This help topic defines terminology related to the Megaport network and services.
802.1Q
A-End
ACH
ACL
AMS-IX
The Amsterdam Internet Exchange (AMS-IX) is an internet exchange point based in Amsterdam, in the Netherlands. AMS-IX is a non-profit, neutral, and independent peering point. AMS-IX operates a series of Internet Peering Exchanges (IXs) globally and partners with Megaport in several cities. IXs can exchange data traffic between networks more directly and efficiently, reducing bandwidth usage on network uplink connections.
API
Application program interface (API) is a set of routines, protocols, and tools for building software applications. An API specifies how software components should interact and APIs are used when programming graphical user interface (GUI) components. The Megaport API allows customers and partners to integrate directly into our platform for automation and service creation (see dev.megaport.com).
ARP
ASN
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a secure cloud services platform, offering compute power, database storage, content delivery and other functionality to help businesses scale and grow.
AWS Direct Connect
AWS (Amazon Web Services) Direct Connect is a network service that allows customers to establish a dedicated network connection between one of Amazon’s Direct Connect locations and the customer’s data center or colocation environment. Megaport is an AWS Direct Connect partner.
Azure
Azure is a Microsoft service. It is an open, flexible, enterprise-grade cloud computing platform accessed via Microsoft’s ExpressRoute service.
B-End
BFD
BGP
BGP neighbor
Classless Inter-domain Routing (CIDR) notation
Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB)
CDN
A content delivery network (CDN) is a system of distributed servers (network) that deliver webpages and other web content to a user based on the geographic locations of the user, the origin of the webpage and a content delivery server. Examples: Akamai, Cloudflare.
cloud computing
A general term for the delivery of hosted services over the internet.
colo
Abbreviation for co-location. The renting of space for housing computer equipment, usually in buildings specially designed to support a high density of computers and network connections, often called data centers, but also known as tele-houses or carrier hotel facilities.
CRC
Cloud Service Provider (CSP)
Cross Connect
data center (DC)
A physical facility with a large group of networked computer servers typically used by organizations for remote storage, processing, or distribution of large amounts of data. Key components of a data center include routers, switches, firewalls, storage systems, and servers.
dark fiber (DF)
demarc
DHCP
direct customer
Any direct Megaport customer that is not a member of the Megaport Partner Program.
DNS
The Domain Name System (DNS) is a hierarchical decentralized naming system for computers, services, or any resource connected to the internet or a private network. It associates various information with domain names assigned to each of the participating entities.
dot1q
See 802.1Q: IEEE 802.1Q is the networking standard that supports virtual LANs (VLANs) on an Ethernet network. The standard defines a system of VLAN tagging for Ethernet frames and the accompanying procedures to be used by bridges and switches in handling such frames.
Direct Connect (DX)
AWS Direct Connect (DX) is a service solution that provides a dedicated and private network connection from your on-premises (branch office, data center, or co-location environment) to an Amazon Web Services (AWS) region, bypassing the internet service provider.
elastic interconnection
A term that defines a connection that provides businesses the flexibility to vary connectivity service requirements based on demand. Megaport customers can provision an elastic interconnection for as short as a day or as long as they need, with speeds ranging from 1 Mbps to several Gbps.
Ethernet Local Management Interface (E-LMI)
egress
Egress refers to the flow of data moving out of a private network into the public internet or another external network. This process is integral to network operations, especially in cloud environments where controlled data movement is important for security and efficiency.
endpoint
One end of an API communication channel that specifies the URI or URL of a server or service where you can access the resource. Includes any internet-enabled remote computing device that communicates with a TCP/IP network.
ExpressRoute (ER)
An Azure cloud integration option used to extend on-premises networks into the Microsoft cloud over a dedicated private connection. Megaport is a Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute partner.
Ethernet Virtual Private Line (EVPL)
EVPL allows for service multiplexing at the UNI (unlike EPL). This capability allows more than one EVC to be supported at the UNI where the EPL does not allow this. Second, an EVPL need not provide as much transparency of Service Frames as with an EPL (Definition: MEF).
fully qualified domain name (FQDN)
The complete domain name for a specific computer, or host, on the internet. The FQDN consists of two parts; the hostname and the domain name.
fast reroute (FRR)
A MPLS and IP resiliency technology to provide fast traffic recovery upon link or router failures for mission critical services. Upon any single link or node failures it is possible to recover affected traffic in the order of tens of milliseconds.
Firewall as a Service (FWaaS)
Generic Attribute Registration Protocol (GARP)
Google Cloud Interconnect (GCI)
Google Cloud Platform is a suite of cloud computing services offered by Google that provides a series of features including computing, data storage, data analytics, machine learning, and a set of management tools.
Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE)
Global Services Agreement (GSA)
The Global Services Agreement (GSA), the Service Schedule(s), the Acceptable Use Policy and Customer’s
Order(s) set out the terms and conditions that apply to Customer’s access to and use of the Services
and forms an agreement between Megaport and the Customer. See also the SLA which is a component of the GSA. Megaport standard terms.
hybrid cloud
A cloud computing environment that uses a mix of on-premises, private cloud, and third-party public cloud services with orchestration between the two cloud platforms.
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)
An organization that develops and promotes voluntary internet standards, in particular the standards that comprise the internet protocol suite (TCP/IP). IETF has no formal membership or membership requirements. All participants and managers are volunteers with their work usually funded by their employers or other sponsors.
indirect customer
Any Megaport customer that is managed by a member of the Megaport Partner Program. Indirect customers work with partners to set up accounts, order services, and obtain billing and support. Otherwise known as managed accounts.
ingress
Ingress refers to the flow of data into a private network from an external source, typically the public internet. In cloud computing, managing ingress effectively is key to maintaining network integrity and security.
IP Address
Internet Protocol Security (IPsec)
IPv4
IPv4 addresses are 32-bit numbers that uniquely identify a network interface on a device. An IPv4 address is typically written in decimal digits, formatted as four 8-bit fields that are separated by periods. A 32-bit address contains two primary parts: the network prefix and the host number. All hosts within a single network share the same network address.
IPv6
IPv6 addresses are 128-bit alphanumeric values that uniquely identify a network interface on a device. An IPv6 address consists of eight groups of four hexadecimal digits separated by ‘.‘ and each Hex digit representing four bits so the total length of IPv6 is 128 bits.
IP MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit)
The Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) is a set of practices for IT activities such as IT Service Management (ITSM) and IT Asset Management (ITAM) that focus on aligning IT services with the needs of the business.
An Internet Exchange (known as IX or IXP for a given Internet Exchange point) is a physical infrastructure through which internet service providers (ISPs) and content delivery networks (CDNs) exchange internet traffic between their networks (autonomous systems). MegaIX is the Megaport IX product, and AMS-IX is the partner IX product offered in some geographies via the Cloud tile in the Megaport Portal.
jitter
Layer 1 (L1)
Layer 2 (L2)
Layer 3 (L3)
Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP)
Link aggregation group (LAG)
Link OAM
Letter of Authorization (LOA)
LR (Long Range)
An optical interface standard for a small form-factor pluggable (SFP) that can deliver 10 Gbps over roughly 10km. Megaport’s standard for delivery of 10 Gbps Ports. See LX for the 1 Gbps equivalent. Uses 1310nm wavelength.
label-switched path (LSP)
A path through an MPLS network, set up by a signaling protocol such as LDP, RSVP-TE, BGP or CR-LDP. The path is set up based on criteria in the forwarding equivalence class (FEC).
LX (Long Wavelength)
An optical interface standard for a small form-factor pluggable (SFP) that can deliver 1 Gbps over roughly 10km. Megaport’s standard for delivery of 1 Gbps Ports. See LR for the 10 Gbps equivalent. Uses 1310nm wavelength.
A Media Access Control address (MAC address) is a unique, 12-character alphanumeric attribute that is used to identify individual electronic devices on a network. An example of a MAC address is 01:02:0f:04:58:20.
managed account
An account that receives Megaport services and support through a Megaport partner. The partner can customize the features in the Megaport Portal to limit visibility and features for a managed account.
Megaport Cloud Router (MCR)
MD5
Multi-Exit Discriminator (MED)
MegaIX
MegaIX is Megaport’s Internet Exchange service. Using MegaIX, networks can participate in multilateral peering via Megaport’s route servers – a single BGP session can bring the majority of local IX routes without the effort of negotiating with individual peers.
Megaport Internet
Megaport SDN
Megaport’s neutral, software-defined network based global network comprising of cloud service providers, network service providers, and data center operators, accessed via the Megaport Portal or API.
Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute
meet-me room (MMR)
Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS)
Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol (MSTP)
Megaport Virtual Edge (MVE)
multicloud
Multiplier (BFD)
Network Address Translation (NAT)
Network Function Virtualization (NFV)
net neutrality
A standard where internet service is treated as an essential service, and the principle that Megaport enables access to all service providers without favoring or blocking others.
network-to-network interface (NNI)
Network Virtual Appliances (NVA)
Next Generation Fire Wall (NGFW)
On-ramp
An on-ramp is a direct, private connection to a service provider’s available resources, for example, via a Megaport connection. To ensure fast and reliable connections, the service provider maps these resources to their regions or zones, sets rate limits, manages per-customer VLAN capacity, and so on.
Open Systems Interconnection (OSI)
overlay network
A virtual network of nodes and logical links that are built on top of an existing network. The overlay network augments the underlay and provides traffic orchestration and the ability to enable business and security policies through a management console. The management console also provides visibility into the network.
PaaS
partner account
An account that directly manages the Megaport services, support, and billing for other accounts. The partner can customize the features in the Megaport Portal to limit visibility and features for a managed account.
