> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.megaport.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# AMS-IX Connectivity
> This help topic describes how Megaport works with the AMS internet peering exchange.
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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.
**To join an Internet Exchange for an AMS-IX location**
1. In the Megaport Portal, go to the **Services** page and select the Port you want to use.\
If you haven't already created a Port, see
[Creating a Port](/connections/creating-port).
2. Add a connection for the Port.\
If this is the first connection for the Port, click the AMS-IX tile. The tile is a shortcut to the configuration page. Alternatively, click **+Connection**, click **Cloud**, then click **AMS-IX**.
3. Select the AMS-IX location for peering and click **Next**.
4. Specify the connection details:
* **Connection Name** -- The name of your connection to be shown in the Megaport Portal.
* **Service Level Reference** (optional) -- Specify a unique identifying number for your Megaport service to be used for billing purposes, such as a cost center number, unique customer ID, or purchase order number. The service level reference number appears for each service under the Product section of the invoice. You can also edit this field for an existing service.
Enter the purchase order number specified when registering the billing market.
* **Rate Limit** -- The speed of your connection in Mbps, up to the maximum speed of the Port.
* **VXC State** -- Select **Enabled** or **Shut Down** to define the initial state of the connection. For more information, see [Shutting Down a VXC for Failover Testing](/connections/shut-down-vxc).
If you select **Shut Down**, traffic will not flow through this service and it will behave as if it was down on the Megaport network. Billing for this service will remain active and you will still be charged for this connection.
* **Preferred A-End VLAN** (optional) -- Specify an unused VLAN ID for this connection.\
This must be a unique VLAN ID on this Port and can range from 2 to 4093.\
Alternatively, you can select **Untagged** to remove the VLAN tagging for this connection. The untagged option limits you to only one IX (or VXC) deployed on this Port.
* **Minimum Term** -- Select No Minimum Term, 12 Months, 24 Months, 36 Months, 48 Months, or 60 Months. Longer terms result in a lower monthly rate. *12 Months* is selected by default. Take note of the information on the screen to avoid early termination fees (ETF).
Enable the [Minimum Term Renewal](/portal-admin/auto-renew/#auto-renew) option for services with a 12, 24, 36, 48 or 60-month term to automatically renew the contract at the same discounted price and term length at the end of the contract. If you don't renew the contract, at the end of the term, the contract will automatically roll over to month-to-month contract for the following billing period, at the same price, without term discounts.
For more information, see [VXC Pricing and Contract Terms](/finance/vxc-pricing) and [VXC, Megaport Internet, and IX Billing](/finance/billing-details).
* **Resource Tags** -- You can use resource tags to add your own reference metadata to a Megaport service.\
To add a tag:
1. Click **Add Tags**.
2. Click **Add New Tag**.
3. Enter details into the fields:
* **Key** -- string maximum length 128. Valid values are a-z 0-9 \_ : . / \ -
* **Value** -- string maximum length 256. Valid values are a-z A-Z 0-9 \_ : . @ / + \ - (space)
4. Click **Save**.
If you already have resource tags for that service, you can manage them by clicking **Manage Tags**.
Never include sensitive information in a resource tag. Sensitive information includes commands that return existing tag definitions and information that will identify a person or company.
5. Click **Next**.
6. Specify the AMS-IX details:
* **Peer with Route Servers?** -- The route server facilitates the implementation of peering arrangements. Normally, you maintain separate BGP sessions to each peer's routers. With a route server, you can replace all or a subset of these sessions with one session.
There are two main types of IX peering arrangements: multilateral and bilateral. A multilateral session connects to BGP peers with the available route servers, you advertise your routes to the route servers, and all routes available from all other multilaterally peered connections are advertised to your peer from the route servers. The second type of peering is bilateral peering. This method is required for peers that do not participate in multilateral peering through the route servers.
Click **Yes** unless you plan to configure only bilateral sessions.
For detailed information including BGP peering addresses for AMS-IX route servers, see the [AMS-IX Peering website](https://www.ams-ix.net/ams).
* **Peering Policy** -- An IX member’s peering policy and policy URL go hand in hand and are generally used when other members want to peer with you.
* **Open** -- The member opens peering on simple demand from any member present on the IX. Generally open to all requests.
* **Closed** -- The member evaluates every demand before opening the peering. Generally closed to all requests.
* **Selective** -- The member publishes restrictive objective criteria (through the policy URL) the other member must meet to establish a peering.
* **ASN** -- You must have an ASN assigned by a local or regional internet registry:
[RIPE-NCC](https://www.ripe.net/), [APNIC](https://www.apnic.net/),
[LACNIC](https://www.lacnic.net/), [ARIN](https://www.arin.net/), or
[AFRINIC](https://afrinic.net/).
* **Contact Information** -- Select a Technical Contact and NOC Contact from the drop-down lists, and specify a contact phone number.
* **Policy URL** -- If you have a peering policy, enter the URL for the policy. If you do not have a policy, you can enter your website or a link to your peeringdb page.
* **Peering Email** -- Specify an email address for peers to contact your organization for peering requests.
* **Company Information** -- Specify the requested company contact information.
7. Click **Next** to view the Summary page.
8. Confirm the configuration and pricing, then click **Add VXC**.
9. Click **Review Order** to proceed through the checkout process, or click **Save** to save the configured services before placing the order.
10. Review the Important Information section and confirm agreement with the Service Agreements.
If you do not have a promotion code, skip to the **Order Now** step. If you do have a promotion code, enter it into the **Enter discount code** field then click **Apply**. Alternatively, if a code already appears in the **Discounts** field, verify it is correct and click **Apply**.
The promotional discount appears below the Standard Term discount. This discount is not reflected in the Monthly Rate shown here, it is applied at the time of billing. If an invalid or expired code causes an error with your order, contact your Megaport Account Manager for a replacement code.
If you entered an incorrect promotion code, you can remove it by clicking **Remove**.
In addition to entering a promotion code manually, there are two other ways to apply promotion codes.
* **Auto-apply** -- Megaport automatically applies the promotion code to your order. It appears automatically on the Checkout page.
* **Manual list** -- Eligible promotion codes appear at checkout for any applicable services in your cart. You can then select and apply them.
11. Click **Order Now**.
When deployed, Megaport sends an email to your registered email address with additional information on how to finish the BGP configuration.
## Technical detail and troubleshooting
Standard BGP implementations require the first ASN in the path to match the ASN of the peer, however, when engaged in multi-lateral peering the first ASN will not be that of the peer (RS) but that of the downstream peer providing the routes. This is expected behavior and is required to reduce AS path lengths for correct routing decisions. To allow multi-lateral peering, configure your devices to not enforce the first AS requirement. For example, on a Cisco router the command is **no bgp enforce-first-as**.
### Allowed traffic types on unicast peering LANs
The AMS-IX NOC reserves the right to disable ports that violate [the rules](https://www.ams-ix.net/ams/documentation/allowed-traffic).
### Looking glass
The [AMS-IX looking glass](https://my.ams-ix.net/login) is available to members.