AWS Partner Network (APN) Blog
Introducing the AWS Direct Connect Partner Program
By: Cristian Critelli, EMEA Lead Networking & Resilience Specialist PSA – AWS
By: Len Gomes, Partner Solutions Architect and AWS Direct Connect Specialist – AWS
When a new AWS Region opens, customers want to connect to it privately from day one. The network partners who can make that happen are often local providers who know the market well but have not yet had the chance to deliver for AWS customers in their locations. Until now, joining the AWS Direct Connect partner network required production customer references up front, so the providers best placed to serve new and emerging markets were often the last to get validated.
Today we’re introducing the AWS Direct Connect Partner Program, which replaces the AWS Direct Connect Service Delivery Program (SDP). The new program does two things the previous one could not. First, it lets partners in new and emerging Regions join on the strength of their technical capability, before they have customer case studies. Second, it adds a dedicated validation track for the AWS European Sovereign Cloud (EUSC), so customers with strict sovereignty requirements in Europe can work with validated partners.
In this post, we explain what changed, how the two program tiers work, and how AWS Partners can apply.
Why validated partners matter
AWS Direct Connect gives organizations a private path into AWS that doesn’t depend on the public internet. Most organizations don’t have equipment of their own sitting in an AWS Direct Connect location. Someone has to bridge the distance between their data center or office and the AWS port, and that’s the role partners play.
Partners support customers in two ways. They can carry traffic to and from a Dedicated Connection that the customer orders from AWS, at 1, 10, 100, or 400 Gbps. They can also provision Hosted Connections on their own Interconnects, from 50 Mbps up to 25 Gbps, which gives customers right-sized capacity that is ready in minutes rather than weeks. Hosted Connections are available only through partners, so the quality of the partner capabilities directly shapes the options customers have.
The AWS Direct Connect Partners page lists more than 200 partners across over 130 AWS Direct Connect locations in over 40 countries. Five partners are already listed at the two Berlin locations that serve the AWS European Sovereign Cloud. The new program is designed to keep that growth going in the places where coverage is still thin.
What’s new in the program
The AWS Direct Connect Partner Program keeps the technical bar of its predecessor and changes how partners reach it:
- Two-tier validation path: Partners can enter at V1 (Entry Tier) or V2 (Full Program), so partners in new Regions and emerging territories can get started sooner.
- Sovereign cloud support: Partners can validate separately for the AWS European Sovereign Cloud partition.
- Single self-assessment: Validation uses one self-assessment with clear technical controls and calibration guidance.
- No separate FTR gate: The Foundational Technical Review (FTR) is no longer a standalone prerequisite, so there’s one fewer step.
Two tiers for partners at every stage
V1 (Entry Tier)
V1 is designed for partners who can’t yet provide customer case studies, typically in newly launched AWS Regions, new territories, or smaller markets where demand is still building. AWS validates V1 partners on their capability and infrastructure only. Once accepted, V1 partners can provision Hosted Connections up to 500 Mbps.
V2 (Full Program)
V2 is the full validation. It requires two unique customer case studies for deployments that went into production within the previous 24 months. V2 partners can provision Hosted Connections up to 25 Gbps and receive all program benefits, including badging, a listing on the partners page, and marketing support.
Partners that already have qualifying case studies can apply for V2 directly. Others can join at V1 and apply for V2 after they deliver connections for two unique customers, reusing their existing self-assessment. Table 1 summarizes the differences between the two tiers.
| Requirement | V1 (Entry Tier) | V2 (Full Program) |
|---|---|---|
| Case studies | Not required (written justification) | 2 unique customer references (within 24 months) |
| Technical validation | Required | Required |
| Hosted Connection access | Up to 500 Mbps (capacity letter H) | Full access: H, G, and F (up to 25 Gbps) |
| Program benefits | Partner page listing | Full (badging, listing, marketing support) |
Table 1 – Comparison of the V1 and V2 program tiers.
The capacity letters in Table 1 match the symbols used on the AWS Direct Connect Partners page. Table 2 shows the Hosted Connection range each letter represents.
| Letter | Hosted Connection capacity |
|---|---|
| H | 50 Mbps to 500 Mbps (V1 and V2) |
| G | 50 Mbps to 10 Gbps (V2 default) |
| F | 50 Mbps to 25 Gbps (V2, requires 100G Interconnect capability) |
Table 2 – Capacity letters and their Hosted Connection ranges.
Validated partners for the AWS European Sovereign Cloud
Organizations in the public sector and regulated industries across Europe increasingly need to keep both their data and their operations within the EU. The AWS European Sovereign Cloud is built for those requirements, and the AWS Direct Connect Partner Program now includes a dedicated validation track for it.
To validate for EUSC, partners must:
- Create a separate AWS account for the EUSC partition, operated independently of their commercial partition accounts.
- Meet the technical requirements (DXE-001 through DXE-006 and DXC-001) independently for EUSC operations.
- Confirm which AWS Direct Connect locations in the EUSC Region they will operate in.
EUSC validation is optional and complements validation in the commercial partition. Partners interested in EUSC should contact their Partner Development Manager (PDM) or Partner Solutions Architect (PSA) for onboarding steps.
What partners are validated on
Every partner in the program completes a service-specific technical validation with AWS Partner Solutions Architects. All partners are validated on DXE-001 through DXE-006, and V2 partners are also validated on DXC-001. Customers can use these controls as a checklist of what to expect from a validated partner:
- Sales engagement (DXE-001): Clear ways for customers to reach the partner, and a public presence describing its AWS Direct Connect services.
- Support process (DXE-002): Documented escalation procedures and response-time commitments.
- Resiliency architecture (DXE-003): Infrastructure that supports all AWS Direct Connect resiliency categories without single points of failure.
- Location coverage (DXE-004): The specific AWS Direct Connect locations where the partner meets requirements.
- Hosted Connection support (DXE-005): A dedicated AWS account for Interconnect management, with Business-level support or higher.
- Service requirements (DXE-006): Agreement to meet the AWS Direct Connect Partner Guide requirements.
- Connection delivery capability (DXC-001): Customer examples showing connections the partner has delivered at an AWS Direct Connect location, either a Dedicated Connection with the partner providing the cross connect and last mile, or a Hosted Connection on the partner’s own Interconnect. DXC-001 applies at V2; V1 partners complete it when they apply for V2.
Become an AWS Direct Connect Partner
Whether you operate in an established market or in a Region that has just opened, there is now a path into the program that fits where you are today. To apply:
- Review the AWS Direct Connect Partner Guide v4.0 and the program validation checklist, both available in AWS Partner Central.
- Complete the self-assessment spreadsheet, also available in AWS Partner Central, addressing each technical control.
- Submit your application in AWS Partner Central with the completed self-assessment and your architecture diagrams.
Current Service Delivery Program partners and anyone with questions about eligibility should contact their PDM or PSA. Customers looking for a partner can browse the AWS Direct Connect Partners page by location and capacity.
Conclusion
The AWS Direct Connect Partner Program gives network partners a clearer path to validation. With the V1 Entry Tier, partners in new and emerging Regions can join on the strength of their technical capability and move up to V2 as they win customers. The dedicated EUSC track brings validated partners to customers with strict sovereignty requirements in Europe, and a single self-assessment with no separate FTR gate simplifies the process.
If you’re an AWS Partner delivering connectivity to AWS, review the program requirements in AWS Partner Central and submit your self-assessment to get started. If you’re a customer, browse the AWS Direct Connect Partners page to find a validated partner in your location.