Internet Exchange Point Design

ISP/IXP Workshops

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 1

 IXP Design

 Background
 Why set up an IXP?
 Layer 2 Exchange Point
 Layer 3 Exchange Point
 Design Considerations
 Route Collectors & Servers
 What can go wrong?

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 2

 A bit of history

In a time long gone…

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 3

 A Bit of History…

 End of NSFnet – one major backbone

 move towards commercial Internet
private companies selling their bandwidth

 need for coordination of routing exchange between

providers
Traffic from ISP A needs to get to ISP B

 Routing Arbiter project created to facilitate this

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 4

 What is an Exchange Point

 Network Access Points (NAPs) established at end of

NSFnet
The original “exchange points”

 Major providers connect their networks and exchange

traffic
 High-speed network or ethernet switch
 Simple concept – any place where providers come
together to exchange traffic

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 5

 Internet Exchange Points

 Layer 2 exchange point

Ethernet (1000/100Mbps)
Older technologies include ATM, Frame Relay, SRP, FDDI and
SMDS

 Layer 3 exchange point

Router based
Historical status

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 6

 Why an Internet Exchange Point?

Saving money, improving QoS,

Generating a local Internet economy

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 7

 Internet Exchange Point
Why peer?

 Consider a region with one ISP

They provide internet connectivity to their customers
They have one or two international connections

 Internet grows, another ISP sets up in competition

They provide internet connectivity to their customers
They have one or two international connections

 How does traffic from customer of one ISP get to

customer of the other ISP?
Via the international connections

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 8

 Internet Exchange Point
Why peer?

 Yes, International Connections…

If satellite, RTT is around 550ms per hop
So local traffic takes over 1s round trip

 International bandwidth
Costs significantly more than domestic bandwidth
Congested with local traffic
Wastes money, harms performance

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 9

 Internet Exchange Point
Why peer?

 Solution:
Two competing ISPs peer with each other

 Result:
Both save money
Local traffic stays local
Better network performance, better QoS,…
More international bandwidth for expensive international traffic
Everyone is happy

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 10

 Internet Exchange Point
Why peer?

 A third ISP enters the equation

Becomes a significant player in the region
Local and international traffic goes over their international
connections

 They agree to peer with the two other ISPs

To save money
To keep local traffic local
To improve network performance, QoS,…

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 11

 Internet Exchange Point
Why peer?

 Peering means that the three ISPs have to buy circuits

between each other
Works for three ISPs, but adding a fourth or a fifth means this
does not scale

 Solution:
Internet Exchange Point

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 12

 Internet Exchange Point

 Every participant has to buy just one whole circuit

From their premises to the IXP

 Rather than N-1 half circuits to connect to the N-1 other

ISPs
5 ISPs have to buy 4 half circuits = 2 whole circuits → already
twice the cost of the IXP connection

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 13

 Internet Exchange Point

 Solution
Every ISP participates in the IXP
Cost is minimal – one local circuit covers all domestic traffic
International circuits are used for just international traffic – and
backing up domestic links in case the IXP fails

 Result:
Local traffic stays local
QoS considerations for local traffic is not an issue
RTTs are typically sub 10ms
Customers enjoy the Internet experience
Local Internet economy grows rapidly

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 14

 Layer 2 Exchange

The traditional IXP

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 Layer 2 Exchange
ISP 5 ISP 4
ISP 6

IXP Services:
TLD DNS, IXP
Management
Routing Registry Network
Looking Glass, Ethernet Switch
news, etc

ISP 1 ISP 3
ISP 2

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 16

 Layer 2 Exchange
ISP 5 ISP 4
ISP 6

IXP Services:
TLD DNS, IXP
Management
Routing Registry Network
Looking Glass, Ethernet Switches
news, etc

ISP 1 ISP 3
ISP 2

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 17

 Layer 2 Exchange

 Two switches for redundancy

 ISPs use dual routers for redundancy or loadsharing
 Offer services for the “common good”
Internet portals and search engines
DNS TLD, News, NTP servers
Routing Registry and Looking Glass

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 18

 Layer 2 Exchange

 Requires neutral IXP management

usually funded equally by IXP participants
24x7 cover, support, value add services

