Internet Exchange Services
Connect to More Networks with One of the World's Leading Internet Exchange Operators
PAIX for Public Peering
Whether you need connectivity to your customers to distribute your content or access to multiple networks to exchange traffic or sell transit, there is only one Internet exchange point option synonymous with public peering -- PAIX.
The Internet is a collection of many separate networks. Peering is the interconnection of two networks to exchange their customers' IP traffic for mutual benefit. Peering has traditionally been payment free because each network is generating revenue from its own customers.
Companies typically exchange their traffic to obtain benefits that include:
- Reducing cost by removing traffic from paid Internet transit agreements
- Increasing redundancy by passing traffic across multiple network connections
- Reducing latency by controlling routing and passing traffic over a direct point of exchange
- Improving performance by bypassing potential traffic bottlenecks
There are two types of physical peering interconnections between networks:
- Public peering where multiple networks interconnect using a shared switch fabric. These are typically Ethernet switches.
- Private peering where two networks interconnect utilizing a direct link between the two parties.
PAIX Internet Exchange Service
Public peering typically happens at well connected sites called Internet exchanges (IXs) which contain a large number of diverse networks. Switch and Data is one of the world's leading IX operators and its PAIX Internet exchange was the world's first commercial IX for public peering. Today Switch and Data operates PAIX exchanges in six key markets across the United States.
The explosive growth of Web 2.0 with its bandwidth intensive websites for social networking, rich digital content, and business software applications is causing IP traffic volumes on the Internet to surge. The need to scale network interconnections to pass this traffic between partners in a way that maximizes performance and minimizes expense has driven strong growth in the peering market. Switch and Data's PAIX Internet exchange services have been particularly popular, and we recently announced that on our PAIX Internet exchanges grew at about twice the rate of overall Internet traffic in the past year.
Efficiencies of Public Peering
Public peering allows companies to:
- Improve efficiency by accessing multiple peers over a one-to-many interconnection through a single interface. This reduces port and interconnection expense
- Increase the control and distribution of traffic flows across multiple peers
- Improve speed to market, since turning up peers is not reliant on the provisioning of cross connects
The exchange of Internet traffic typically flows between content sites that push traffic out to end users, and broadband end user or "eyeball" networks that receive this traffic. A key to PAIX's success is the large number of both types in our IXs.
200 peers are available on PAIX Internet exchanges including most of the United States' premium Internet content sites and the global eyeball networks that interconnect with them.
PAIX is Available in Key Internet Hubs
PAIX is Available in 6 Switch and Data Markets
- East and west coast PAIX locations are dominant Internet Exchange points for ever-growing trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific routes
- Vienna, VA is ideal market to establish redundant architecture to support New York/New Jersey deployment
- PAIX footprint markets effectively enable participants to meet peering policy guidelines requiring multiple US peering points
- PAIX peering is available between companies located in multiple Switch and Data sites in a market
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San Francisco Bay area exchange locations
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New York metro area exchange locations
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Dallas metro area exchange locations
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Northern Virginia area exchange locations
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Seattle metro area exchange locations
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Benefits of Peering at PAIX
- 6 public peering locations
- More than 200 peering participants
- Guaranteed availability with 99.999% uptime backed by best-in-class proactive SLAs
- Multiple interconnection options
- IPv4 and IPv6 available
- Speeds available from Fast Ethernet to 10GigE
Access to unique routes
- PAIX Palo Alto is primary destination of Asian network head ends
- New York/New Jersey PAIX market is fast becoming key peering point for European eyeball networks
Peering tools
- PAIX peering and traffic management tools
- MRTG and sFlow - Track and manage your traffic across the exchange or to existing peers
- Renesys - Delivers real time traffic analysis and peer information
- Peer Finder - Unique to PAIX participants this tool will identify which peers you are missing at PAIX
Peering introductions
- Dedicated team to introduce prospective peers to the right contacts to drive new peering agreements
- Walk those new to peering through the courting process
- Web MarketPlace provides appropriate contact information to establish public and private peering sessions
IPv6
- PAIX has long been a proponent of IPv6
- We believe that the transition to IPv6 is inevitable and we want to help our participants through it
- We have a good representation of key IPv6 networks on our exchanges
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