By chris
An Internet exchange point is simply the physical infrastructure by which Internet service providers, content delivery networks, and other peer-to-peer computers exchange data among themselves on the same network. In most cases, IXPs occupy separate buildings with their routers and switches. Some are so small that they are housed in a single office building, while others are located in multiple offices. The physical address of an Internet exchange point is also referred to as the local area network (LAN), even though it does not include any internet access.
In simple terms, an Internet exchange point’s role is to define the path of packets of information in the form of data from one Internet source to another. In order for this to occur, the IP addresses of every machine on the Ethernet network need to be mapped to the local scope of the exchange router or switch, and the information must be passed along the same path as the routing table. This routing process between machines on different sides of an Ethernet network is referred to as routing. This is a critical part of the internet communication process, as it determines how data transmitted over a connection can be controlled and protected.