 Secure and neutral location

 Configuration
private address space if non-transit and no value add services
ISPs require AS, basic IXP does not

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 19

 Layer 2 Exchange

 Network Security Considerations

LAN switch needs to be securely configured
Management routers require TACACS+ authentication, vty
security
IXP services must be behind router(s) with strong filters

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 20

 Layer 3 Exchange

Aka: The wholesale transit ISP

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 21

 Layer 3 Exchange/Wholesale Transit ISP
ISP 5 ISP 4
ISP 6

IXP Services:
TLD DNS, IXP
Management
Routing Registry Network
Looking Glass, IXP Router
news, etc

ISP 1 ISP 3
ISP 2

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 22

 Layer 3 Exchange/Wholesale Transit ISP
ISP 5 ISP 4
ISP 6

IXP Services:
TLD DNS, IXP
Management
Routing Registry Network
Looking Glass, IXP Routers
news, etc

ISP 1 ISP 3
ISP 2

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 23

 Layer 3 Exchange/Wholesale Transit ISP

 Two routers for redundancy

 ISPs use dual routers for redundancy or loadsharing
 Offer services for the “common good”
Internet portals and search engines
DNS TLD, News, NTP servers
Routing Registry and Looking Glass

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 24

 Layer 3 Exchange/Wholesale Transit ISP

 Requires neutral management

Usually funded equally by participants
24x7 cover, support, value add services
BGP configuration skills essential

 Secure and neutral location

 Configuration
private address space if non-transit and no value add services
ISPs and IXP require AS

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 25

 Layer 3 Exchange/Wholesale Transit ISP

 Network Security Considerations

Core IXP router(s) require strong security, preferably with BGP
neighbour authentication
Management routers require TACACS+ authentication, vty
security
IXP services must be behind router(s) with strong filters

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 26

 Transit IXPs/Wholesale Transit ISP

 Provides local Internet exchange facility to members

 Also provides transit to Internet or upstream ISP
 Usually operated as a commercial service
 Usually layer 3 design

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 27

 Layer 3 Transit Exchange/Transit ISP
ISP 4 Transit Routers
ISP 5 Internet

ISP

IXP Services:
TLD DNS, IXP
Management
Routing Registry Network
IXP Routers
Looking Glass,
news, etc

ISP 1 ISP 3
ISP 2

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 28

 Layer 2 versus Layer 3

 Layer 3
IXP team requires good BGP knowledge
Rely on 3rd party for BGP configuration
Less freedom on who peers with whom
Usually competes with IXP membership
Tends to be distributed over wide area

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 29

 Layer 2 versus Layer 3

 Layer 2
IXP team does not need routing knowledge
Easy to get started
More complicated to distribute over wide area
ISPs free to set up peering agreements with each other as they
wish

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 30

 Layer 2 versus Layer 3
Summary

 Layer 2 is a REAL internet exchange point

 Layer 3 is marketing concept used by Transit ISPs
Is NOT a real IXP

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 31

 IXP Design Considerations

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 32

 Exchange Point Design

 The IXP Core is an Ethernet switch

 Has superseded all other types of network devices for
an IXP
From the cheapest and smallest 12 or 24 port 10/100 switch
To the largest 32 port 10GigEthernet switch

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 33

 Exchange Point Design

 Each ISP participating in the IXP brings a router to the

IXP location
 Router needs:
One Ethernet port to connect to IXP switch
One WAN port to connect to the WAN media leading back to
the ISP backbone
To be able to run BGP

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 34

 Exchange Point Design

 IXP switch located in one equipment rack dedicated to

IXP
Also includes other IXP operational equipment

 Routers from participant ISPs located in

neighbouring/adjacent rack(s)
 Copper (UTP) connections made for 10Mbps, 100Mbps
or 1Gbps connections
 Fibre used for 10Gbps and 40Gbps

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 35

 Peering

 Each participant needs to run BGP

They need their own AS number
Public ASN, NOT private ASN

 Each participant configures external BGP directly with

the other participants in the IXP
Peering with all participants
or
Peering with a subset of participants

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 36

 Peering (more)

