Checklist Before Connecting to an Internet Exchange

Accessing an Internet Exchange (IX) can be a means for improving efficiency in the transfer of data between networks, as well as lowering the latency in data transfer and having more direct access to other network peers. However, effective peering will require more than just setting up a physical connection.

The following is a list of important considerations before connecting.

1. Determine your Networking Requirements

Make sure you first identify the reason why you need to use an Internet Exchange. Always consider your traffic load, destinations, latency problems, and bandwidth needs; this will determine the type of ports and connectivity you need.

A proper determination will ensure that your infrastructure does not over-provision, but leaves room for future growth in traffic.

2. Examine Your Network Architecture

Your current network setup should be able to support the connections from the IX, as you need to resolve whether your routers, switches, optics, and networking interfaces are compatible with the selected IX.

You also need to check the available rack space, power availability, cabling, and connectivity in the appropriate data center. A properly prepared network infrastructure will make things easier for you.

3. Check IP Addressing and AS Numbers

An Internet Exchange connectivity usually demands appropriate IP addressing and an Autonomous System Number (AS number). Ensure that you have all these available at your organization’s end and that your routing is ready to establish the peering.

BGP configurations, routing policies, filtering, and max prefix should be checked by your networking team before connecting to other networks.

4. Review Security Requirements

The security aspect needs to be reviewed prior to deploying the peering process. It is important to set policies for route filtering, prefix verification, access control, and monitoring.

Using mechanisms like proper BGP filtering and session protection may reduce the risks of accidentally announcing routes.

5. Assess Potential Traffic and Peering Candidates

Consider all the networks and applications you will be connecting via the exchange. By way of the exchange, it is possible to connect to many networks through a single interconnect point.

Assess the list of peers and determine if they align with your traffic model.

6. Monitoring and Technical Support Considerations

Peering does not end once the BGP connection is up and running. It is imperative that your technical team continuously monitors the traffic, latency, packet loss, port saturation, and route updates.

Have an escalation protocol to allow your technical team to know what to do in case of any issues in connectivity and routing.

7. Consider Costs and Future Scalability

Lastly, look into all the related costs of connections, ports, cross-connections, and other infrastructure costs. When considering your starting capacity, think about the future expected traffic growth.

This will give you an opportunity to grow without any modifications to your network infrastructure in the future.

Conclusion

An association with an Internet Exchange will benefit network performance as well as enhance the exchange of traffic between networks associated with the Internet Exchange. With the help of the infrastructure check, BGP preparedness check, security check, traffic requirements check, monitoring check, and scalability check performed prior to the association, organizations can make the connection process efficient.