---
name: dl-dl-equinix
title: Equinix ordering considerations
description: You must use the Equinix Fabric portal to create a connection for your Equinix service provider. Then, using your IBM Cloud account, return to the Direct Link page in the IBM Cloud console to review, accept, and finalize the creation of your direct link.
last-updated: 2026-08-05
---

> ## Documentation Index
> The table of contents for this documentation set is at https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/dl?format=markdown
> The index for all IBM Cloud docs is at: https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use these files to discover more information as needed.

# Equinix ordering considerations
{: #equinix}

You must use the Equinix Fabric portal to create a connection for your Equinix service provider. Then, using your IBM Cloud account, return to the Direct Link page in the [IBM Cloud console](https://cloud.ibm.com/interconnectivity/direct-link){: external} to review, accept, and finalize the creation of your direct link.

1. [Sign in](https://www.equinix.com/product-solutions/connectivity/fabric){: external} to the Equinix Fabric Portal.
   * Enter your username and password.
   * Click **Sign In**.
1. In the Frequent Connections section, click the **IBM Cloud** tile.
1. In the **IBM Cloud Direct Link 2** profile, click **Create Connection**.

   ![Equinix ordering](images/equinix-ibm-cloud-2.png "Equinix ordering"){: caption="Equinix ordering" caption-side="bottom"}
1. In the Origin section, click **Port**.

    **For diversity in the same locations:**

    * To have two or more diversity direct links between Equinix and IBM, a minimum of two Origin ports must be available from the customer side with a port priority set as primary and secondary.
    * All direct links ordered from a customer Origin port with a priority set to primary are provisioned on an IBM destination primary port.
    * All direct links ordered from a customer Origin port with a priority set to secondary are provisioned on an IBM destination secondary port.
    * No Destination port selection is required; only the IBM location is selected. The Equinix port mapping is auto-mapped to match the same Origin port priority and Destination port priority.

    If you have any questions or require assistance for setting or changing the Origin port priority, contact Equinix support. For more information, see [Change the Priority of an Equinix Fabric Port](https://docs.equinix.com/fabric/ports/managing-fabric-ports/){: external}.

   ![Select a Port, Location, and Destination](images/equinix-port.png "Select a Port, Location, and Destination"){: caption="Select a Port, Location, and Destination" caption-side="bottom"}

1. Select a **Location**, followed by a **Destination**. Then, click **Next**.
1. On the Connection Details page, enter the connection information.

   Your IBM Cloud Account ID is the 32-character ID located in the Account section on the [Account settings](https://cloud.ibm.com/account/settings){: external} page.
   {: note}

   ![Connection Details](images/equinix-connection-details.png "Connection Details"){: caption="Connection Details" caption-side="bottom"}

1. Select a **Connection Speed**, then click **Next**.
1. Review and click **Submit Your Order**.
1. Return to the [Direct Link page](https://cloud.ibm.com/interconnectivity/direct-link){: external} in the IBM Cloud console using your IBM Cloud account. Notice that the connection status for your direct link connection states **Create in Progress**.

   ![Create in progress](images/equinix-create-in-progress.png "Create in progress"){: caption="Create in progress" caption-side="bottom"}

1. Click the Direct Link name in the table to view its Details page. Then, go to the **Actions** section and click **Review** to finalize provisioning of the direct link.

   ![Select to Review this request to finalize direct link provisioning](images/equinix-review.png "Select to Review this request to finalize direct link provisioning"){: caption="Select to Review this request to finalize direct link provisioning" caption-side="bottom"}

1. In the Review configuration side panel, review your settings, then click **Accept**.

   ![Select Accept to finalize creation of your direct link](images/equinix-accept.png "Select Accept to finalize creation of your direct link"){: caption="Select Accept to finalize creation of your direct link" caption-side="bottom"}

1. After your direct link settings are accepted successfully, select a resource group, routing option, and billing type. Optionally, you can [enable MD5 authentication](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/dl?topic=dl-enable-disable-md5&format=markdown) to provide additional security for the BGP session, or [update your network connection type](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/dl?topic=dl-virtual-connection-types&format=markdown).

   Review your order summary, agree to the [Direct Link Connect prerequisites](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/dl?topic=dl-ibm-cloud-dl-prerequisites&format=markdown), and then click **Create** to complete this order.

   ![Complete your direct link settings, then click Create.](images/equinix-create.png "Complete your direct link settings, then click Create."){: caption="Complete your direct link settings, then click Create" caption-side="bottom"}

Your direct link is created:

![Completion of your direct link.](images/equinix-created.png "Completion of your direct link."){: caption="Completion of your direct link" caption-side="bottom"}