African ixp workshop C2C Summit 2015

1. AFIX
The African IXP Association
Connect2Connect / July 2015 / Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Frank Habicht / geier@tix.or.tz

2. About AF-IX
AF-IX is the definitive group of Internet
exchange point operators from across Africa,
brought together by a shared need to
coordinate and exchange knowledge.

3. About AF-IX
Our purpose is to provide an enabling
environment for Internet exchange point
operators.
We aim to help IXPs maximize their value, to
improve connectivity within the continent, and
increase the Internet’s value for all.

4. About AF-IX
● Founded in 2014 at AfPIF in Dakar, Senegal
● Informal organizational structure
● Co-coordinators:
o Kyle Spencer / Nishal Goburdhan
● 33 IXPs in 22 countries
o Out of 54 countries in Africa (AU)

5. What is an IXP?
Simply put: a (set of) switch(es) where various
networks can connect with each other.
There should be at least three.

6. What is an IXP?
An IXP is a place in the ecosystem, where
interconnection between networks is made
easy.
• Local traffic can stay local, regional traffic
can stay regional,
• networks can achieve cost savings, efficient
traffic routing, better service quality for
consumers

7. Recent launches:
● Gambia
● Burundi
● Mauritius

8. AFIX Benchmark
● Annual survey of IXPs in Africa
● Helps us better understand our region
● First iteration launched in May 2015
o Data received from 61% of IXPs in the region (20)
o Full verification and analysis will take place after all
IXPs have submitted responses
● Early indications (incomplete data):

9. Benchmark: Early Indications

10. Benchmark: Early Indications

11. Benchmark: Early Indications

12. Benchmark: Early Indications

13. Benchmark: Early Indications

14. Benchmark: Early Indications

15. Benchmark: Early Indications
Additional observations (incomplete data):
● 59 Gbps +
● 522 ports +
● 70% have one or more route servers
● 70% host DNS root servers
● Good participation within countries

16. How to succeed
• know the needs of the market
• build trust
• mutual competitors are to co-operate
• keep overheads / costs low
• keep fees low, get all players connected
• avoid obstacles for peers to connect
• don’t impose restrictive policies

17. Various models
- Commercial / non-profit
- As part of other (colocation) business
- Community or member-run
- Located in own facility, neutral place, or a
market player?

18. Decisions…
There are best practices:
- Neutral location
- Transparent governance
- Sustainability – are fees charged?

19. Changing environment
• Initially it is advised to have only one IXP in
a Metro area – to avoid spreading.
• Extending an IXP over multiple locations –
within a Metro area
• Connecting “remote peers” through a carrier

20. Create incentives
Value-adds:
• Statistics
• BGP route servers
• Looking glass
• DNS root servers

21. More Information
● Visit our website
o http://www.af-ix.net/
● Join our public mailing list
o http://af-ix.net/mailman/listinfo/
● Follow us on Twitter
o @AF_IX
● E-mail me
o geier@tix.or.tz