Edge-IX is a distributed Internet Exchange available to businesses and ISPs across the UK. Edge-IX interconnects small and large ISPs, international content and applications providers which allows businesses to keep their Internet traffic local.
Over the last five years, NWIX has invested heavily in a nationwide high performance fibre network. Edge-IX exchange services are available from all data centre locations on this network which means our customers can benefit from professional peering services with other on-net peers, not just within a single city, but nationwide.
Peering provides a cost effective means of exchanging traffic by reducing upstream connectivity. The more members that set up peering arrangements with each other, the more beneficial it is to the members. Peering arrangements are set up between members or via the Edge-IX multi-lateral peering router. Internet Exchange services provide the means of improving network performance though enhanced connectivity and redundancy and more direct traffic flows. Many UK content providers also recognise the important role Edge-IX plays as part of a comprehensive DDoS mitigation strategy.
Edge-IX delivers guaranteed services – unlike some of the community exchanges – and members joining the exchange will immediately benefit from the existing peer group. Access providers include Carphone Warehouse and Virgin Media and content providers such as the BBC, Google including YouTube are also members. Edge-IX offers a range of services and ports and supports both IPv4 and IPv6. As a distributed exchange, it has the benefit of being available from a wide variety of geographical locations rather than just in a single metropolitan area as is the case with many other exchanges. The distributed nature of this exchange means that local traffic is kept local and that content is served closer to the edge.