LINX Gets Virtual

LONDON -- Europe's largest Internet exchange point has started a campaign to improve the speed and reliability of the Internet worldwide by attracting more members from overseas.

The London Internet Exchange (LINX) is one of several exchange points across the globe where Internet service providers (ISPs) and others exchange traffic between their networks. Exchanging traffic in this way offers ISPs benefits in terms of economy, reliability and speed - benefits which can be passed on to users who will gain swifter and more certain access to web pages or e-mails. To obtain membership of LINX, and join the 140 ISPs from around the world which already exchange traffic there, ISPs have previously had to site hardware at one or more of LINX's eight London sites.

Now LINX is offering ISPs which might find the capital costs of such a move prohibitive an opportunity to establish a 'virtual presence'. Under a scheme which LINX has badged as 'LINX from Anywhere', some existing LINX members are now offering other ISPs private point-to-point Ethernet connections on their international networks. The connections terminate in a dedicated Ethernet port, with an individual IP address controlled by the customer ISP, on the member's router at LINX.

The system provides the customer ISP with a 'tunnelled' connection into LINX. It gives totally secure communications and a physical presence within the existing member's hardware, allowing the customer ISP to make connections with other LINX members. LINX sales and marketing manager Vanessa Evans said: "Under the LINX from Anywhere scheme, this type of virtual presence allows ISPs to meet one of the requirements for LINX membership - although they still need to demonstrate that they meet the technical and quality standards required to become members."

The London Internet Exchange Ltd. (LINX)