What a Connector is

A Connector's role is to bridge access to internal resources. It is a dial-out component that sits inside your network, establishing a secure, outbound-only tunnel between your internal network and points of presence (PoPs) on the Global Edge Network.

Why use a Connector

Publishing internal services normally requires opening inbound ports at your network edge, which increases exposure. A Connector removes that requirement: because it only initiates outbound connections, you can make internal services reachable through the Global Edge Network without opening any inbound ports in locations that lack a managed Access Tier.

How it works

1. The Connector is deployed in a location that has connectivity to your internal services.
2. It dials out and maintains a secure tunnel to the Global Edge Network, so no inbound ports need to be opened.
3. Traffic flows from entities on the internet to the Access Tier, then through the Connector to your internal service.

Tip: To configure and deploy a Connector in your environment, see Install the Connector.