What Makes the Internet Reliable? Exploring the Technology Behind Seamless Connectivity

1. To start, can you share how DE-CIX India, as a carrier- and data-center-neutral Internet Exchange, contributes to the overall reliability of the internet in India and beyond?

A. India's Largest Interconnection Platform, DE-CIX India has played a pivotal role in revolutionising the digital landscape of the nation. With its unwavering commitment to providing superior Interconnection Services, DE-CIX India has become a key enabler of India's Digital Transformation. DE-CIX India has set out with a vision to create a robust Interconnection ecosystem that would facilitate seamless and efficient Interconnection Services. The organisation dedicated significant effort to establish a solid foundation, building key partnerships with leading network providers, data centers, ISPs, OTT platforms, DNS root servers, content delivery networks (CDNs), social media networks, and both national and international telecom operators.

As the legally compliant interconnection platform, DE-CIX India has been at the forefront of facilitating India’s ISP segments digital transformation endeavour. By offering a neutral, carrier-agnostic platform, DE-CIX India has fostered a vibrant digital ecosystem, enabling diverse stakeholders to connect, exchange data, and accelerate their digital initiatives.

The organisation’s best-in-class infrastructure and advanced Interconnection services have empowered businesses to optimise their network performance, reduce latency, and enhance user experience, as well as served a wide range of industries, including healthcare, EdTech, Fintech, Entertainment, Gaming, Manufacturing, Agriculture, and many more.

2. Building on that, what are the key technologies and protocols DE-CIX India employs to ensure seamless connectivity between different networks within your exchanges?

A. DE-CIX India employs a range of sophisticated protocols and technologies to deliver top-notch interconnection services. Key protocols such as BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) and OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) are integral to ensuring robust and efficient routing. SDWANs partitioning is used for network segmentation, enhancing security and performance. DE-CIX India’s expertise spans both Layer 2 (L2) and Layer 3 (L3) networking, which facilitates seamless connectivity and optimised traffic flow across diverse networks.

In addition to these foundational protocols, DE-CIX India supports advanced peering arrangements, including bilateral peering with major Content Delivery Networks (CDNs). Their services extend to direct cloud connectivity with leading cloud service providers such as AWS, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Oracle, and Microsoft Azure. They also offer specialised services like Microsoft Azure Peering Services and DC Interconnection (Virtual PNI), which provide secure and efficient connections across their extensive exchange network. This comprehensive approach ensures reliable and high-performance data exchange for their clients.

3. Given the critical importance of uninterrupted internet service, how does DE-CIX India implement redundancy and failover mechanisms to maintain reliability, especially during peak usage times or in the event of network disruptions?

A. DE-CIX India places a strong emphasis on reliability by employing advanced redundancy and failover techniques. To maintain uninterrupted service, we utilise geographically diverse and redundant paths, ensuring that traffic can be smoothly rerouted through alternate channels in the event of a path failure. Our infrastructure is equipped with automatic failover systems, which are rigorously tested on a regular basis to confirm their effectiveness during disruptions or periods of high traffic. This proactive approach helps us to maintain service continuity and minimise downtime.

Moreover, our network monitoring technologies deliver real-time alerts, enabling us to address potential issues before they impact service quality. This early detection capability allows us to take corrective actions swiftly, ensuring that service remains reliable and efficient. Furthermore, our backbone infrastructure is designed with a capacity that is four times greater than current usage levels. This extensive capacity ensures that we can handle future growth and maintain optimal performance, even as demand for our services increases.

4. Latency is a significant factor in user experience. Could you elaborate on how DE-CIX India manages latency issues to ensure smooth and uninterrupted connectivity across various regions?

A. DE-CIX India effectively manages latency by employing a multifaceted strategy designed to enhance connectivity and optimise performance. By strategically positioning its Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) in key metropolitan areas, DE-CIX India minimises the distance data must travel, significantly reducing latency. This geographic positioning facilitates direct peering between Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), thereby minimising the number of hops data must take, which further reduces latency.

Additionally, DE-CIX India invests heavily in high-performance infrastructure, including advanced routers and Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) systems, to ensure rapid data transmission and efficient traffic management. The deployment of redundant and diverse fiber paths helps to prevent congestion and ensures continuous data flow, even in the event of network issues or high traffic volumes. Collaboration with data centers of local and international  further shortens data paths, enhancing speed and efficiency.

