Cross Connect and Direct Connect both create a dedicated, private connection for data exchange that is more secure, more reliable, and better performing than the public Internet.
Cross Connect refers to a physical network connection between equipment like routers within the same data center or colocation facility while Direct Connect provides long-distance, dedicated, and secure connections between an organization’s on-premises network and cloud resources (such as AWS).
Cross Connect is typically used for intra-facility networking, while AWS Direct Connect is used for inter-facility, hybrid cloud, or multi-cloud networking.