IXP meansInternet Exchange Point. It is also known as a Network Access Point or NAP. AnIXP is a physical point where differentISPs meet to exchange their data and hence different networks are connected together to form the Internet.IXPs are perhaps the most important part of the Internet, as without them the concept of globalwide area networking would not be possible.[1]
The firstIXPs established were the Metropolitan Area Ethernet in Washington D.C., the Commercial Internet Exchange in Palo Alto, the Federal Internet Exchange in San Jose and the Hong Kong Internet Exchange at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.[2]
There are 91 countries with 1 or moreIXPs. However, 106 countries depend on others for data transfer and need to develop their ownIXPs.[3] The list of all theIXPs present in the world can be foundhere.
AnIXP reduces anISP's cost of data interchange to a great extent. If a region has its ownIXP, theISPs connecting to it do not have to pay anything. However, ifIXPs are not presentISPs would have to pay third party networks to do the same job.[4]
Due to the presence of anIXP, the network paths are increased therefore increasing the routing efficiency. It becomes easy forISPs to connect to otherISPs across borders.[5]
Furthermore, the speed of data transfer through anIXP is much higher due to the greater bandwidth. The absence ofIXPs in under-developed regions creates a poor network and the quality of data transfer is not so good.[6]
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