The Calgary Internet Exchange What is an Internet Exchange? An IX (Internet Exchange) allows networks to interconnect on an open-access ethernet fabric -- providing low-latency, high-bandwidth, cost-effectively, in a locale. What is the benefit? Networks can exchange traffic faster and better. ISPs, transit providers, DNS services, and content networks will congregate -- it is sensible to interconnect locally. How is traffic exchanged? Traffic exchange is facilitated by BGP (Border Gateway Protocol). Networks must have an AS (Autonomous System) number to announce their routes to each other.