Network performance transparency and service level agreement (SLA) assurance recently reached a new milestone for AMS-IX.
The Dutch IP traffic exchange platform is located in Amsterdam and used by large ISPs, fixed and mobile operators, content providers and other communications companies across the world. It is now able to publish its own connectivity performance. This transparency is made possible using technology from Accedian, an end-to-end network performance expert, to monitor and measure the performance of the AMS-IX IP network.
AMS-IX is using Accedian’s solution to provide customers with service level agreement (SLA) reports and real-time statistics, though a web-based portal. This empowers users of the traffic exchange to check if their SLAs are being met, and to verify reliability of the platform.
Accedian delivers end-to-end network performance visibility, for control over the best possible user experience. It also generates actionable insights for peak reliability and quality of service (QoS), and enables providers to overcome escalating network complexity, increase agility, and reduce cost. In addition, Accedian aims proactively to ensure maximum uptime for peak quality of experience (QoE).
You can see the AMS-IX stats in action on their live feed (it shows actual values from a single measurement—selected by the user and refreshed every 5 seconds or 1 minute for frame loss).
After conducting an extensive research study into methods of measuring performance of an IP-based exchange network, AMS-IX used Accedian’s solution to measure and report on the performance of their network. The SLA-backed interconnect services AMS-IX provides are becoming increasingly critical to their customers—who include direct connection and preferred-peering-to-cloud providers.
The Accedian solution continuously measures detailed network performance, including microsecond-precise latency, packet loss, and link capacity. Accedian’s integrated monitoring measures metrics in each direction, with microsecond accuracy. Exchange interconnects only cover short distances; therefore measuring their performance in milliseconds would not be sufficient to differentiate specific connections, or detect at an early stage any issues affecting performance.
According to Henk Steenman, CTO at AMS-IX: “Enterprises’ connectivity needs are continually expanding and evolving, and IT infrastructure is increasingly cloud-based today. Direct connections and peering between enterprises and cloud providers are also more vital than ever for access to critical applications, and for wider business performance as well. Accedian’s real-time monitoring solutions give us in-depth visibility of how our network is performing, which allows us to be completely transparent with our customers. This level of visibility and control is a significant reason why AMS-IX is an interconnect leader.”
“Accedian has a long-standing relationship with AMS-IX,” said Keith Donahue, VP Product Management and Marketing at Accedian.”Increasing numbers of service providers are choosing exchange structures like AMS-IX to manage their data traffic, in order to reduce latency and improve the quality of their service to customers. Our ongoing work with exchanges like AMS-IX sets the standard for reporting and reliability for performance-oriented network services and peering arrangements.”
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