Hong Kong cloud servers are a popular choice for enterprises to go overseas and accelerate the network, and one of the core factors that determine the quality of the Hong Kong cloud server experience is the network line used. As an international network hub, Hong Kong's domestic cloud service providers usually access multiple bandwidth lines. They are mainly divided into local ordinary international lines, CN2 GIA lines, CU VIP, and BGP optimized lines.
Local ordinary international lines are the default BGP hybrid lines, and ISP operators generally intelligently select international exits based on the current exit congestion. The advantage is low cost, but the disadvantage is obvious: high latency and instability in accessing mainland China, suitable for serving overseas users.
CN2 GIA is China Telecom's high-quality international dedicated line, providing a high-speed channel from Hong Kong to mainland China, with low packet loss, low latency, and anti-jitter characteristics. It is suitable for application scenarios that are sensitive to network quality, such as video calls, e-commerce backend management, financial transactions, etc. Compared with one-way CN2, two-way CN2 GIA means that both the visit from mainland China to Hong Kong and the return trip to Hong Kong take the CN2 network, which is one of the highest quality lines currently. The price is relatively high, but it guarantees extreme stability.
CU VIP (China Unicom Premium Network) is a dedicated network channel provided by China Unicom, featuring high-quality return and fast speed. It is suitable for users to use in the mainland Unicom network environment, and has good adaptation effect.
CMI direct connection line is the international export of China Mobile. Although the mobile network has a general reputation in the past, CMI has significantly optimized its nodes in Hong Kong in recent years, and the price is affordable, which is suitable for cost-sensitive projects.
Some service providers connect multiple international/domestic lines and achieve line integration optimization through intelligent scheduling nodes. For example, Hong Kong direct BGP return optimization line, that is, through CN2 or CMI hybrid transmission technology to improve the efficiency of return access.
Evaluation criteria for Hong Kong cloud server line selection:
1. Latency: The average latency of China Telecom, China Unicom and China Mobile can be tested through the ping tool. Less than 50ms is a high-quality line, and more than 70ms has jitter risk.
2. Packet loss rate: Use mtr or traceroute tools to observe the link hops and packet loss segments. Generally, the packet loss rate of high-quality lines should be less than 1%.
3. Bandwidth guarantee: Some cheap VPSs claim to have large bandwidth, but the actual bandwidth is severely shared. It is recommended to choose "exclusive bandwidth" or products with monthly traffic package instructions to avoid sudden bandwidth being limited.
4. Network return path: You can use tracepath to view the exit path from Hong Kong to mainland China. The return path through CN2 and telecom backbone network is far better than the jump path around the United States, Japan and South Korea.
5. Service provider operation ability: Choose cloud vendors with SLA guarantees, stable IP resources, support for dynamic routing, adjustable bandwidth and other capabilities, and can cope with sudden blockades and speed limits of different operators.
Things to note when purchasing high-quality lines for Hong Kong cloud servers:
Clarify whether it is a "real CN2" line? Some vendors claim to be CN2, but in fact they are CTG ordinary international exits, or only return CN2. You need to use the mtr tool to verify whether the path contains CN2 markers such as gtt.net and chinanet-backbone.
Identify shared lines and exclusive lines. Shared line resources will be affected by other tenants, and congestion is prone to occur during peak hours at night. It is recommended to choose a service plan with the "exclusive" or "enterprise-level" label.
Pay attention to the area where the computer room is located. The density of local computer rooms in Hong Kong is high, and different computer rooms have different access operators. For example, the Shatin computer room mainly uses HGC and PCCW, and Kwai Chung is mostly directly connected to China Mobile. When selecting, you should refer to the service access source area.
Is the test service window transparent and controllable? High-quality service providers will provide test IP, route tracking and all-weather technical support to avoid being unable to contact when problems arise.
Choosing high-quality lines is not just about improving network speed, but also about ensuring stable business operation, customer experience and corporate brand reputation. If the business is for users in mainland China, it is recommended to give priority to CN2 GIA or bidirectional CN2 optimized lines; if the target is in Southeast Asia or European and American users, you should consider international BGP+local acceleration solutions. In addition, service providers with strong network scheduling and elastic architecture capabilities are also more suitable for long-term business development.
