Author: Dayane dos Santos Ferreira

The Internet is an essential service in the corporate world. However, few people really know how its structure works. Unlike what many people imagine, the web is not a single network that works centrally, for example. The Internet is a set of networks that interconnect autonomously. Thus, one of the solutions used to make this connection is IXP/IX. 

From IXP to IX: the naming change 

Recently, the term Internet eXchange Point (IXP) has been replaced by IX (Internet Exchange). This change aimed to standardize the Brazilian nomenclature so that it would conform to international standards.

In Brazil, IX coordination is carried out by CGIbr, while the operation is carried out by technically qualified non-profit organizations, which establish the necessary requirements for architectures and management of interconnections.

IX: What is it?

In short, an Internet Exchange, or simply IX, is a physical location through which Internet infrastructure companies, such as Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and companies with AS (Autonomous System), connect with each other. 

IXs are at the “edge” of different networks and allow internet service providers to share traffic outside their own network, for example. 

That is, by having a presence inside IX, companies can shorten their path to traffic from other networks participating in this solution, thus reducing latency, improving data transfer times and potentially reducing operational costs.

How does an IX work?

As we saw earlier, the Internet works as an interconnection of several networks, with IX playing the role of connecting providers. That is, in addition to being located in a physical environment, it is an interesting resource to make interconnection more effective.

IX also works as a kind of HUB, in which internet service providers connect their environments. In the end, with it, all data traffic is carried out faster and with lower internet costs.

The more well-structured the IX, the greater the speed and amount of data transferred within the network. This is great for the efficiency of the connection of the devices connected to it.

On IX, the connection can range from a few Megabits per second to many Terabits per second. Regardless of size, the primary purpose of IX is to ensure that several network routers are connected quickly and efficiently.

Why is IX important? 

Providers that use the IX solution have numerous benefits, including cost savings, bandwidth savings and higher traffic speed, for example.

In addition to these advantages, providers have the opportunity to offer connections to other access providers, facilitating the connection of companies located far from the IX. Thus, IX works as an excellent resource to increase internet connection performance across the country, as well as increase the ROI of ISPs.

Please note that to be able to access IX, Internet providers need a company that offers a PIX (point of interconnection) Data Center, as is the case with Ascenty. Ascenty’s PIX has the advantage of optimizing the path through which data flows within the network.

PIX: Ascenty’s IX solution 

Ascenty’s PIX connection provides a direct link between the networks of major ISPs and AS companies, facilitating the exchange of information and traffic between them. The Ascenty connection to the IX delivers connectivity services with more than 4,500 km of its own optical fiber throughout the São Paulo Metropolitan Area and Fortaleza. 

This feature provides key competitive edges for your company, such as higher connection speed between providers and lower bandwidth use. This results in even faster access and much lower costs for the business. 

Are you interested in these benefits or do you want to learn more about IX? Contact us and talk to one of our consultants to learn how this solution can improve your traffic! We are ready to help you. 

At a time when the demand for quality connectivity is one of the main burdens in the market, and especially for the financial sector, understanding Network Interconnection can save the day of companies within the segment.

Financial institutions such as banks, brokerages and, more recently, fintechs. In addition to being part of a large and crucial ecosystem, providing services to society, they need to pay close attention to IT infrastructure issues.  After all, the services provided by these institutions are extremely delicate, requiring high security and data availability.

At the center of everything is the technological assets of this sector.

Today, customer experience is one of the pillars of Digital Transformation. Thus, the real challenges of the financial sector start to take shape. For companies in this area, in addition to dodging the widely known bureaucracy, the mission is to develop solutions and products in line with their new consumer.

Currently, consumers are connected 24 hours a day. That is, they can be active in banking applications at any time. that’s why his information needs to be available whenever the consumer wants it. This is the customer profile that causes concern for companies in the financial sector.

But… What is Network Interconnection and what does it have to do with all this? How can it be a solution for the connectivity of companies in the financial sector? That’s the question we intend to answer.

Keep reading to learn more!

What is Network Interconnection?

The exchange of information online is usually done by a complex decentralized and, for all intents and purposes, shared data network. That is, this type of communication is carried out indirectly.

For example, think of an online transaction: sending an image from computer A to computer B. In the conventional mode, the file does not necessarily travel a “straight line” between the two points.

