Peering

Imagine you have a neighborhood with a bunch of houses, all on different streets. Each house represents a network, and the streets connecting them are like the internet. Peering is like two neighbors agreeing to create a direct connection between their houses. 

This way, people from one house can visit their friends in the other house without having to go all the way around the neighborhood.

What is Peering?

Peering is the process where two or more networks agree to connect and exchange traffic directly, without relying on third-party networks. This direct connection helps improve the speed, reliability, and efficiency of data transfer. Think of it as two neighboring cities building a direct road between them, rather than routing all traffic through a distant metropolis.

In the context of the internet, peering is essential for reducing latency (the time it takes for data to travel from one point to another) and managing the vast amount of data traffic that crisscrosses the globe every second. 

This is necessary services that require real-time data exchange, such as video streaming, online gaming, and cloud computing.

‍

{{cool-component}}

‍

Peering vs. Transit Gateway

Peering involves direct connections between networks for faster, more reliable data transfer, while transit gateways use intermediary services to route traffic efficiently, even without direct peering relationships.

Here is how it works:

Types of Peering

Let’s get a clearer picture of how networks collaborate to keep our CDN architecture, and online ecosystem in general, humming along smoothly.

1. Public Peering

Public peering happens at Internet Exchange Points (IXPs), which are like busy marketplaces where networks come together to exchange traffic. 

Think of an IXP as a big town square where neighbors from all over the neighborhood can meet and trade goods directly. Networks connect to a shared infrastructure at the IXP, allowing them to exchange data with many other networks at once. 

This setup is efficient and cost-effective, especially for networks looking to establish connections with multiple peers quickly.

2. Private Peering

Private peering is like a secret handshake between two networks. Instead of meeting in a busy marketplace, they set up a dedicated connection just for themselves. 

This type of peering usually happens when two networks have a significant amount of traffic to exchange, making it worthwhile to invest in a direct link. 

Private peering offers more control and can provide better performance and security since the connection is exclusively used by the two networks involved.

3. Remote Peering

Remote peering allows networks to connect to IXPs without being physically present at the location. Imagine you want to trade goods at the town square but can't be there in person. Instead, you send your goods through a courier service. 

Remote peering works similarly, using intermediary networks to reach the IXP and establish peering relationships. This approach extends the reach of networks, enabling them to peer with others in distant locations without the need for physical infrastructure in those areas.

4. Internet Peering

Internet peering is the process where two or more networks, such as Internet Service Providers (ISPs), data centers, or content delivery networks (CDNs), agree to directly connect and exchange traffic without going through a third-party intermediary. 

This direct connection (usually via peering hub) helps improve the speed, reliability, and efficiency of data transfer by reducing the number of hops data packets need to travel, ultimately enhancing the user experience for activities like video streaming, online gaming, and cloud computing. 

By bypassing congested paths and avoiding additional costs associated with transit services, peering enables networks to deliver content more quickly and reliably to their users.

Who Participates in Peering?

Here's how the peering ecosystem typically evolves:

How Peering Works

Alright, let's dive into the nuts and bolts of how peering actually works.

Step 1: Identifying Potential Peers

First things first, networks need to identify who they want to peer with. 

This is like scoping out the best neighbors to connect with in your community. Networks usually look for peers with whom they exchange a significant amount of traffic. 

The goal is to find partners that can enhance the efficiency and performance of data transfer for both parties.

Step 2: Negotiating Peering Agreements

Once potential peers are identified, it’s time to negotiate the terms of the peering relationship. This involves setting up peering agreements, which define how traffic will be exchanged. 

These agreements can be either bilateral or multilateral:

• Bilateral Peering Agreement: Two networks agree to exchange traffic directly. It’s like two neighbors agreeing to build a direct path between their homes.
• Multilateral Peering Agreement (MLPA): Multiple networks agree to peer with each other through a single, central point, usually an Internet Exchange Point (IXP). Think of this as a community center where everyone can meet and exchange goods.

Step 3: Establishing the Connection

After the agreements are in place, the physical and logical connections are established. This can happen in several ways:

• Public Peering: This occurs at IXPs, which are like bustling marketplaces where multiple networks come together to exchange traffic. Networks connect to a shared infrastructure at the IXP, allowing them to efficiently exchange data with many other networks.
• Private Peering: Two networks set up a dedicated, direct connection between each other. This is ideal for large volumes of traffic and offers greater control and security.
• Remote Peering: Networks connect to an IXP through intermediary networks, allowing them to peer with others without being physically present at the IXP location. It’s like using a courier service to send goods to a distant marketplace.

‍

{{cool-component}}

‍

Step 4: Configuring the Network

With the physical connections in place, the next step is configuring the network equipment to handle the peering traffic. This involves setting up routers and switches to route traffic efficiently between the peering partners. 

Network engineers also implement policies to ensure that traffic is prioritized and managed according to the agreed terms.

Step 5: Monitoring and Maintenance

Peering is not a set-it-and-forget-it arrangement. Networks continuously monitor the performance of their peering connections to ensure everything runs smoothly. 

They look for issues like congestion, packet loss, and latency, making adjustments as needed to maintain optimal performance. 

Regular maintenance and updates are also part of the process to keep the infrastructure in top shape.

What Makes Peering Infrastructure Sustainable?

For an Internet Exchange Point (IXP) or peering ecosystem to thrive long-term, several key ingredients must align:

• Neutral Governance: IXPs flourish when independently managed and vendor-neutral, ensuring fairness and trust across competing networks.
• Local Technical Community: A skilled local community—engineers, operators, and network admins—must be empowered to build, maintain, and evolve the infrastructure.
• Supportive Policy Environment: Government and regulatory frameworks should encourage local interconnection, not force data to route internationally.
• Stakeholder Participation: The IXP must attract a critical mass of networks—ISPs, CDNs, cloud providers, enterprises—to ensure meaningful traffic exchange.
• Capacity Building: Ongoing training, workshops, and community events (like AfPIF or peering roadshows) help share best practices and keep local teams updated.

A sustainable peering ecosystem is collaborative by nature. The more inclusive and technically mature it becomes, the more value it delivers—to networks and users alike.

‍

Benefits of Peering

Peering offers several key benefits:

• Reduced Latency: Direct connections between networks mean data has fewer hops to make, resulting in faster delivery.
• Improved Reliability: By bypassing third-party networks, peering reduces the risk of outages and interruptions.
• Cost Efficiency: Peering can be more cost-effective than purchasing transit services from third-party providers.
• Better Performance: Direct routes improve the overall performance of data transfer, enhancing the user experience for activities like streaming and gaming.

Conclusion

In essence, peering is about creating direct, efficient paths for data to travel between networks, much like building shortcuts between friendly neighbors. Whether through public, private, or remote peering, these connections form the backbone network of the internet, supporting the flow of information that we rely on every day.

‍

FAQs

1. How do IXPs improve internet speed?
An internet exchange point (IXP) shortens the path between networks by enabling direct data exchange. This reduces the number of hops traffic takes, lowering latency and improving speed—especially for content like video streaming or gaming.

2. Who uses Internet Exchange Points?
ISPs, cloud providers, CDNs, enterprises, and academic networks all use internet peering points to exchange traffic efficiently. Even the largest internet exchange point facilities serve hundreds of global participants daily.

3. Why are IXPs critical for data centers?
Data centers hosting IXPs gain strategic value by offering low-latency, high-speed access to multiple networks. This boosts performance, reduces transit costs, and supports direct connections between tenants via peering.

‍