 Mandatory Multi-Lateral Peering (MMLP)

Each participant is required to peer with every other participant
as part of their IXP membership
Has no history of success — the practice is discouraged

 Multi-Lateral Peering (MLP)

Each participant peers with every other participant

 Bi-Lateral Peering
Participants set up peering with each other according to their
own requirements and business relationships
This is the most common situation at IXPs today

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 37

 Routing

 ISP border routers at the IXP generally should NOT be

configured with a default route or carry the full Internet
routing table
Carrying default or full table means that this router and the ISP
network is open to abuse by non-peering IXP members
Correct configuration is only to carry routes offered to IXP peers
on the IXP peering router

 Note: Some ISPs offer transit across IX fabrics

They do so at their own risk – see above

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 38

 Routing (more)

 ISP border routers at the IXP should not be configured

to carry the IXP LAN network within the IGP or iBGP
Use next-hop-self BGP concept

 Don’t generate ISP prefix aggregates on IXP peering

router
If connection from backbone to IXP router goes down, normal
BGP failover will then be successful

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 39

 Address Space

 Some IXPs use private addresses for the IX LAN

Public address space means IXP network could be leaked to
Internet which may be undesirable
Because most ISPs filter RFC1918 address space, this avoids
the problem

 Some IXPs use public addresses for the IX LAN

Address space available from the RIRs
IXP terms of participation often forbid the IX LAN to be carried
in the ISP member backbone

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 40

 Hardware

 Try not to mix port speeds

if 10Mbps and 100Mbps connections available, terminate on
different switches (L2 IXP)

 Don’t mix transports

if terminating ATM PVCs and G/F/Ethernet, terminate on
different devices

 Insist that IXP participants bring their own router

moves buffering problem off the IXP
security is responsibility of the ISP, not the IXP

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 41

 Services Offered

 Services offered should not compete with member ISPs

(basic IXP)
e.g. web hosting at an IXP is a bad idea unless all members
agree to it

 IXP operations should make performance and

throughput statistics available to members
Use tools such as MRTG to produce IX throughput graphs for
member (or public) information

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 42

 Services to Offer

 ccTLD DNS
the country IXP could host the country’s top level DNS
e.g. “SE.” TLD is hosted at Netnod IXes in Sweden
Offer back up of other country ccTLD DNS

 Root server
Anycast instances of I.root-servers.net, F.root-servers.net etc
are present at many IXes

 Usenet News
Usenet News is high volume
could save bandwidth to all IXP members

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 43

 Services to Offer

 Route Collector
Route collector shows the reachability information available at
the exchange
Technical detail covered later on

 Looking Glass
One way of making the Route Collector routes available for
global view (e.g. www.traceroute.org)
Public or members only access

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 44

 Services to Offer

 Content Redistribution/Caching
For example, Akamised update distribution service

 Network Time Protocol

Locate a stratum 1 time source (GPS receiver, atomic clock,
etc) at IXP

 Routing Registry
Used to register the routing policy of the IXP membership (more
later)

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 45

 Introduction to Route Collectors

What routes are available at the IXP?

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 46

 What is a Route Collector?

 Usually a router or Unix system running BGP

 Gathers routing information from service provider
routers at an IXP
Peers with each ISP using BGP

 Does not forward packets

 Does not announce any prefixes to ISPs

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 47

 Purpose of a Route Collector

 To provide a public view of the Routing Information

available at the IXP
Useful for existing members to check functionality of BGP filters
Useful for prospective members to check value of joining the
IXP
Useful for the Internet Operations community for
troubleshooting purposes
E.g. www.traceroute.org

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 48

 Route Collector at an IXP

R3

R2 R4

R1 SWITCH R5

Route Collector

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 49

 Route Collector Requirements

 Router or Unix system running BGP

Minimal memory requirements – only holds IXP routes
Minimal packet forwarding requirements – doesn’t forward any
packets

 Peers eBGP with every IXP member

Accepts everything; Gives nothing
Uses a private ASN
Connects to IXP Transit LAN

 “Back end” connection

Second Ethernet globally routed
Connection to IXP Website for public access

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 50

 Route Collector Implementation

 Most IXPs now implement some form of Route

Collector
 Benefits already mentioned
 Great public relations tool
 Unsophisticated requirements
Just runs BGP

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 51

 Introduction to Route Servers

How to scale very large IXPs

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 What is a Route Server?

