Interxion Supports Neutral France-IX Internet Exchange Initiative; Installs Core Switches in Paris Data Centres

15th December 2009 - Interxion, a leading European operator of carrier-neutral data centres, has announced its support for France-IX, a new, independent, Internet exchange initiative. The first core switches for the exchange have been installed in Interxion’s recently opened data centre, PAR 5, with interconnects to switches in Interxion’s PAR 1 and PAR 2 data centres. The Force 10 Terascale E-series Ethernet switches are capable of supporting 1.68 Tb of traffic per switch.

The France-IX initiative is supported by a wide range of leading ICT firms, including Google, Akamai, Jaguar Network and Neo Telecoms. The exchange will consolidate a wide array of public peering-point activity in the Paris region, providing the Internet community with reliable, cost-effective opportunities for interconnection. Its PoPs will be located in a range of carrier-neutral data centres across the Paris region.

The installation of the switches in Interxion’s PAR 5 data centre will allow all of Interxion’s Paris customers to reduce latency and transit costs by peering directly across the new switch, while the exchange’s first members will be able to expand their applications infrastructure in the security of Interxion’s brand new 8,000 m2 facility. PAR 5, located in Saint Denis, was officially opened this month. It provides over 4,000 m2 of equipped space and has a redundant 16 MVA grid connection that allows for high-density-power configurations to be provided to customers as standard. Through existing dark fibre links, PAR 5 customers can also gain direct access to more than 50 carriers housed across Interxion’s Paris footprint, and customers located at Interxion’s other Paris data centres can connect directly to the France-IX peering fabric.

“The fact that the first core switch is now live in Interxion’s PAR 5 data centre brings the successful launch of France-IX even closer,” said Raphael Maunier, Technical Director at Neo Telecoms, one of the key movers behind the development of the new exchange. “The Interxion facility will provide the space, power and quality of infrastructure the new exchange needs to succeed.”

“The timing of the France-IX initiative could not be better for prospective customers of our new state-of-the-art Paris data centre,” said Fabrice Coquio, Managing Director Interxion France. “On top of the many attractions of housing applications infrastructure in our new data centre, this agreement will extend what is already an exceptional range of connectivity and peering opportunities.”

“In our role as a patron of the European Internet Exchange Association, we are active promoters of public Internet peering-points across Europe, and we are pleased to be supporters of this broad-based and popular initiative,” said Anthony Foy, Interxion Group Managing Director.