- Internet Exchange Points offer a critical vantage point of the Internet’s stability, security, and efficiency at a local level.
- NAMEX has been measuring Internet traffic passing through it’s IXPs in Italy since 1995.
- Streamed content has led to significant increases in traffic at IXPs.
Internet exchange points (IXPs) are critical Internet infrastructure hubs that connect traffic from many networks. They create shorter routes for Internet traffic, resulting in more affordable, resilient, stable, and efficient Internet connectivity for local users.
This role gives them a critical vantage point of the Internet’s stability, security, and efficiency, particularly at a local level. Monitoring the Internet at IXPs allows operators and researchers to:
- Identify faults, congestion, and bottlenecks quickly, optimizing performance and ensuring a faster and more reliable connection.
- Detect suspicious activity, such as cyberattacks or abnormal data flows, enabling a prompt response to prevent disruptions or damage.
- Plan network capacity expansion based on traffic growth trends.
- Study the evolution of the network and develop new technologies.
How Has Internet Traffic Changed in Italy Over the Years?
The IXP that I work for, Namex, is based in Rome. It has been measuring the traffic passing through its interconnection infrastructure since its inception in 1995.
In the early 2000s, most Internet traffic passed between traditional Internet Service Providers (ISPs). As the web grew, content providers became increasingly important. However, content distribution was often slow and inefficient because servers were concentrated in a few central locations, often far from users.
Rise of CDNs and Streaming
This scenario led to the rise of the first Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), which began interconnecting with IXPs to distribute content closer to end users. The goal was to reduce latency and improve the quality of the browsing experience.
As streaming services like Netflix, YouTube, and Amazon Prime Video became popular, IXPs started managing significantly more Internet traffic, particularly high-definition video. This was certainly the case for Namex from around 2011 (Figure 2), leading us to increase monitoring and analysis of our traffic and, subsequently, the Namex Observatory.
COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic marked a turning point for Internet traffic, especially at IXPs. With the introduction of lockdown measures and an increase in remote work and e-learning, there was an unprecedented surge in demand for online services. IXPs recorded exceptional traffic peaks, 40-60% higher than pre-pandemic levels.
During this period, the infrastructure of networks and IXPs proved resilient, but the traffic growth forced IXPs to expand their capacity rapidly.
Live streaming
In recent years, live-streaming services such as DNAZ have added a new dimension to traffic management at IXPs.
Broadcasting live events across the Internet requires the availability of a large amount of bandwidth in real-time, and the traffic generated is highly concentrated in short time windows.
This has led to new traffic peaks at IXPs, especially during major national and international events, including the May Day concert and UEFA Champions League, the Sanremo Festival, and the Paris 2024 Olympics (Figure 3).
The unpredictable and ever-increasing quality of video broadcasts, such as 4K or even 8K streaming, has pushed IXPs to improve their infrastructure to better manage these high-pressure moments.
Measuring the Internet Locally Helps the Whole Internet
The Namex Observatory is open to all other IXPs, network operators, CDNs, and Content Providers who wish to contribute. We invite everyone to participate by sharing their interesting Internet traffic graphs and relevant data, which could be helpful to the entire community. The goal is to promote collaboration and enhance the understanding of Internet traffic trends for the full benefit of the industry.
Learn how other people around the world are benefiting from IXPs.
Adapted from the original post which first appeared on the LACNIC Blog.
Flavio Luciani is the Technology Officer of Namex, the Internet eXchange Point in Rome.
The views expressed by the authors of this blog are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Internet Society.