Network

This page describes the NL-ix exchange network. NL-ix has a star-shaped primary network and a ring-shaped backup network. All connections are based on private fiber, lighted at gigabit ethernet speed.

At NL-ix datacenters Foundry BigIron 4000 or 8000 ethernet distribution switches are used for traffic exchange. At the center of the NL-ix exchange network at the Nikhef datacenter location another Foundry BigIron 8000 switch operates as core switch, interconnecting all distribution switches.

The total distributed switching capacity of the NL-ix infrastructure is 1.28 Terabit/s that delivers upto 480.000.000 packets per second (PPS) throughput. NL-ix can support upto 60 10-gigabit ports, upto 320 non-blocking gigabit ethernet ports and upto 720 100 Mbit/s ethernet ports.

Primary network architecture: star-shape

The picture below describes how the NL-ix network looks like during normal operations. All NL-ix datacenters have a direct private fiber connection to the core node or the network (Nikhef). Inherently all payload traffic to other datacenters is routed via the center of the star-shape network, guaranteeing the shortest possible route and maximum bandwidth. All fibers are lighted at gigabit ethernet speed.

NL-ix - Primary Network - September 2003

Backup network architecture: ring shape

This picture describes the ring shaped backup architecture for NL-ix. Between all datacenters backup dark fibers are available. During normal operation these fibers are not lighted, in order to prevent routing loops. In case of a fiber cut to the core of network the backup fiber is lighted between the site having an outage and either of it's neighbors on the ring. Traffic is then routed via that neighbor to the core of the network.

NL-ix - Backup Network - September 2003

Switch infrastructure

		Foundry BigIron 4000
NL-ix operates eleven Foundry BigIron 4000 and 8000 ethernet switches in the exchange network. One functions as core switch, nine operate as distribution/access switch and one is used in the test lab and doubles as cold spare switch. These switches can each support 32 non-blocking gigabit ethernet ports and have upto 128 Gigabit/s distributed switching capacity that delivers upto 48.000.000 packets per second (PPS) throughput.