Launch of a potential European peering platform, connecting 1200 networks through Cross-IX, MIX, and AMS-IX.
In a significant move to bolster the digital landscape, MIX, the Milan-based Internet Exchange (IX), and AMS-IX, the Amsterdam-based Internet Exchange, have announced a strategic partnership. The partnership, signed on December 10, 2024, will offer the new Cross-IX service, connecting the two major IXPs for the first time.
The Cross-IX service offers substantial benefits, particularly for medium and small-sized networks. By providing direct peering access between AMS-IX in Amsterdam and MIX in Milan, it facilitates smoother, lower-latency traffic exchange between networks connected at either location. This interconnection extends network reach without requiring these networks to establish multiple direct physical connections.
With Cross-IX, these networks gain broader access to a diverse set of peers and potential customers across both the Netherlands and Italy through a single link. The service also ensures cost efficiency and scalability, addressing the budget and complexity constraints that smaller networks often face when deploying multiple point-to-point connections.
Moreover, the Cross-IX service enhances network stability and performance for smaller networks relying on regional or international connectivity, offering an additional path for internet traffic between the two major IXPs. This improved redundancy and resilience can be a game-changer for networks seeking optimized, scalable, and cost-effective interconnection.
The partnership is expected to further enrich MIX's service portfolio and strengthen MIX's leadership alongside AMS-IX, a prominent player in the Internet world. MIX's Cross-IX service will be available for subscription by the end of January 2025, with the first activations expected by Q1 2025.
The announcement was made during the Salotto 2024 event, which had 1,700 registered participants. The partnership is expected to allow both organizations to expand their customer portfolios, providing local small operators with the opportunity to virtualize their presence beyond borders.
Cross-IX allows customers of MIX and AMS-IX to easily reach hundreds of new networks without risks, delays, hardware requirements, or additional administrative burdens. For MIX customers, this means access to nearly 800 networks of AMS-IX not present in their city, while AMS-IX customers will be able to connect to around 300 networks not connected to Amsterdam.
Over 17 Tbit/s of high-quality peering traffic can be accessed through a single physical connection with Cross-IX. With this service, users can access the networks of the other IX with a single physical connection, making digital expansion more accessible and efficient than ever before.
MIX aims to continue its growth trajectory alongside AMS-IX, offering its customers the opportunity to expand their connectivity ecosystem through AMS-IX's Cross-IX service. Peter van Burgel, CEO of AMS-IX, expressed his excitement about MIX offering its customers this opportunity, while Alessandro Talotta, Executive President & Chairman of MIX, expressed that AMS-IX has been a strategic partner for MIX.
In essence, the Cross-IX service simplifies and extends connectivity options for medium and small-sized networks, enabling them to leverage the combined ecosystem of AMS-IX and MIX for optimized, scalable, and cost-effective interconnection.
- The Cross-IX service, a product of the strategic partnership between MIX and AMS-IX, utilizes technology to connect the two Internet Exchange Points, offering an opportunity for networks, particularly medium and small-sized ones, to benefit from data-and-cloud-computing advancements in sports.
- The Cross-IX service, set to be available for subscription by the end of January 2025, has the potential to transform sports by offering a cost-efficient solution for broadening network reach, enhancing network stability, and facilitating smoother, lower-latency traffic exchange, thanks to its integration of sports networks with AMS-IX and MIX's diverse ecosystems.
