• This post was co-authored by John Souter. • Over the past twenty years working in the Internet Exchange Point (IXP) ecosystem, I have seen many cycles of optimism, worry, expansion, and reinvention. • In recent months, I’ve heard a familiar narrative resurfacing: That peering is slowing down, that IXPs are losing relevance, and that more traffic is being exchanged ‘outside’ the traditional fabrics. • In John Souter’s and my paperPeering Market at a Glance, we examined whether these claims hold up against global data and through the lens of operators who manage IXPs day in and day out. • Surface-level metrics no longer tell the full story In some mature markets, we did see slight dips in Autonomous System Number (ASN) counts or slower growth in deployed capacity, but these are not signs of decline. • Instead, they reflect a natural market evolution: Traffic consolidating into fewer, larger networks, the widespread use of Private Network Interconnects (PNIs), the migration of caches and compute deeper into access networks, and the plateau that naturally occurs as a market reaches maturity.

Article Summaries:

  • Summary

John Souter and co‑author analyze recent claims that Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) are losing relevance. Using global data from PeeringDB and the Internet Society’s Pulse IXP Tracker, they find that while some mature markets show modest dips in Autonomous System counts or capacity growth, overall IXP capacity continues to rise, especially in regions with expanding domestic markets. The study highlights regional variations-Latin America’s new hubs, Europe’s stable but evolving centers, Africa’s growth limited by monopolies, and Asia‑Pacific’s rapid gains amid policy challenges. IXPs are increasingly serving local traffic, enhancing resilience, supporting ultra‑low‑latency services, and attracting diverse participants such as banks and public administrations, signalling a shift from simple peering to a broader interconnection ecosystem.

  • This post was co-authored by John Souter. Over the past twenty years working in the Internet Exchange Point (IXP) ecosystem, I have seen many cycles of optimism, worry, expansion, and reinvention. In recent months, I’ve heard a familiar narrative resurfacing: That peering is slowing down, that IXPs are losing relevance, and that more traffic is being exchanged ‘outside’ the traditional fabrics. In John Souter’s and my paper Peering Market at a Glance, we examined whether these claims hold up against global data and through the lens of operators who manage IXPs day in and day out. Surface-level

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