloud connectivity, reducing complexity and costs, ultimately boosting the reliability and speed of applications spanning both platforms.

Understanding the Key Components

Connecting DigitalOcean and AWS via a Megaport interconnect involves these three key components:

1. DigitalOcean Partner Attachment: Establishes the initial connection point within your DigitalOcean VPC.
2. Megaport Cloud Router (MCR): Routes traffic between DigitalOcean and AWS. Think of it as a virtual router in the cloud. It requires two Virtual Cross Connects (VXCs), one for each endpoint.
3. AWS Partner Interconnect: Creates a dedicated connection to your Amazon Web Services environment.

What is a Megaport Cloud Router (MCR)?

A Megaport Cloud Router (MCR) is a virtual routing appliance that lives within the Megaport network. It allows you to create private connections to different cloud providers without needing to manage physical hardware.

Key benefits of the MCR:

• Unified Network Management: Manage all your cloud connections from a single platform.
• Optimized Traffic Flow: Advanced routing capabilities reduce latency.
• Robust Security: Protect your cloud connections from unauthorized access.
• Instant Issue Detection: Real-time monitoring capabilities for troubleshooting.
• Flexible Scalability: Easily scale your network as your business grows.
• High Availability: Ensures reliable cloud connections with minimal downtime.

Prerequisites Before You Begin

Before you start, ensure you have the following:

• An active DigitalOcean account with a configured VPC in a supported region.
• An Amazon Web Services (AWS) account with an established Virtual Private Cloud (VPC).
• A Megaport account with access to Megaport Cloud Router (MCR) services.

Step 1: Create a Partner Attachment on DigitalOcean

This creates the connection point between your DigitalOcean VPC and the Megaport network.

1. Sign in to your DigitalOcean account.
2. Go to Networking > Multi-cloud Integrations.
3. Click Create Partner Attachment.
4. Select the desired Region and VPC for the connection.
5. Choose a suitable bandwidth plan.
6. Configure Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) settings. You'll need to specify the BGP authentication key, ASN, Local Router IP, and Peer Router IP. You can accept the defaults, but save these values – you'll need them later.
7. Enter a Name for the attachment and click Create Partner Attachment.
8. Copy the generated Megaport service key.

Step 2: Create a Megaport Cloud Router (MCR)

The MCR acts as the central hub for routing traffic between DigitalOcean and AWS. If you already have an MCR, you can reuse it.

Steps to Create an MCR:

1. Log in to your Megaport account.
2. Navigate to Services > Create MCR.
3. Choose a location that is geographically close to both your DigitalOcean data center and AWS region.
4. Configure the MCR:
   • Set the Rate Limit and MCR Name.
   • Choose your minimum term (select No Minimum Term for testing).
   • Keep the MCR ASN as 133937 unless you specified a different one during DigitalOcean setup.
5. Deploy the MCR and note the MCR ID.
6. Complete the order by setting up billing details and finalizing the purchase.

Step 3: Create a Virtual Cross Connection (VXC) on Megaport to DigitalOcean

This step establishes the connection between your DigitalOcean Partner Attachment and your Megaport Cloud Router (MCR). A Virtual Cross Connect (VXC) serves as the physical link, enabling communication between the two.

What You’ll Need:

• Service Key: From DigitalOcean Partner Attachment setup (Step 1).
• BGP Configuration Details: (ASN, Local & Peer IP Addresses, Authentication Key) – From DigitalOcean Partner Attachment setup (Step 1).

Steps:

1. In the Megaport Portal, select your newly created MCR.
2. Click "Add Connection" and Select DigitalOcean from Add Connection.
3. Enter the Megaport service key you retrieved from DigitalOcean (Step 1).
4. Click Next.
5. Enter a Connection Name.
6. Select a Rate Limit. This cannot be updated after creation.
7. Select your minimum term.
8. Configure the Interface IP Address.
   • Copy the Peer IP Address from your DigitalOcean Partner Network Connect Overview section. Paste it in the Interface IP address as IP/Subnet Mask (e.g. 169.254.96.54/29)
9. Click on Add BGP connection.
10. Select a default local IP from the dropdown menu.
11. In the Peer IP field, add the Local IP from your DigitalOcean partner network connect (subnet is not required here - only paste the IP e.g. 169.254.96.49).
12. In Peer ASN, add the Local ASN from the DO partner network connection.
13. In the BGP password, add the BGP authentication key from the DO partner network connection.
14. Click Add.
15. Verify the displayed information, click Next, then Add VXC.
16. Order the VXC to complete the process. It can take some time for the configuration to initialize.

