AMS-IX (Amsterdam Internet Exchange)

AMS-IX (Amsterdam Internet Exchange) is an Internet exchange hub based in Amsterdam, in the Netherlands. As one of the largest hubs for web traffic around the world, AMS-IX has helped ensure that global traffic is distributed faster and more efficiently to end-users for more than 25 years.

 

AMS-IX started in 1994 as a SURFnet pilot project at the Nikhef and SARA locations in the Science Park in East Amsterdam. In 2001 the infrastructure of AMS-IX was expanded with Telecity II in Amsterdam Zuidoost and GlobalSwitch in Amsterdam Slotervaart to form a web of four central points that are interconnected via optical connections. In December 2007, the fifth location was opened and the euNetworks data center was added, which serves as both core and edge locations. Equinix-Am1 in Amsterdam Zuidoost followed in April 2008 as the sixth location. It is also possible to exchange traffic with AMS-IX participants from a number of regional peering locations.

The connections can be switched in such a way that maintenance on a connection is possible and that if one of the central points or a connection fails, the others can largely keep the network up and running. Nevertheless, a large part of the Dutch internet traffic was cut off during a power outage in Amsterdam on 29 May 2006. There was also a malfunction on 13 May 2015 as a result of an error by an installation engineer during maintenance work. In 2009, AMS-IX was expanded with a new location (AMS-5) at Schiphol-Rijk.

AMS-IX is the second largest internet node in the world in terms of number of affiliates and amount of traffic.