Internet Exchange Points (IXPs)

Internet exchange points (IXPs) are physical networking locations where CDN providers and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) exchange data between their networks. It picks the shortest possible way rather than routing traffic over long distances through a series of intermediate networks.

They are an important part of the internet's infrastructure because they allow different networks to efficiently exchange traffic. It improves the performance by shortening the data package path and therefore, increasing the reliability of services.

IXPs typically consist of switches and routers that are connected to the participating networks. When a network wants to send traffic to another network, it sends the traffic to the IXP, which then routes the request to the appropriate destination network. IXPs can be found all around the world, and they play a vital role in ensuring that internet traffic is routed efficiently and effectively.

The Benefits of IXPs

There are several benefits to using IXPs. First, they help to reduce the amount of traffic that needs to be routed over long distances, which can help to improve the performance of the internet. Second, they provide a neutral platform for networks to exchange traffic, which helps to promote collaboration and reduce the cost of internet access. Finally, IXPs can help to improve the resilience of the internet by providing multiple paths for traffic to reach its destination.

Traffic Sharing

There are several ways that traffic can be shared across different networks. One of the popular ways is a network bridge, which connects two or more networks and allows traffic to be shared between them. Network bridges can be used to connect different types of networks, such as a local area network (LAN) and a wide area network (WAN), or to connect networks that use different protocols, such as Ethernet and Wi-Fi.

In some cases, traffic may also be shared through the use of virtual private networks (VPNs), which allow devices on different networks to communicate with each other as if they were on the same network. VPNs use encryption to secure the traffic that is being shared, making them useful tools for protecting sensitive data.

Traffic can also be shared through the use of network-level protocols, such as the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), which is used to exchange routing information between different networks and allow them to share traffic.

Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)

BGP is a network-level protocol that is used to exchange routing and reachability information between autonomous systems (ASes) on the Internet.

To facilitate the exchange of traffic at an IXP, participating networks typically use BGP to establish routing agreements with each other.

Using BGP at an IXP can help to reduce latency and improve the performance of Internet services for users, as well as reduce the burden on the global Internet infrastructure. It can also help to improve the resilience of Internet services, as it allows traffic to be routed over

Location of all of the world’s IXPs

Here you can find all World’s Internet Exchange Points.