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Megaport Documentation
Setting up Service Keys

Setting up Service Keys

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, or MVEs to each other across the Megaport network, enabling business-to-business VXCs.

For example, suppose West Company wants to connect with East Company. East Company wants West Company to connect to a particular Port, MCR, or MVE that they have already deployed on the Megaport network, and they want the connection at a specific rate limit. West Company can create a service key on their Port, MCR, or MVE and share it with East Company.

You can create a service key on the Megaport Portal, or by using an API. For more information about using an API, see Creating a Service Key with the API.

Prerequisites

Before you create a service key, ensure that you have:

  • Access to the Megaport Portal.
  • A Port, MCR, or MVE on the Megaport network.

Creating a service key

You can create either a single-use or a multi-use service key. With a multi-use key, the customer that you share the key with can request multiple connections using that key. For more information about the differences between single-use and multi-use service keys, see Managing VLAN IDs.

How service keys work

A service key is a 36-character UUID. It is essentially an address with some configuration. The company consuming the service key only needs to have the service key to create the connection. They do not know what kind of service they are connecting to because the service key provides all the information they need.

To create a connection using a service key

  1. East Company creates a service key on the service they want to grant access to. In this case, they want to share a Port.
  2. East Company shares the service key with West Company, using the method of their choice such as email or messaging.
  3. West Company creates a connection to East Company’s Port using the service key.
  4. East Company receives a notification that West Company has requested access to the Port, and access is granted automatically.

  5. When the request is granted, a VXC is provisioned between East Company’s Port and West Company’s Port. The connection is a partnership. If one company wants to change something about the configuration, the other company is notified.

    This image is a diagrammatic representation of how service keys work.

Structure and rights

Structure

When East Company creates the service key, the configuration they provide is the B-End of the VXC. When West Company creates the connection, they define the A-End of the VXC.

Rights

The service key connection creates a partnership. The main point to note about the partnership is that the consumer of the service key pays for the connection. That is West Company in this instance. The consumer of the service key can also delete the service.

Each partner has certain rights to change the different parts of the connection. This table shows the viewable and editable fields for each partner.

Owner Port and MCR MVE
B-End only (East Company) Creator of service key
  • Preferred B-End VLAN (If applicable)
  • All current B-End MCR fields for VXC
  • B-End vNIC
  • Preferred B-End VLAN (If applicable)
A-End only (West Company) Consumer of service key
  • Service Level Reference
  • Preferred A-End VLAN (If applicable)
  • All current A-End MCR fields for VXC
  • A-End vNIC (if applicable)
  • Preferred A-End VLAN (If applicable)

Each partner can call their connection a name relevant to them. They do not have to be the same.

Changing connection details

If a partner changes a part of the configuration such as the VLAN, the other partner is notified and must agree to the changes before they are made.

For example, if West Company wants to change the VLAN the following process applies:

  1. West Company updates the VLAN.
  2. East Company receives an email informing them of the change.
  3. East Company then checks their connection B-End details. There will be a box on the details window informing them of the change, with buttons that allow them to approve or deny the change.

Note

Only the owner of the VXC, the consumer of the service key, is allowed to change the rate limit. The creator of the service key is not allowed to change the rate limit.

Connection details privacy

Privacy is maintained between each end of the connection. Each end cannot see the other end’s details.

Creating a service key

You can create a service key for Ports, MCRs, or MVEs. They can be either a single-use or a multi-use service key. With a multi-use key, the customer that you share the key with can request multiple connections using that key. All service keys have an expiry date, and can be created either active or disabled.

Important

Once you create service keys, they cannot be removed.

To create a service key

  1. In the Megaport Portal, go to the Services page and select the service you want to grant access to.

  2. Click the Service Keys icon.
    Service Keys icon

  3. Click Create Service Key.

  4. Enter a label (name) for the key.
  5. Select Single Use or Multi-Use.
  6. Enter a rate limit.

  7. For single-use keys you can specify specific information for each service type.

    Service type Information required Details
    Port VLAN This is the VLAN ID for the B-End. Megaport checks that the requested VLAN ID is available. If the VLAN ID is already in use, an error message tells you the VLAN is not available. When a customer uses this service key to create a connection, they can specify a VLAN ID for the A-End.
    MVE Preferred B-End VLAN Same details as for Port.
    MCR B-End configuration Click B-End Configuration to specify the MCR configuration details. For more information about the information required for the B-End configuration, see Creating an MCR.

  8. Specify how long the key will be valid.

  9. Select Active.
    If you don’t want the key to be available right away, do not select Active. You can edit this key later to change this setting.

    Note

    Configuration details entered when the service key is created are stored and applied at time of a customer consuming the service key.

  10. Click Add to save the key.
    Service key configuration

Note

After you deploy a service key on a B-End, you cannot reuse the associated B-End VLAN ID if there is already a service key using that same VLAN ID on that Port.

Viewing, copying, and editing a service key

When service keys are configured, they appear in the Portal. Click the Service Key icon for a Port to show the configured keys.

Note

The Service Key icon will display only if the Port is available for new connections, the current user has ordering privileges, and it does not already have an untagged VXC attached.

Click the clipboard icon to copy the key, or click Edit to make changes.

Service key details

To deactivate a service key

  1. In the Megaport Portal, go to the Services page and select the service you want to use.

  2. Click the Service Keys icon.

  3. Click Edit.

  4. Clear the Active check box.

    This image shows the service keys creation window with the active check box highlighted.

  5. Click Update Service Key to save the changes.

Sharing the key

You can share the service key however you prefer, such as email or messaging.

Note

The recipient of the service key cannot alter or modify the service key parameters.

Creating a connection using a service key

For more information about how to set up a connection using a service key, see Creating a Connection using a Service Key.