 Has all the features of a Route Collector

 But also:
Announces routes to participating IXP members according to
their routing policy definitions

 Implemented using the same specification as for a

Route Collector

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 53

 Features of a Route Server

 Helps scale routing for large IXPs

 Simplifies Routing Processes on ISP Routers
 Optional participation
Provided as service, is NOT mandatory

 Does result in insertion of RS Autonomous System

Number in the Routing Path
 Optionally uses Policy registered in IRR

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 54

 Diagram of N-squared Peering Mesh

 For large IXPs (dozens for participants) maintaining a

larger peering mesh becomes cumbersome and often
too hard
ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 55
 Peering Mesh with Route Servers

RS RS

 ISP routers peer with the Route Servers

Only need to have two eBGP sessions rather than N

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 RS based Exchange Point Routing Flow

RS

TRAFFIC FLOW
ROUTING INFORMATION FLOW

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 57

 Advantages of Using a Route Server

 Helps scale Routing for very large IXPs

 Separation of Routing and Forwarding
 Simplify Routing Configuration Management on ISPs
routers

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 58

 Disadvantages of using a Route Server

 ISPs can lose direct policy control

If RS is only peer, ISPs have no control over who their prefixes
are distributed to

 Completely dependent on 3rd party

Configuration, troubleshooting, etc…

 Insertion of RS ASN into routing path

Traffic engineering/multihoming needs more care

 These are major disadvantages

Usually out-weigh the advantages

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 59

 Typical usage of a Route Server

 Route Servers may be provided as an OPTIONAL

service
Most common at large IXPs (>50 participants)
Examples: TorIX, AMS-IX, etc

 ISPs peer:
Directly with significant peers
With Route Server for the rest

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 60

 Things to think about...

 Would using a route server benefit you?

Helpful when BGP knowledge is limited (but is NOT an excuse
not to learn BGP)
Avoids having to maintain a large number of eBGP peers
But can you afford to lose policy control? (An ISP not in control
of their routing policy is what?)

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 61

 What can go wrong…

The different ways IXP operators harm their IXP…

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 62

 What can go wrong?
Concept

 Some Service Providers attempt to cash in on the

reputation of IXPs
 Market Internet transit services as “Internet Exchange
Point”
“We are exchanging packets with other ISPs, so we are an
Internet Exchange Point!”
So-called Layer-3 Exchanges — really Internet Transit
Providers
Router used rather than a Switch
Most famous example: SingTelIX

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 63

 What can go wrong?
Competition

 Too many exchange points in one locale

Competing exchanges defeats the purpose
 Becomes expensive for ISPs to connect to all of them

 An IXP:
is NOT a competition
is NOT a profit making business

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 64

 What can go wrong?
Rules and Restrictions

 IXPs try to compete with their membership

Offering services that ISPs would/do offer their customers

 IXPs run as a closed privileged club e.g.:

Restrictive membership criteria (closed shop)

 IXPs providing access to end users rather than just

Service Providers
 IXPs interfering with ISP business decisions e.g.
Mandatory Multi-Lateral Peering

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 65

 What can go wrong?
Technical Design Errors

 Interconnected IXPs
IXP in one location believes it should connect directly to the IXP
in another location
Who pays for the interconnect?
How is traffic metered?
Competes with the ISPs who already provide transit between
the two locations (who then refuse to join IX, harming the
viability of the IX)
Metro interconnections work ok (e.g. LINX)

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 66

 What can go wrong?
Technical Design Errors

 ISPs bridge the IXP LAN back to their offices

“We are poor, we can’t afford a router”
Financial benefits of connecting to an IXP far outweigh the cost
of a router
In reality it allows the ISP to connect any devices to the IXP
LAN — with disastrous consequences for the security, integrity
and reliability of the IXP

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 67

 What can go wrong?
Routing Design Errors

 Route Server implemented from Day One

ISPs have no incentive to learn BGP
Therefore have no incentive to understand peering
relationships, peering policies, &c
Entirely dependent on operator of RS for troubleshooting,
configuration, reliability
RS can’t be run by committee!

