Cloud Connect

The N.C. Department of Information Technology’s Cloud Connect service delivers secure, high-performance network connectivity to leading cloud providers.

By leveraging the state’s robust network infrastructure, NCDIT customers can directly access dedicated connection solutions from Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud—ensuring faster, more reliable, and more secure cloud integration.

These direct connections are ideal for organizations adopting Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), enabling them to extend computing resources—such as servers, processing power, and storage—into the cloud for greater scalability and efficiency.

Request Cloud Connect

Getting Help

SupportGet Technical Support
NCDIT Service Desk: 919-754-6000
Support Hours24/7
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Features

  • Flexible bandwidth options of 1Gbps, 2Gbps and 5Gbps in four strategic U.S. locations1
  • Advanced connectivity through Layer 2 or Layer 3 provisioning for dedicated, secure access to cloud resources (based on your subscription to the cloud providers' services)2
  • High-performance and low latency
  • Scalability
  • Support for hybrid and multi-cloud architectures
  • Security enhancements
  • Integration with existing infrastructure 

Benefits

  • Cloud Connect offers improved application performance by providing greater reliability, faster speeds, consistent latencies and higher security than typical connections over the public internet.
  • Optimize application performance: Ensure mission-critical workloads run smoothly with low latency and high availability.
  • Enhanced security: Reduce exposure to public internet risks with private, dedicated connections. 
  • Scale with confidence: Flexibly expand your infrastructure as your needs change, without compromising performance.
  • 1

     Locations are Ashburn, Va., Chicago, Dallas, Texas, and San Jose, Calif.

  • 2

    Connectivity leverages the North Carolina Research and Education Network’s (NCMC) regional network and Internet2.

Request Process

To request this service, or for more information, submit a ticket using the NCDIT Service Portal.

Authorization

  • Service requests that incur a cost to the agency will typically require approval from the requesting agency’s CIO, financial officer or manager, depending upon your agency's requirements.
  • Any staff with access to the NCDIT Service Portal may engage the team for support or information.

Requirements & Customer Responsibility

Required NCDIT ServicesWide Area Network
Other Technical Requirements & PrerequisitesThe agency must have an active subscription to providers’ cloud services.
Customer Responsibility
  • Agency staff are required to submit a ticket using the NCDIT Service Portal for additional support or information regarding this service.
  • The agency and staff receiving services are also responsible for coordinating service installation with their cloud service provider.
  • Agency staff will provide cloud technical information as required.
  • Designate a 24/7 point of contact for NCDIT.

Expected Delivery

Acknowledgment TimeThe service team should acknowledge a service request within about 2-3 business days.
Turnaround Time
  • The service team should be able to complete a well-defined service request within approximately 90-120 days, depending on circuit installation requirements.
  • Procurement and licensing steps required before the delivery of services may extend the timeline.  

Customers

Suggested ForExisting NCDIT WAN service customers requiring optimized cloud connectivity.
Required ForExisting NCDIT WAN service customers requiring optimized cloud connectivity.

Support Process
  • Submit a ticket using the NCDIT Service Portal or contact the NCDIT Service Desk at 919-754-6000.
  • NCDIT provides documentation on best practices and self-help resources, governance, assistance procuring the solution.
Service Support Hours
  • Support for the service is available 24/7. 
  • Response and restoration are dependent upon the Cloud Connect Service Level Agreement.
Service AvailabilityThe service is available 24/7, excluding planned outages and maintenance windows.
Standard Maintenance Windows
  • Sundays: 4 a.m. to noon.
  • Tuesdays: 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. for core infrastructure updates.
  • Thursdays: 4-7 a.m.
  • Weekdays: 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. for customer edge hardware updates.
  • Site-specific and service-specific changes may be coordinated with customers at non-standard times.
  • Each cloud vendor has standard maintenance windows that apply to transport service.
Service Communications
  • Changes or outages that might have an impact on customers are communicated through the NCDIT Communications Hub and Agency Change Advisory Board.
  • The agency's admin for this service will support communications to the agency users of the service.
Service Level Agreements 

Service rates are not yet published in the NCDIT Rate Schedule. They will be specified in an accompanying Memorandum of Understanding. 

Training & Help 

None

Other Related Links

None

Related NCDIT Services

Wide Area Network