LINX (The London Internet Exchange) a presentation to the 6 th PTT Forum John Souter Chief Executive Officer November 2012
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LINX (The London Internet Exchange)
a presentation to the 6th PTT Forum
John Souter
Chief Executive Officer November 2012
Agenda
1. LINX Mission and Ethos 2. A little history 3. Peering & membership 4. Statistics 5. Network architecture 6. Member services & prices 7. LINX today 8. Some reflections
for the PTT Forum
LINX Mission
• To facilitate Internet interconnection, especially through public peering
• To represent the interests of our members in matters of public policy
As a neutral, mutually owned membership
association
LINX Ethos
• Mutual and proud of it! – Mutual = owned and operated for the members that it serves – Single stakeholder
• Completely open membership • Only technical rules: – For network hygiene
• Driving prices downwards…
The good of the Internet
• LINX has had a long tradition of supporting services and projects ‘for the good of the Internet’ • Some examples: – “Looking Glass” network route inspection tool – Hosting of root and top level/secondary DNS servers, and a number of information collectors etc. • https://www.linx.net/good/hosting.html
– Development of best practice documents (e.g. on SPAM) – A training initiative, resulting in a series of LINX accredited Internet technician (LAIT) course and qualifications – Associate membership, to allow organisations to connect to the LINX peering LANs without charge
A little history…
A little early history…
• LINX was born in 1994, quite early for an IXP! • We were very lucky to form a relationship with
Telehouse Europe – One of the first data centres in the world
• The early years were based on volunteers • But gradually we recruited staff – Keith Mitchell was our first Executive Chairman
• LINX was also quite restrictive – You could only join if you were a ‘real’ ISP – Which, of course, is impossible to define J – So we become completely open
Some key events in our history
• 1994: Born in Telehouse as a not-for-profit mutual • 1996: LINX is first IXP in the world to deploy a 100Mb switch • 1999: First IXP to come a MAN over gigabit Ethernet • 1999: LINX employs a full-time ‘Regulation Officer’ • 2000: A failed attempt to ‘de-mutualise’ LINX • 2002: LINX is the first IXP to employ 10Gb Ethernet • 2003: Launch of the 'LINX from Anywhere' service • 2004: Expansion of footprint, with four new PoPs • 2008: Further expansion, to three new PoPs outside Docklands • 2011: Migration to Juniper & VPLS for our primary LAN • 2012: IXManchester goes live, launch of the ConneXions reseller
programme and first member 100G port
Peering & membership
Rationale for peering?
Peering offers many benefits to network operators: • More efficient routing for ISPs – Enables latency sensitive services (e.g. VOIP)
• Saves money – Lower cost to end users and/or more profit
• Gives ISPs & content providers more control – Better services to end users – Lower dependency on things they can’t control
Which organisations peer at LINX?
• 65 of the top 100 global networks • Almost all UK ISPs • Content – BBC, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Twitter, Yahoo!…
• Content Delivery – Akamai, BitGravity, Edgecast, Limelight, …
• Many of the largest access networks – AboveNet, DT, Level3, NTT, Telefonica, XO, …
• Education and Research – Eduserve, JANET, NORDUnet, TENET
Member network types
Member peering policies
• 60% of LINX peers are open • 25% are selective – Business case required to peer
• 10% are restrictive – Large Telcos
• 5% are currently closed – Largest Telcos, “Tier 1” Backbones
• Multilateral peering gives over 50%
Selective Peering
Restrictive Peering
Closed to Peering
Open to Peering
LINX membership reach
LINX in partnership
• LINX from Anywhere – A scheme to encourage layer-2 connections to
the exchange from distant places – Very successful over the years, perhaps 20% of
our members connect this way… • ConneXions – ConneXions allows third parties the opportunity
to resell LINX ports – Networks from around the world are able to
utilise their layer 2 network to connect remotely to the exchange
– The reselling of VLANs allows channel partners to bring in multiple members across an individual 10GE port
New in 2012
Peering facilitation
• This is the key role for Internet exchanges, so what does LINX do? • As much as we can! – Route servers (for multilateral peering) – Encouragement of member-to-member contact • Quarterly member meetings in London • Outreach meetings around the UK and internationally • Our UK regional peering initiative • Listing of member peering policies on our website • Publishing member peering@ email addresses • ‘Peering personal’ sessions at our meetings • Personal introductions… and much, much more…
Statistics
LINX statistics
• What are the important statistics (for an IXP)? • The answer (in this order):
1. Routes 2. Members 3. Connected capacity and traffic 4. Ports
LINX statistics
• So how does LINX measure up? – Routes: • ~80% of global routing table • 288 members connected to the LINX route servers
– Members: • 443 members (see LINX MoU for membership definition)
– Traffic: • >1.5 Tb/sec peak public peering traffic • >6Tb/sec connected capacity for public peering • Total traffic >3 Tb/sec (including LINX private peering)
– Ports • >1000 member ports, including one member 100G port!