Partner Program
The Megaport Partner Program. The Megaport Partner Program makes it easy to add NaaS offerings to your cloud or managed services portfolio.
Pause frames (802.3x)
peering
ping
PLR
Port-based network access control (PNAC)
Port
Port diversity
provider edge (PE) router
PTD
Packet transfer delay (one-way latency measure). Packet transfer delay is the time taken by the physical layer at the source to send packets over a link.
Q-in-Q
rDNS
Receive Interval (BFD)
Resource Tags allow you to add your own reference metadata to a Megaport service.
Every time you create or edit a service, you have the opportunity to create, update, or remove resource tags.
risers
(Generally vertical) shafts through which cable baskets are routed. Otherwise known as verticals.
Resource Public Key Infrastructure (RPKI)
route server (RS)
A route server provides a mechanism for the establishment of BGP routing exchanges in an Internet Exchange (IX or IXP). It simplifies the process of maintaining many peering partners across a network and also contributes to the network visibility and manageability. Route servers are generally deployed in pairs to allow for maintenance windows and general redundancy to support IX stability. Some offer a Looking Glass (LG) functionality to view which peers maintain which routes and allow troubleshooting on network routing choices.
Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP)
RTBH
RTT
Round-trip time (RTT) is the length of time taken by a data packet to be sent to a destination, including the time it takes for an acknowledgment of that packet to be received back at the origin time. Also known as ping time.
rack units (RU)
A unit of measurement mainly used to describe the height of rack-mounted computer equipment (especially servers and routers) and the racks into which they are fitted. One RU is 1.75 inches or 4.445 centimeters. For example, 42RU indicates a 1.87m height cabinet.
Software as a Service (SaaS)
Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)
software-defined network (SDN)
Software-defined networking (SDN) is a network architecture that separates the control plane (which decides where traffic is sent) from the data plane (which forwards traffic to its destination). This decoupling enables centralized, programmable control of the network through software applications. SDN is commonly used in cloud environments, data centers, and service provider networks to simplify management, reduce operational costs, and respond quickly to changing business needs.
software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN)
Security as a Service (SECaaS)
Security as a Service (SECaaS) is a cloud-based model in which security services are delivered over the internet. Instead of deploying and maintaining security tools on-premises, organizations subscribe to security solutions hosted and managed by third-party providers.
service key
A service key is a code that is given by one Megaport account holder to another to connect two separate businesses together. Customers who have separate Megaport accounts can connect their Ports, MCRs, MVEs, and NAT Gateways to each other across the Megaport network, enabling business-to-business VXCs.
service-level agreement (SLA)
Part of a standardized service contract where a service is formally defined. Particular aspects of the service scope, quality, and responsibilities are agreed between the service provider and the service user. Referred to as the GSA in Megaport terms (Global Services Agreement).
single-mode optical fiber (SMOF)
Secure Service Edge (SSE)
Spanning Tree Protocol (STP)
Secure Web Gateway (SWG)
Supernetting
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
A set of rules/protocols governing communications among all devices on the internet. More specifically, TCP/IP dictates how information should be packaged (packetized), sent, and received, as well as how to traverse connected networks to reach its ultimate destination.
traceroute
transit
Commodity internet capacity. As distinct from IX routes (specific), transit capacity (a generally paid service) indicates the general default route for internet traffic when routes are otherwise unknown at a settlement free peering exchange.
Transmit Interval (BFD)
User Datagram Protocol (UDP)
underlay network
A physical infrastructure that provides traditional physical Layer 2 and Layer 3 connectivity between gateways, routes, switches, and so on in a network.
Virtual Carrier Grade Network Address Translation (vCGNAT)
Virtual Carrier Grade Network Address Translation (vCGNAT) is a software-based, virtualized version of Carrier Grade NAT. It allows Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and mobile carriers to share a single public IPv4 address among thousands of subscribers by running the translation as a Virtual Network Function (VNF) on standard cloud or data center servers, rather than on expensive, proprietary hardware.
virtual LAN (VLAN)
virtualized network functions (VNFs)
virtual private cloud (VPC)
A virtual private cloud (VPC) is a secure, isolated private cloud hosted within a public cloud. VPC customers can run code, store data, host websites, and do anything else they could do in a normal private cloud, but the private cloud is hosted remotely by a public cloud provider.
Virtual Private LAN Service (VPLS)
A way to provide Ethernet-based multipoint to multipoint communication over IP or MPLS networks. It allows geographically dispersed sites to share an Ethernet broadcast domain by connecting sites through pseudo-wires.
virtual private network (VPN)
Zero Trust Network Access (ztna)
Virtual Cross Connect (VXC)
XCON or XC
Abbreviation for Cross Connect. A connection scheme between cabling runs, subsystems, and equipment using patch cords or jumpers that attach to networking equipment. Last modified on September 21, 2026
