Frequently asked questions

All connections to DE-CIX require a single-mode private interconnect (aka cross connect or in-house cabling). A cross connect is a dark fiber point-to-point interconnection. It is used to access the DE-CIX platform.

You can order cross connects via DE-CIX Internet Exchanges in Barcelona, Chicago, Dallas, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Istanbul, Lisbon, Madrid, Marseille, Munich, New York, and Palermo. In select enabled sites in Frankfurt, customers can order cross connects to interconnect networks directly.

At the other platforms, DE-CIX will provide all customers with demarcation details in the appropriate data center.  Please talk to your data center operator for details.

Start by choosing a DE-CIX location where you want to connect. Then, have a look at the cities and data centers where it is possible to connect to your chosen exchange. Choose the data center that best suits your needs. If you have your own PoP, you can use this; otherwise, you can buy a transport connection or get connected via an authorized DE-CIX reseller. You can check here whether you can connect directly or whether a certified DE-CIX reseller can connect you.

Choose an access size suited to the amount of traffic you have. Fill in our form or request an offer for these specifications by contacting sales@de-cix.net. We will send you the DE-CIX agreement and service order form accordingly. As soon as the paperwork is signed, we can get you up and running within a few days.

More information.

To peer at an Internet Exchange, you need an ASN, which you can request at one of five regional Internet registries. The DE-CIX Academy video “What is an AS number and how do I get one” explains the basics. DE-CIX itself does not offer consulting services to accompany the process of getting an ASN, but if you have any questions, feel free to approach us at sales@de-cix.net. We can either assist you or recommend someone who can.

An Autonomous System Number (ASN) uniquely identifies every network on the Internet. An Autonomous System (AS) is a group of IP networks operated by one or more network operators, with a single and clearly defined external routing policy. The ASN both identifies the network and enables it to exchange routing information with other ASes.

Every Internet service provider (ISP) requires their own ASN, but also the individual organizations that connect to the Internet through an ISP require one. After an application from an organization, ISP or other entity has been approved, ASNs are assigned by regional Internet registries. Any network that wants to peer at a public Internet Exchange must have a public ASN.

To find out more, download our white paper.

Latency is the delay between a user’s action and the response to that action from a website or an application – in networking terms, the total round-trip time (RTT) it takes for a data packet to travel. It is measured in milliseconds and Internet quality depends on it – the lower the latency, the better the user experience.

Interconnection is a connection between two or more parties in order to exchange data. In the context of telecommunications, interconnection is a physical link between either a carrier’s network and a data center, or a carrier or ISP and their customers, or between multiple carriers, data centers, ISPs, enterprises etc. But when you look at it not only from the physical point of view, it becomes much bigger: Interconnection stands for “being connected”. Find out more.

An Internet Exchange (IX) or Internet Exchange Point (IXP) is a physical infrastructure which lets Internet service providers (ISPs), content delivery networks (CDNs), and other network providers exchange Internet traffic with one another, typically on a cost-neutral basis. Being connected to the infrastructure allows each network to connect to other networks and share traffic (also known as “peering”). This reduces costs for the networks because they do not need to pay for transit on all of their Internet traffic. Having direct access to the infrastructure and to the networks you want to peer with reduces latency by reducing the length of the path that traffic needs to travel. In the end, an IX increases the resilience of the Internet by providing many more redundant routes for traffic, allowing congested routes to be avoided. Watch a video explaining what an Internet Exchange is.