In fact, it is broken down into several parts that follow different paths, often with a third point of exchange between the sender and receiver.

This process, combined with the geographical distance of these exchange points, makes this type of connection not ideal for companies seeking maximum performance.

Why? There are several reasons, but it can be said that the fact that it is decentralized increases latency, which directly impacts the speed of operations and harms customer experience.

As a result, the performance of your applications and systems suffers, as does the accessibility of customers, partners and suppliers to your data. Thus, without connection flexibility, you lose out when making quality deliveries to customers, as well as facilitating security breaches.

Network Interconnection is a strategy that seeks to fix all this, ensuring a private connectivity ecosystem that allows the exchange of information directly between companies, customers, partners and suppliers.

This solution works by providing a direct connection (physical over cable or virtual over a VLAN) between two (or more) IT environments hosted in a carrier neutral data center.

In this way, the user of one of the networks accesses data or services of the other without any trouble, facilitating operations and transactions.

How does network interconnection help the financial sector?

By understanding Network Interconnection, it is possible to see it applied in various market segments. This is true – it is no wonder that more and more companies are adopting this strategy.

However, in the case of the financial sector, it may be an action that is more than essential for business continuity.

More and more banks and financial institutions are improving their customer service. The goal is to be available at the physical branch – but also to take the branch services and place them on the palm of your hand.

That’s why these apps are so complete, true ecosystems that allow consumers to control every aspect of their financial life. 

However, this evolution, is the result of a whole chain of development. Today, more fintechs are teaming up with traditional financial institutions to create consumer-tailored services and solutions. With the operations area in the hands of these developers, the bank starts to focus on the consumer, which is a very positive point.

However, as innovations are added to this ecosystem of services, other players are added to the equation (fintechs, suppliers, partners), increasing competitiveness.

At the same time, consumer demand increases: more transactions are carried out every day, new requests are made.

That is, it creates a snowball effect of operations, data and information. And these examples are just the tip of the iceberg, as the financial sector moves much more data along its entire chain of operations.

With the latency of conventional connections, in addition to their inflexibility, this whole process could happen in a very long time.

With Network Interconnection being applied efficiently, this time can be much shorter.

A centralized environment of data exchange enables all third parties involved with the bank or financial institution to do so with maximum connective performance.

Understanding Network Interconnection also means understanding that its adoption makes all online processes safer and faster.

How can Ascenty help?

Okay, now you know what Network Interconnection is and how it can help the financial sector. What does Ascenty have to do with all this?

Ascenty has the best Network Interconnection solutions in the entire market. In fact, it is leader of the ISG quadrant of Colocation in Brazil.

With a robust data center infrastructure (the largest in Latin America) and carrier neutral, it can provide the interconnectivity your company has always dreamed of.

Its ecosystem of data centers and connectivity are spread across strategic points of the country and the continent, with a 4500 km fiber optic network and more than 100 Telecommunications operators and integrated providers.

To meet this market need, Ascenty offers the solution

In other words, an infrastructure capable of providing the best network interconnectivity between your company and your customers, suppliers and partners.

In addition, Ascenty provides extra services that can supplement your deliveries. An example is Cross Connect, as it connects your company with different service providers within the Data Center, bringing your business closer to the technological solution capable of transforming it. 

With this content, you have learned about Network Interconnection and how it can help the financial sector. Now, how about taking action and making this transformation happen? 

Contact Ascenty now and schedule your meeting!

Digital transformation has turned IT into a strategic sector for any company. In this context, nowadays, technological infrastructure is a source capable of generating value for the business. However, some precautions are essential in order to take full advantage of the virtual environment.

Data Center redundancy is a great example. Without it, instability and the risk of outage can compromise the company’s activities. With it, if a failure occurs in one of the components of the infrastructure, a second component will be available to take over the function until the processes are restored.

However, not everyone takes this into account when searching for a colocation partner to migrate their data — a mistake that can be costly (literally). With that in mind, we created this special content on redundancy to show you everything you need to know about redundancy. Check it out!

Types of redundancy

The IT infrastructure includes both physical (hardware) and digital (software) assets. A common mistake is to think of redundancy as something that corresponds to the second aspect of the system. So, to start off with a clear understanding, take a look at the types of redundancy your company can establish.