Step 4: Create a Virtual Cross Connection (VXC) on Megaport to AWS

This step sets up the connection between your Megaport Cloud Router and your AWS environment.

1. Log in to the Megaport Portal.
2. Navigate to the “Connections” section.
3. Click “Create Connection.”
4. Select “Cloud” as the connection type.
5. Choose “Amazon Web Services (AWS)” as the cloud provider.
6. Select the region, and Choose the AWS Connection Type as Hosted VIF.
7. Enter the name, Rate Limit, and Minimum Term, and Click Next.
8. The MCR A-End Connection details will be generated automatically. Click Next.
9. In this section, add the AWS Connection Name & AWS Account ID (you can get these details from your AWS account). The rest of the details will be fetched directly.
10. Verify your information is correct, click Next, and then click Add VXC to add the VXC to your MCR.
11. As with the MCR, the VXC still needs to be ordered to complete the process.

Important: AWS Configuration

To enable communication between your AWS Hosted VIF and AWS VPC, you need to set up either a Virtual Private Gateway, Direct Connect Gateway, or Transit Gateway at the AWS side. After setting up the appropriate gateway, accept the connection request in the AWS Direct Connect Virtual Interfaces section.

Step 5: Verify End-to-End Connectivity

Once all connections are established, it's crucial to verify that traffic can flow between DigitalOcean and AWS.

1. Verify the Partner Attachment status in DigitalOcean. It should indicate an active connection.
2. Check Megaport to ensure both VXCs are active and properly configured.
3. Confirm in AWS that the Direct Connect link is up, and traffic is flowing as expected.
4. Test connectivity by pinging an instance in the AWS VPC from DigitalOcean resources, such as a Droplet.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

While setting up your VXCs, you might encounter some common errors. Here's how to tackle them:

• Invalid Service Key: The service key error is often due to pasting the wrong number. Double-check the key and try again.
• BGP Configuration Error: Ensure you've accurately entered the BGP details from your AWS account.
• Connection Timeout: Try refreshing the page and starting the setup again.
• VXC Not Established: Check the status of your AWS Direct Connect Virtual Interfaces. If it's not "available", review your AWS configuration.

FAQs

1. What is the purpose of the Megaport Cloud Router (MCR)? The MCR simplifies managing cloud network connections, offering advanced routing, security, and monitoring capabilities.
2. How do I create a Megaport Cloud Router (MCR)? Navigate to the Megaport portal, click "Services," then "Create MCR." Choose a location geographically close to DigitalOcean and AWS. Configure the rate limit, name, and term (select "No Minimum Term" for testing). Deploy and note the MCR ID.
3. How do I create a VXC on Megaport to AWS? Navigate to the Megaport portal, click "Add Connection" under your MCR, and select Cloud -> AWS. Enter the service key from your AWS account. Enter a connection name, select a rate limit, and choose a minimum term. Add BGP details from your AWS account. Verify all information and click "Add VXC."
4. How do I verify connectivity between DigitalOcean and AWS? Check the Partner Attachment status in DigitalOcean. Ensure both VXCs are active in Megaport. Verify the Direct Connect link is up in AWS. Test by pinging an AWS instance from a DigitalOcean Droplet.

Conclusion

You've now successfully established a high-bandwidth, low-latency connection between DigitalOcean and AWS by using Megaport. This enhances network performance for cross-cloud workloads, ensuring seamless data exchange and inter-application communication. Optimize your Megaport setup further using Megaport's documentation for advanced configuration options.