On Properties of Internet Exchange Points and Their Impact on AS Topology and Relationship

Abstract

Abstract. Internet eXchange Points (IXPs) are one of two primary methods for Autonomaus Systems (ASes) to interconnect with each other for exchanging traffic and for global Internet reachability. This paper explores the properties of IXPs and their impact on the AS topology and AS business relations using Scriptraute and Skitter traceroute probes, BGP routing archives and other data. With these datasets we develop an algorithm to discover IXPs aud infer ASes that participate at these IXPs. Using the discovered IXPs and their inferred AS participants, we analyze and characterize the properties of IXPs and their participants such as size, geographical locations. We also investigate the impact of IXPs on the global AS topology and business relations between ASes. Our study sheds light on the Internet interconnection practices and the evolution of the Internet, in particular, the potential role IXPs play in such evolution.

A Study on Mapping Internet Exchange Points based on their Peering Matrixes and Shed Lights

“…This paper discuss the IXP characteristics and approaches by which IXP related data can be collected from different resources, which helps for a better understanding of those peering matrices in IXPs (i.e. who peers with whom at which IXP) [12]. Although, IXPs play a vital role in the AS level topology construction, the properties of IXPs such as geographical location, size distributions and members in an IXP makes a large impact on AS topology.…”

“…However, there is an increasing evidence that the data collected and inferred from BGP table data and traceroute experiments is of insufficient proof and difficult to refer the complete AS level topology [10,11]. [12] work highlighted the inadequacy in the approach of finding the AS level topology and presented few methods for inferring peering. They also shed some lights on the need for better alternative approaches for modeling AS level topology.…”

“…There are two projects which systematically gather all this information and make a database which is publicly available. They are Packet Clearing House (PCH) and PeeringDB (PDB) [12]. Since, IXPs treat their peering arrangement as a personal propriety and sometimes are not willing to publish their records; accuracy of the information on the websites is still a challenging debate.…”

traIXroute: Detecting IXPs in traceroute paths

“…Besides, a group of previous studies, starting with Xu et al [27] and then followed by He et al [22] and Augustin et al [13], focus on inferring participating ASes and peerings at IXPs from targeted traceroute measurements. Compared to these studies, our goal is different: we build a general-purpose traceroute tool, while they aim at discovering as many peering links as possible.…”

“…Compared to these studies, our goal is different: we build a general-purpose traceroute tool, while they aim at discovering as many peering links as possible. The basic methodology developed in [27] and then significantly extended in [22] and [13] detects IXPs based on assigned IP address prefixes and uses various heuristics to infer peering ASes. The seminal work of Augustin et al [13] exploited also data for BGP routers at IXP, but by querying 1.1K BGP Looking Glass servers, which had significant processing cost.…”