LINX route servers
• LINX maintains route servers on all of our public peering LANs for multilateral peering – In London, we offer resilient pairs on each LAN • Utilising the BIRD and enhanced Quagga routing daemons
LINX public peering statistics
• Do you really want to see a traffic graph?
LINX public peering statistics
Architecture
LINX LAN architecture (London)
• LINX London primary LAN is based on equipment from Juniper Networks – Architecture is VPLS – Edge routers are Juniper MX series (mostly MX960s) – Core routers are Juniper PTX5000
• LINX London secondary LAN is based on equipment from Extreme Networks – Architecture is currently rings (with EAPS), but is in transition to VPLS (early in 2013) – Core/edge routers are Extreme X8s – Edge routers are X450 and X670
Points of Presence - London
LINX Juniper LAN
LINX Juniper LAN at games time
27
Juniper PTX and MX series
Juniper Networks PTX5000 Packet
Transport Switch
Juniper Networks MX960 3D Universal
Edge Router
LINX Extreme LAN
LINX Extreme Peering LAN
30
Extreme X8 router
Extreme Networks
BlackDiamond X8 offers 2.56Tbps per slot capacity and more than 20Tbps total
switching capacity with 768 ports of line rate
10GbE
LINX regional peering initiative
• LINX has been very successful in London – But we realised that we were inhibiting regional peering in the rest of the UK – That realisation leads to the conclusion that we should do something about it (with the support of our members)
• So, a regional peering initiative was born in 2011 • First regional exchange opened in Manchester in 2012 • Now exploring whether we can open more exchanges in
Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and in the regions of England – The key factor will be support from a local community of interest
LINX LAN architecture (Manchester)
• Currently a single Brocade RX16 switch • Planning further sites in Manchester, and an eventual
conversion to VPLS architecture – (probably with routers from Extreme Networks)
Point of Presence – Manchester
Member services & prices
LINX Services
• 100Mb, 250Mb, 500Mb, 1G, 10G or 100G ports – Lower prices on 2nd LAN and in the regional peering points – 100G only on primary LAN and at selected sites
• LINX-managed private interconnect – Intra-site (at 4 high demand sites) – Inter-site fibre and DWDM transmission – 1GE and 10GE waves between sites
• Multicast, IPv6 • Bilateral and multilateral peering (route servers) • sFlow tools for members
LINX Prices
• Annual membership fee = £1200 • Monthly port fees (primary/secondary LAN) – 100Mb: £70/£70 – 250Mb: £108/£72 – 500Mb: £172/£128 – 1G: £300/£200 – 10G: £1300/£1000/£750* – 100G: £7900/(n/a)
* Price in the regions, lower speed ports are currently free
LINX Public Affairs
LINX Public Affairs
LINX Public Affairs
LINX Governance
• Ultimately, a democratic membership organisation – The annual budget is presented to the membership for approval – The Mem & Arts and the MoU (membership contract) are the key governance documents, subject to membership approval for any and all changes
• In practice, much responsibility is assumed by an elected council (aka The Board) – Six non-executives, elected by the membership for three year terms, two seats up for election each year – One employed director (the CEO)
LINX Member Meetings
LINX Member Meetings
• We hold 4 main meetings per year – These attract 150+ attendees and many more by webcast
• At least two “constitutional meetings” per year – Members vote on the annual accounts – Members vote on MoU changes – Members elect their Council members
• Format is usually one and a half days – Mixture of peering facilitation, technical, commercial & regulatory affairs content
LINX Today
LINX Today
• 444 members, growth accelerating – 88 new applications for membership in 2012
• Completely open, only technical rules • Maintaining the mutual company model • Points of presence in ten sites in London and one in
Manchester • Extensive & diverse multi-vendor dark fibre and VPLS
network • Offices in Peterborough and London • 40+ staff
LINX Today
• Three world’s firsts with Juniper Networks in 2012: – First to upgrade latest MX series high-speed switch fabrics – First customer to go live with PTX supercore routers – First customer to go into production with 100G port on MX series routers
• Early adopter (first in the IXP world?) with new X8 core/edge router from Extreme Networks • Plans for more UK regional exchanges, new services
(based on MPLS/VPLS) and a vPoP channel programme for data centres
LINX Today
• Competing as a commercial company – Whilst retaining our distinctive mutuality
• Reducing fees and growing strongly • Increasing international reach – LINX ConneXions
Closing remarks for PTT.br
• Peering can’t be controlled or regulated – Are you listening, ITU?
• So peering will happen where it ‘wants’ to happen • Therefore, LINX does not seek exclusive relationships with
members – We encourage them to join as many exchanges as make sense for
them – Perhaps this should be the paradigm for South America?
• Peering facilitation is important – Imagine the value of getting 280+ peerings on day one at LINX? – As an IXP, you can’t do too much to facilitate peering – Content wants to meet access, so encourage it!
Questions?
• Website: – https://www.linx.net
• Contact: – [email protected] – [email protected] – [email protected] – +44 1733 20 77 00
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