When considering where to host servers running Motionite, one of the prime considerations is how to connect to the exchange. If you can connect using VPN, then any site with good access to the internet will be sufficient for exchange connectivity. However, most major security exchanges normally require that production systems are connected to the exchange via fibre.

Let us consider some hosting scenarios:

1. On premise hosting
   Normally connection to the exchange is via fibre supplied by a telecommunications supplier. The supplier will run fibre into your premise and terminate it at a NTU. Your network can then be connected to the NTU via your firewall.
2. Host at a separate hosting facility
   As per ‘On premise’, your connection to to the exchange will be by fibre supplied by a telecommunications supplier. However in this case, the fibre is normally terminated at a ’telecoms’ room at the hosting facility. You will then be required to install a cross connect between the telecoms room and your rack. You can connect your network to the fibre via this cross connect (and your firewall of course).
3. Host at the same site where the exchange is hosted
   This is the easiest scenario. The hosting facility will provide you with a cross connect that connects you to the exchange. That is it. No need for fibre.
4. Host in a cloud environment (AWS, Alibaba Cloud, Azure etc)
   There are 2 ways to get connectivity to an exchange from a cloud environment: the easy way and the hard way.
   
   All cloud environments provide the ability to make LAN type connections into your Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) network. For example AWS provides Direct Connect and other cloud vendors provide similar capabilities. These connections connect your VPC to a cross-connect in the hosting facility. The other end of the cross-connect will terminate at a rack in that hosting facility.
   
   Normally you would need to get some rack hosting at the facility, install some network equipment in that rack, terminate the cross-connect from the cloud provider to your rack. Then you can connect to the exchange in the same manner as described in Host at a separate hosting facility above. This is the hard way.
   
   The easy way is if the exchange provides its own connectivity services into a cloud environment. In this case, the exchange will have their own rack at the hosting facility where the cloud provider resides. If you subscribe to the exchange’s connectivity service, then your direct connect (or equivalent) will be connected to the exchange’s rack and then the exchange will organise connectivity between its rack and its facilities. A lot cheaper and easier to organise. Choose this option if it is available.

However you need to connect your equipment to an exchange, Motif Markets has the experience and know-how to assist with this and help find the best solution for connecting Motionite to an exchange.