DE-CIX India also employs dedicated monitoring tools to continuously track network performance, allowing for proactive identification and resolution of potential issues before they impact service quality. An example of this commitment is Narayana Nethralaya, a renowned eye care institution in Bangalore, which faced high latency issues impacting its digital operations accessing AWS infrastructure at Singapore via a Telco of international repute .By onboarding DE CIX India’s DirectCLOUD service, the institution witnessed an impressive 90% reduction in latency, from 330 milliseconds to just 40 milliseconds. This impressive record continues since last three years.


5. As data demands continue to grow, especially with the rise of video streaming and cloud services, how does DE-CIX India ensure that its Internet Exchanges can scale efficiently without compromising reliability?

A. At the beginning of 2024, DE-CIX India undertook a significant upgrade of its network infrastructure to better meet the increasing demands of cloud services and video streaming. By investing in top-tier equipment, we have enhanced our ability to handle high-capacity data traffic with greater efficiency. This technological advancement ensures that our network can scale seamlessly to accommodate growing data volumes without sacrificing reliability or performance.

The upgraded infrastructure supports smooth scalability, which is crucial for managing the surges in data associated with modern cloud applications and high-definition video content. To maintain the highest levels of service quality, DE-CIX India enforces stringent Service Level Agreements (SLAs) focused on backbone performance. These SLAs are backed by real-time monitoring systems that allow us to proactively address any potential issues before they impact service. This rigorous approach ensures that our clients consistently receive reliable, high-quality service, even as data demands continue to rise, reinforcing our commitment to excellence in interconnection services.

 

6. Looking ahead, what challenges do you foresee in maintaining seamless connectivity as emerging technologies like 5G, IoT, and edge computing become more prevalent? How is DE-CIX India preparing for these advancements?

A. While the world views these emerging technologies as challenges, DE-CIX India, through its interconnection platforms, brings them all together and makes each service more relevant and interconnected. Next generation technologies like IoT, artificial intelligence (AI), and 5G are accelerating this change, creating a "digital interconnection triangle" that drives future innovation and new interconnection requirements at the edge.

5G (the heart) manages diverse frequencies and multiple data streams, forming the backbone for IoT (the hand), which connects numerous devices and digitalises mechanical processes. AI (the brain) is crucial for managing and processing the vast amounts of data generated, ensuring efficient interconnection and operation. These elements are interdependent, collectively fostering digital evolution.

We've seen the global success of the digital triangle, and now, DE-CIX India is experiencing a similar momentum with three ambitious organisations driving the rollout of edge POPs across the country. It's exciting to see how our ability to implement internet exchanges, cloud exchanges, and other services across these smaller POPs is making India an attractive investment destination. The potential here is huge, as these organisations not only recognise the opportunity but also foresee a solid ROI, driven by the increasing demands from customers. This growth is not just about expanding infrastructure; it's about enabling a more connected and efficient network that meets the evolving needs of the market, making it a win-win for everyone involved.

7. Finally, in terms of collaboration, how does DE-CIX India work with other network operators, data centers, and content providers to enhance the overall reliability and performance of the internet?

A. DE-CIX India teams up with network operators, data centers, and content providers to keep the internet running at peak reliability and performance. Our premium services are designed to deliver exceptional connectivity, with robust peering solutions that guarantee low-latency and secure connections, even during challenging circumstances. This commitment was exemplified during the COVID-19 pandemic, when DE-CIX India not only maintained uninterrupted service but also provided financial flexibility to our clients, helping them navigate the economic uncertainties of the time.

Recently, despite severe disruptions caused by unplanned digging and heavy rains that resulted in fiber cuts across the region, DE-CIX India continued to operate without any downtime. Our resilient infrastructure, including our 800G network in Mumbai, enabled us to seamlessly execute a single order for a large multinational CDN player with a 400G delivery across a single port, showcasing our capability to handle high-capacity demands efficiently. As we look to the future, DE-CIX India remains steadfast in our mission to deliver unparalleled connectivity and reliability, ensuring that our partners and clients can always count on us, regardless of the challenges that may arise.