Internet exchanges are an integral part of the structure of the internet, allowing internet service providers to directly connect to other networks. These exchanges have been proven to significantly increase the quality of internet connections, as well as allowing ISPs to save on the costs of transit, as an internet exchange simplifies the transfer of data between networks.
It is for this reason that many ISPs seek to connect to as many internet exchanges as possible, helping to improve their connectivity in regions around the world. As an internet service provider for business in the Philippines, RISE is connected to 12 internet exchanges across the globe, including the Manila based exchange, GetaFIX.
This article will examine the role that internet exchange points such as GetaFIX can play in improving the quality and cost of the internet, to the benefit of ISPs, content providers and ultimately, all internet users in the Philippines.
What is GetaFIX?
GetaFIX was established by RISE in 2018 with a goal of bringing high quality content delivery network (CDN) connectivity and peering to ISPs in the Philippines, thus improving the speed and redundancy of internet services for all Filipinos. GetaFIX, as an internet exchange, is the nation’s only private neutral internet exchange dedicated to its members and improving internet access for all. The GetaFIX exchange operates on standard pricing models within multiple data centers in Luzon.
With over 50 content partners including Amazon, Facebook, Cloudflare and Valve Corporation, the GetaFIX exchange was born from RISE’s mission to accelerate internet in the Philippines.
GetaFIX Features
Public Peering
GetaFIX operates dual (fully redundant) Route Servers on the BIRD platform that support BGP community control of route advertisements to peers – all the control of bilateral peering without having to establish a full mesh of BGP sessions. GetaFIX network infrastructure also fully supports IPv6.
CDNs
Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) operate as local stores of the major content on the internet. Having CDNs located in an internet exchange means more traffic can shift off expensive transit links and onto the internet exchange, whilst improving performance by providing content locally instead of from overseas.
Private VLAN
Private VLANs are fully supported on GetaFIX so you can establish private connectivity between yourself and another network, or between two ports in different GetaFIX data centers.
Carrier Neutral
GetaFIX operates on a fixed pricing model – everyone pays the same prices for the same bandwidth, and anyone can connect within one of the three data centers in Luzon.
Why does the Philippines need the GetaFIX exchange?
Internet growth has been a large part of the story of growth for the Philippines in recent years. With the nation being ranked number one in the world for internet usage, Filipinos are searching for better speeds for things such as e-commerce, streaming, HD video, online gaming, and social media.
The business sector also continues to expand in the Philippines, requiring more bandwidth to connect their operations with customers around the world. Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) is one of the top sources of foreign currency for the Philippines, with it being predicted that the nation’s IT-BPO revenue will grow to reach US $38.9 billion by 2022.
Thus, the internet and networking infrastructure has become increasingly important to consumers, the economy and businesses in the Philippines. With this background, an increasing number of providers are recognizing the value proposition of a neutral internet exchange and are seeking out potential connection points.
Unfortunately, in the Philippines, there is a lack of carrier-neutral internet exchanges. There is one exchange run by the government, although it is quite difficult for many smaller providers to get access to.
The section known as “the last mile” to connect to the internet exchange can significantly increase the cost for many ISPs, and many smaller providers do not possess the resources to be a part of it. Because of this lack of accessibility, internet exchanges are not being used to their full potential.
This is where the GetaFIX exchange comes in. GetaFIX runs on the philosophy that “when we share, everyone wins.” It is hoped that if ISPs and content providers can come together within GetaFIX, the exchange can create the ‘network effect’ – attracting an even wider variety of service providers and CDNs for the benefit of the entire country. As each new member connects, there is largely no additional work required by the existing members in order to start exchanging traffic and gaining the benefits.
As GetaFIX grows, the internet exchange can substantially reduce the cost of providing services to the larger part of internet providers in the Philippines.
GetaFIX brings content closer
With the majority of internet content being based outside of the Philippines, data packets can travel to Hong Kong, Singapore or other regional hubs before going to Europe or North America. Whilst this is quite normal where warranted, much of the cached content can be accessed locally.
GetaFIX brings content closer, allowing to access content located within the Philippines, instead of accessing content outside the country. This will make internet speeds faster, reduce latency, and help to reduce the cost of the internet. This is likely to result in a reduction in the usage of IP transit, making it an efficient and cost-effective means of handling data transit for ISPs. In most cases, the traffic will go via the internet exchange, instead of going outside the country, which results in higher quality internet for you as an end user.
GetaFIX also helps smaller ISPs overcome the challenges of getting the attention of larger content providers. When many ISPs and content providers come together to exchange traffic at an internet exchange, everybody wins. Content providers can deliver content faster to a larger customer base, and ISPs can work alongside content providers they once thought were above their level.
So what are the key factors to be aware of when analyzing the quality of an internet exchange?
What Makes a Great Internet Exchange?
GetaFIX and many great internet exchanges in the world have these in common:
- Fair and Open Access
An internet exchange that is fair and open will have a neutral price point for the same bandwidth, ensuring that no carrier receives preferential treatment. A fair and equal playing field in this respect is vital for a healthy internet exchange ecosystem, as it encourages all players to come together to achieve better outcomes for all.
- Partnerships
Existing partnerships are a sign of a great internet exchange, as having a diverse range of ISPs and content providers already onboard means that new players can begin exchanging data and start reaping the rewards of the exchange as soon as they join.
- Robust Infrastructure
The strongest internet exchanges will always have reliable, redundant and diverse infrastructure in place to provide high uptimes and service reliability. Preferably, they’ll have multiple data centre locations (GetaFIX has three), helping to decrease the costs and difficulties involved for those members looking to connect by providing more connectivity options.
- Mission
The main objective of an internet exchange should be to generate value for its members and users. For GetaFIX, this value is in accelerating the internet for all our users in the Philippines. Members can be confident that the internet exchange will act in the interests of all members.
- Pricing Strategy
A great internet exchange should be priced just above its running cost to ensure its offer remains competitive, thus attracting the widest variety of ISPs and content providers to connect. Ultimately, the more networks that connect to an exchange, the more value it provides for all involved.
- Locally Positioned
Location is a pivotal aspect of internet exchanges and the exchange you connect with should have their data centres positioned locally to carriers and your target market of consumers.
What can GetaFIX do for me?
One question that is often asked is what does an ISP have to gain from connecting to GetaFIX, and are those ISPs that are connected to the exchange superior to others who are not? This depends on the operations of your company.
For small to medium sized ISPs an internet exchange such as GetaFIX can be hugely beneficial. GetaFIX would allow you to host content you wouldn’t normally be able to acquire on your own. Furthermore, you will receive most, if not all of your content providers and other ISP peering relationships via GetaFIX.
For mid to large sized ISPs, GetaFIX will host most of the peering content you wouldn’t normally be able to acquire. The internal caches you have can be made redundant through GetaFIX, so you’re covered in the event that the internal caches go down.
Conclusion
Being on lockdown, forcing nearly everyone to remain in their homes brought about a significant surge in home internet usage, be it to stream content or to attend back-to-back online meetings. This change has only highlighted the importance not only of GetaFIX in the country, but also of internet exchanges in general – to be able to support the ever changing internet usage behavior without sacrificing the quality with which users experience the internet.
