Internet Exchange Provider - Peering - PAIX / The former Switch and Data, now Equinix

Internet Exchange Connect to More Networks with One of the World's Leading Internet Exchange Operators

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Peering Overview

PAIX^® Internet Exchange Services

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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. Equinix is one of the world's leading IX operators and Equinix's PAIX Internet exchange was the world's first commercial IX for public peering. Today Equinix operates PAIX exchanges in seven key markets across North America.

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. Equinix'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.

See our PAIX growth press release

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 7 North American 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 Equinix sites in a market


San Francisco Bay area exchange locations Palo Altot San Jose Sunnyvale San Francisco

New York metro area exchange locations New York New York North Bergen, NJ

Atlanta AT1 AT2/AT3

Dallas metro area exchange locations Dallas INFOMART Dallas

Northern Virginia area exchange locations Vienna

Seattle metro area exchange locations Seattle Seattle

Toronto area exchange locations Toronto

Benefits of Peering at PAIX

6 public peering markets
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