# Dedicated Amazon Direct Connect connections
To create an Amazon Direct Connect dedicated connection, you need the following information:
**Amazon Direct Connect location**
Work with a partner in the Amazon Direct Connect Partner Program to help you establish network circuits between an Amazon Direct Connect location and your data center, office, or colocation environment. They can also help provide colocation space within the same facility as the location. For more information, see [APN Partners Supporting Amazon Direct Connect](http://www.amazonaws.cn/directconnect/partners).
**Port speed**
The possible values are 1 Gbps, 10 Gbps, 100 Gbps, and 400 Gbps.
You can't change the port speed after you create the connection request. To change the port speed, you must create and configure a new connection.
You can create a connection using either the Connection wizard or create a Classic connection. Using the Connection wizard you can set up connections using resiliency recommendations. The wizard is recommended if you're setting up connections for the first time. If you prefer, you can use Classic to create connections one-at-a-time. Classic is recommended if you've already got an existing setup that you want to add connections to. You can create a standalone connection, or you can create a connection to associate with a LAG in your account. If you associate a connection with a LAG, it's created with the same port speed and location that is specified in the LAG.
After you request the connection, we make a Letter of Authorization and Connecting Facility Assignment (LOA-CFA) available to you to download or email you with a request for more information. If you receive a request for more information, you must respond within 7 days or the connection is deleted. The LOA-CFA is the authorization to connect to Amazon, and is required by your network provider to order a cross connect for you. If you do not have equipment in the Amazon Direct Connect location, you cannot order a cross connect for yourself there.
The following operations are available for dedicated connections:
+ [Create a connection using the Connection wizard](create-connection.md)
+ [Create a Classic connection](#connection-classic)
+ [View Amazon Direct Connect connection details](viewdetails.md)
+ [Update an Amazon Direct Connect connection](updateconnection.md)
+ [Associate a MACsec CKN/CAK with a connection](associate-key-connection.md)
+ [Remove the association between a MACsec secret key and an Amazon Direct Connect connection](disassociate-key-connection.md)
+ [Delete an Amazon Direct Connect connection](deleteconnection.md)
You can add a dedicated connection to a link aggregation group (LAG) allowing you to treat multiple connections as a single one. For information, see [Associate a connection with a LAG](associate-connection-with-lag.md).
After you create a connection, create a virtual interface to connect to public and private Amazon resources. For more information, see [Virtual interfaces and hosted virtual interfaces](WorkingWithVirtualInterfaces.md).
If you do not have equipment at an Amazon Direct Connect location, first contact an Amazon Direct Connect Partner at the Amazon Direct Connect Partner Program. For more information, see [APN Partners Supporting Amazon Direct Connect](http://www.amazonaws.cn/directconnect/partners).
If you want to create a connection that uses MAC Security (MACsec), review the prerequisites before you create the connection. For more information, see [MACsec prerequisites for dedicated connections](MACsec.md#mac-sec-prerequisites).
## Letter of Authorization and Connecting Facility Assignment (LOA-CFA)
After we have processed your connection request, you can download the LOA-CFA. If the link is not enabled, the LOA-CFA is not yet available for you to download. Check your email for a request for information.
The downloaded LoA is digitally signed and watermarked to validate the authenticity of the LoA issued by Amazon. The digital signature and watermark in the LoA. The PDF document prevents a modified or potentially fraudulent LoA from being acted upon by the facilities provider at Direct Connect sites. The digital signature can be authenticated by opening the PDF and reviewing the signature panel. A valid document will show the "Signature is valid" and "Document has not been modified since the signature was applied". The watermark repeats the patch panel and strands assigned across the body of the LoA as a visual, but non-secure, indicator of authenticity.
Billing automatically starts when the port is active or 90 days after the LOA has been issued, whichever comes first. You can avoid billing charges by deleting the port prior to activation or within 90 days of the LOA being issued.
If your connection is not up after 90 days, and the LOA-CFA has not been issued, we will send you an email alerting you that the port will be deleted in 10 days. If you fail to activate the port within the additional 10 day period, the port will automatically be deleted and you'll need to restart the port creation process.
For the steps to download the LoA-CFA, see [Download the LOA-CFA](download-loa-cfa.md).
**Note**
For more information about pricing, see [Amazon Direct Connect Pricing](http://www.amazonaws.cn/directconnect/pricing/). If you no longer want the connection after you have reissued the LOA-CFA, you must delete the connection yourself. For more information, see [Delete an Amazon Direct Connect connection](deleteconnection.md).
**Topics**
+ [Letter of Authorization and Connecting Facility Assignment (LOA-CFA)](#create-connection-loa-cfa)
+ [Create a connection using the Connection wizard](create-connection.md)
+ [Create a Classic connection](#connection-classic)
+ [Download the LOA-CFA](download-loa-cfa.md)
+ [Associate a MACsec CKN/CAK with a connection](associate-key-connection.md)
+ [Remove the association between a MACsec secret key and a connection](disassociate-key-connection.md)
## Create an Amazon Direct Connect Classic connection
For dedicated connections, you can submit a connection request using the Amazon Direct Connect console. For hosted connections, work with an Amazon Direct Connect Partner to request a hosted connection. Ensure that you have the following information:
+ The port speed that you require. For dedicated connections, you can't change the port speed after you create the connection request. For hosted connections, your Amazon Direct Connect Partner can change the speed.
+ The Amazon Direct Connect location at which the connection is to be terminated.
**Note**
You cannot use the Amazon Direct Connect console to request a hosted connection. Instead, contact an Amazon Direct Connect Partner, who can create a hosted connection for you, which you then accept. Skip the following procedure and go to [Accept your hosted connection](toolkit-classic.md#get-started-accept-hosted-connection).
**To create a new Amazon Direct Connect connection**
1. Open the **Amazon Direct Connect** console at [https://console.amazonaws.cn/directconnect/v2/home](https://console.amazonaws.cn/directconnect/v2/home).
1. On the **Amazon Direct Connect** screen, under **Get started**, choose **Create a connection**.
1. Choose **Classic**.
1. For **Name**, enter a name for the connection.
1. For **Location**, select the appropriate Amazon Direct Connect location.
1. If applicable, for **Sub Location**, choose the floor closest to you or your network provider. This option is only available if the location has meet-me rooms (MMRs) in multiple floors of the building.
1. For **Port Speed**, choose the connection bandwidth.
1. For **On-premises**, select **Connect through an Amazon Direct Connect partner** when you use this connection to connect to your data center.
1. For **Service provider**, select the Amazon Direct Connect Partner. If you use a partner that is not in the list, select **Other**.
1. If you selected **Other** for **Service provider**, for** Name of other provider**, enter the name of the partner that you use.
1. (Optional) Choose **Add tag** to add key/value pairs to further help identify this connection.
+ For **Key**, enter the key name.
+ For **Value**, enter the key value.
To remove an existing tag, choose the tag and then choose **Remove tag**. You can't have empty tags.
1. Choose **Create Connection**.
It can take up to 72 business hours for Amazon to review your request and provision a port for your connection. During this time, you might receive an email with a request for more information about your use case or the specified location. The email is sent to the email address that you used when you signed up for Amazon. You must respond within 7 days or the connection is deleted.
For more information, see [Dedicated and hosted connections](WorkingWithConnections.md).