 Route Server is to help scale peering at LARGE IXPs

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 68

 What can go wrong?
Routing Design Errors

 iBGP Route Reflector used to distribute prefixes

between IXP participants
 Claimed Advantage (1):
Participants don’t need to know about or run BGP

 Actually a Disadvantage
IXP Operator has to know BGP
ISP not knowing BGP is big commercial disadvantage
ISPs who would like to have a growing successful business
need to be able to multi-home, peer with other ISPs, etc —
these activities require BGP

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 69

 What can go wrong?
Routing Design Errors (cont)

 Route Reflector Claimed Advantage (2):

Allows an IXP to be started very quickly

 Fact:
IXP is only an Ethernet switch — setting up an iBGP mesh with
participants is no quicker than setting up an eBGP mesh

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 70

 What can go wrong?
Routing Design Errors (cont)

 Route Reflector Claimed Advantage (3):

IXP operator has full control over IXP activities

 Actually a Disadvantage
ISP participants surrender control of:
Their border router; it is located in IXP’s AS
Their routing and peering policy
IXP operator is single point of failure
If they aren’t available 24x7, then neither is the IXP
BGP configuration errors by IXP operator have real impacts
on ISP operations

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 71

 What can go wrong?
Routing Design Errors (cont)

 Route Reflector Disadvantage (4):

Migration from Route Reflector to “correct” routing configuration
is highly non-trivial
ISP router is in IXP’s ASN
Need to move ISP router from IXP’s ASN to the ISP’s ASN
Need to reconfigure BGP on ISP router, add to ISP’s IGP
and iBGP mesh, and set up eBGP with IXP participants
and/or the IXP Route Server

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 72

 More Information

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 73

 Exchange Point
Policies & Politics

 AUPs
Acceptable Use Policy
Minimal rules for connection

 Fees?
Some IXPs charge no fee
Other IXPs charge cost recovery
A few IXPs are commercial

 Nobody is obliged to peer

Agreements left to ISPs, not mandated by IXP

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 74

 Exchange Point etiquette

 Don’t point default route at another IXP participant

 Be aware of third-party next-hop
 Only announce your aggregate routes
Read RIPE-399 first (www.ripe.net/docs/ripe-399.html)

 Filter! Filter! Filter!

And do reverse path check

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 75

 Exchange Point Examples

 LINX in London, UK
 TorIX in Toronto, Canada
 AMS-IX in Amsterdam, Netherlands
 SIX in Seattle, Washington, US
 PA-IX in Palo Alto, California, US
 JPNAP in Tokyo, Japan
 DE-CIX in Frankfurt, Germany
…
 All use Ethernet Switches
ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 76
 Features of IXPs (1)

 Redundancy & Reliability

Multiple switches, UPS

 Support
NOC to provide 24x7 support for problems at the exchange

 DNS, Route Collector, Content & NTP servers

ccTLD & root servers
Content redistribution systems such as Akamai
Route Collector – Routing Table view

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 77

 Features of IXPs (2)

 Location
neutral co-location facilities

 Address space
Peering LAN

 AS Number
If using Route Collector/Server

 Route servers (optional, for larger IXPs)

 Statistics
Traffic data – for membership

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 78

 More info about IXPs

 http://www.ep.net/ep-main.html
Excellent resource for ip address allocation for exchanges,
locations of XPs in the world, AUPs and other policies

 http://www.pch.net/documents
Another excellent resource of IXP locations, papers, IXP
statistics, etc

 http://www.telegeography.com/ee/ix/index.php
A collection of IXPs and interconnect points for ISPs

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 79

 Summary

 L2 IXP – most commonly deployed

The core is an ethernet switch
ATM and other old technologies are obsolete

 L3 IXP – nowadays is a marketing concept used by

wholesale ISPs
Does not offer the same flexibility as L2
Not recommended unless there are overriding regulatory or
political reasons to do so
Avoid!

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 80

 Internet Exchange Point Design

ISP/IXP Workshops

ISP Workshops © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 81