Managing network connections across multiple cloud providers and on-premises environments has long been a headache for enterprises. Teams wrestle with VPN tunnels, colocation facilities, and third-party fabrics—spending precious time on infrastructure plumbing rather than business applications. AWS Interconnect, now generally available, directly addresses these challenges. This managed private connectivity service lets you link your Amazon VPC to other cloud VPCs and to your own branch offices, data centers, and remote locations—all without public internet exposure. Below are five key facts you need to know about this new offering.
1. What Is AWS Interconnect and Why It Matters
AWS Interconnect is a fully managed service that creates private, high-speed network connections between your Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) and other environments—whether those are clouds, data centers, or branch offices. It eliminates the heavy lifting of configuring VPNs, managing physical gear, or coordinating with multiple partners. Instead, you get dedicated bandwidth, predictable latency, and consistent throughput. The service comes in two flavors: multicloud (connecting AWS to other cloud providers) and last mile (connecting AWS to your on-premises networks). Both are built on the same principle: a turnkey experience that lets your networking team focus on applications instead of undifferentiated infrastructure work.
2. AWS Interconnect – Multicloud: Private Layer 3 Links to Google Cloud, Azure, and More
The multicloud capability provides a private, managed Layer 3 connection between your AWS VPC and VPCs on other cloud providers. Initially, Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure are supported, with Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) coming in 2026. Traffic flows exclusively over the AWS global backbone and the partner cloud’s private network—never the public internet. This means you get predictable latency, consistent throughput, and isolation from internet congestion. You don’t need to manage any physical infrastructure; just select your location, partner, preferred Region, and bandwidth through the AWS Console. It’s ideal for enterprises running workloads across multiple clouds for specialized services, data residency, or team preferences.
3. AWS Interconnect – Last Mile: Simplified On-Premises Connectivity
The last-mile capability streamlines how you establish high-speed, private connections to AWS from your branch offices, data centers, and remote locations. Instead of managing multiple carrier contracts or complex VPN architectures, you connect through your existing network providers. AWS Interconnect handles the last-mile piece, providing a managed, dedicated link from your on-premises network edge to the AWS backbone. This reduces setup time from weeks to hours and removes the need for your team to negotiate with colocation facilities or configure third-party network fabrics. The result is a simpler path to hybrid cloud that still delivers the security and performance of a private connection.
4. Built-In Security with MACsec Encryption
Security is baked into every AWS Interconnect connection. All physical links between AWS routers and partner cloud provider routers at interconnection facilities are encrypted using IEEE 802.1AE MACsec. This ensures data in transit is protected from physical-layer attacks, and you don’t need to configure anything extra—it’s on by default. However, note that each cloud provider manages encryption independently on its own backbone. For a complete security posture, you should review the encryption documentation for each specific deployment. This layered approach means your traffic never traverses the public internet and benefits from hardware-level encryption at the interconnection point.
5. How to Get Started: Simple Setup via the AWS Console
Setting up AWS Interconnect is designed to be straightforward. From the AWS Console, you can configure resilient, end-to-end connectivity in just a few clicks. First, choose your connectivity type (multicloud or last mile). Then select your location, partner or cloud provider, preferred AWS Region, and bandwidth requirements. The service automatically handles partner discovery and network provisioning—removing the complexity of manual configurations. Because it’s a managed service, AWS monitors and maintains the connection, freeing your team to focus on higher-value tasks. For existing AWS customers with hybrid or multicloud architectures, this is the fastest way to achieve private, dedicated connectivity without building your own interconnect.
Conclusion
AWS Interconnect represents a significant step forward in simplifying network connectivity for enterprises navigating multicloud and hybrid environments. By offering both multicloud and last-mile options with a fully managed experience, AWS removes the overhead of traditional interconnect approaches. Whether you need private links to Google Cloud or Azure, or a simpler last-mile hookup to your on-premises sites, this service delivers predictable performance, built-in security, and ease of use. If your team is spending too much time on network plumbing, it’s time to evaluate AWS Interconnect. For more details, visit the overview or jump to the getting started section.