Peering Guide

Peering Policy

General Policy

DATAHUB-IX operates an open peering policy. We welcome all networks that meet our technical requirements to exchange traffic via our Internet Exchange Platform.

Requirements

  • Valid ASN: You must have a valid Autonomous System Number (ASN) registered with a Regional Internet Registry (RIR).
  • IPv4/IPv6: At least one publicly routable IPv4 or IPv6 prefix.
  • 24/7 NOC: Operational Network Operations Center with emergency contact details.
  • PeeringDB: Maintain an up-to-date entry on PeeringDB.
  • Technical Compliance: Adhere to all technical requirements outlined below.

Traffic Policy

Members must:

  • Only send traffic destined for networks directly connected to DATAHUB-IX
  • Not point default routes to the exchange
  • Not use the exchange for transit traffic
  • Maintain routing information accuracy in IRR databases

Prohibited Activities

  • Traffic sniffing or packet capture on the peering LAN
  • Broadcasting or multicasting (except ARP and IPv6 ND)
  • Layer 2 attacks or spoofing
  • Using non-assigned IP addresses on the peering LAN
Peering Guide

Technical Requirements

Connection Requirements

  • Port Speed: 1GE, 10GE, or 100GE connections supported
  • Optics: Standard 1000BASE-LX, 10GBASE-LR, or 100GBASE-LR4
  • MTU: Minimum 1500 bytes, jumbo frames (up to 9000 bytes) supported
  • VLAN: 802.1Q VLAN tagging required for peering VLAN

BGP Requirements

  • BGP Version: BGP-4 (RFC 4271)
  • MD5 Authentication: Strongly recommended for all BGP sessions
  • Prefix Filters: Implement strict prefix filtering based on IRR data
  • AS-PATH: Only announce routes with your own ASN in AS-PATH
  • Next-Hop: Set next-hop-self for all announcements
  • Communities: Support standard and extended BGP communities

Route Server Connection

  • Optional but Recommended: Connect to our redundant route servers
  • Route Server ASN: AS64512 (Primary), AS64513 (Secondary)
  • RPKI Validation: All routes are validated against RPKI ROAs
  • IRR Filtering: Prefix filters generated from IRR AS-SET objects
  • Max-Prefix: Configure appropriate max-prefix limits

IP Address Assignments

  • IPv4: /24 peering LAN subnet (members receive /31 or /32)
  • IPv6: /64 peering LAN subnet (members receive /127 or /128)
  • Reverse DNS: Members must set up reverse DNS for assigned IPs

MAC Address

  • Only one MAC address per port allowed
  • MAC address must match registered equipment
  • No proxy ARP or gratuitous ARP allowed
Peering Guide

Technical Checklist

Use this checklist to prepare for connecting to DATAHUB-IX:

1. Network Information

  • โœ“ Valid ASN registered with RIR
  • โœ“ Updated PeeringDB entry
  • โœ“ IRR AS-SET object registered (e.g., AS-EXAMPLE)
  • โœ“ NOC contact information (email, phone, emergency)

2. IP Resources

  • โœ“ IPv4 prefix(es) with valid ROA
  • โœ“ IPv6 prefix(es) with valid ROA
  • โœ“ RPKI ROAs published and validated
  • โœ“ IRR route objects created for all prefixes

3. Equipment Preparation

  • โœ“ Compatible router/switch with available port
  • โœ“ Appropriate SFP/SFP+ optics (1G/10G/100G)
  • โœ“ BGP configuration template ready
  • โœ“ VLAN tagging capability (802.1Q)

4. BGP Configuration

  • โœ“ BGP session parameters configured
  • โœ“ Prefix filters based on IRR data
  • โœ“ Max-prefix limits set appropriately
  • โœ“ MD5 authentication enabled (if applicable)
  • โœ“ BGP communities support enabled

5. Monitoring & Operations

  • โœ“ BGP monitoring tools configured
  • โœ“ Port utilization monitoring
  • โœ“ Alerting for BGP session down
  • โœ“ Traffic flow analysis tools

6. Documentation Review

  • โœ“ Read peering policy
  • โœ“ Review technical requirements
  • โœ“ Understand BGP communities ( see documentation )
  • โœ“ Review prohibited activities

7. Cross-Connect & Setup

  • โœ“ Order cross-connect to DATAHUB-IX
  • โœ“ Coordinate installation with data center
  • โœ“ Test physical layer connectivity
  • โœ“ Configure VLAN and IP addressing
  • โœ“ Establish BGP sessions

8. Testing & Validation

  • โœ“ Verify BGP session establishment
  • โœ“ Check received routes from route servers
  • โœ“ Test connectivity to other members
  • โœ“ Validate traffic flow
  • โœ“ Confirm monitoring alerts working

Ready to join DATAHUB-IX?

Request Peering