Redundancy in the electrical system

If a failure in the electrical supply directly affects the IT infrastructure, it is crucial to have redundancy in this supply. As the service is usually provided by a utility company – which limits the company’s means to predict failures -, the strategy is usually carried out with the use of two pieces of equipment.

The first is the uninterruptible power supply (UPS). The second is the traditional generator, which can be scaled exclusively for critical IT services.

Redundancy in the HVAC system

Temperature is also an essential factor in the operation of Data Centers, as a heat spike can affect or even interrupt the performance of certain pieces of equipment. Of course, all a/c units are also subject to failure. Therefore, it is important to have two systems, so that one is always available.

Data Redundancy

An environment hosted in a Data Center and without backup is simply unthinkable for a company whose operation depends on a digital environment. Redundancy protects not only against system instability, but also against possible power outages or other failures that corrupt or make the data unavailable.

Please note that this is also a fundamental measure for the organization’s cybersecurity. Remember the billion-dollar loss due to data hijackings through WannaCry ransomware in 2017, which affected several institutions (public and private) worldwide.

Network Redundancy

If data needs to be protected, this caution also applies to the channels to access such data. Whether it’s an internet connection or an internal network, all links need a second access route to prevent the Data Center from being isolated during a failure.

Some companies choose to hire services that offer a duplicated network, while others prefer to rely on two different providers.

Data Center redundancy levels

In addition to the different types of redundancy, it is also important to establish the most appropriate level for your infrastructure. In general, this depends on the characteristics of each company. Understand the difference between levels.

Level N

Level N is the most basic level. Data Center redundancy practically does not exist, as the infrastructure is always under ideal conditions. It’s easy to see how risky this is, but it’s a very common scenario among small businesses.

N+1 Redundancy

An N+1 redundancy Data Center has at least one extra equipment available. A good example is a server cooled by a single air conditioner, but with a second device to cover any failures.

N+2 Redundancy

As its name suggests, this level of redundancy has two spare pieces of equipment. The strategy of having a backup of the backup, for example, characterizes an N+2 Data Center.

Level 2N Redundancy

In the 2N model, the entire infrastructure is duplicated. That means two pieces of hardware, emergency power supply, a second access path, data backups, etc.

Level 2 (N+1) Redundancy

The highest level of redundancy is extra cautious with critical systems, which now have twice the amount of equipment and an extra module for each N.

For example: If you need to buy lunch for 2 kids, you buy each meal at two different restaurants, plus an extra meal at each location, as a precaution.

TIER classification and its relationship to Data Center redundancy

TIER classification is a certification of server performance and reliability. Developed over 25 years ago by Uptime, the system is used globally to demonstrate the efficiency of any institution’s Data Center.

As you can imagine, it takes redundancy levels into account. The classification levels are detailed below.

TIER I

The first level attests to the basic criteria of compliance with the TIER reference standards (NBR 5410, NBR 15247, NBR 11515, NBR 27002, among others). That means having air conditioning and electrical distribution subsystems, but not a redundancy strategy.

TIER II

A TIER II infrastructure is partially redundant. This is generally the case for small businesses that do not operate 24/7.

TIER III

In addition to the above requirements, a company classified as TIER III is fully redundant.

TIER IV

A TIER IV company meets TIER III requirements and has robust redundancy. Even if failures occur, its systems are able to keep running. This is the case for multinationals, which generally need to work uninterruptedly and with several platforms under continuous use.

How Ascenty Addresses the issue of Data Center redundancy

Ascenty offers a TIER III colocation service for companies looking for a high level of availability, security and accessibility for their infrastructure. No wonder we are talking about the largest Data Center company in Latin America.

According to the Uptime Institute, the availability level of Data Centers classified as TIER III is 99,982%, but Ascenty is not limited to this indicator and offers an even higher level of availability. This involves significant internal effort to put the best experts to work in robust and reliable infrastructure environments.

As you can see, Data Center redundancy is a strategic issue that cannot be ignored. Anyone looking to optimize the use of their IT resources to generate value should pay close attention to this issue. If you want to migrate your data and have maximum performance, take this into account when making your selection!

Would you like to know how this can be done in your specific IT environment? Contact us to schedule a meeting, and let those who understand the most about the subject answer all your questions!