The OIX Community
– Joanna Styczen, spokesperson for iMPR, says:
Businesses have a lot of options to choose from when deciding which data center to select as a partner. Due to the fact that the data center and Internet exchange market is so saturated, providers need a way to stand out above the competition and ensure potential customers that their solution is up to market standards.
The Open-IX Association (OIX) is an organization that works to ensure a set of established standards for North American data centers and Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) to make things as easy, fair, reliable and cost-effective for end-users as possible. In addition to membership, OIX offers certification options for data centers and IXPs. A business that is OIX certified can ensure customers that their operations are safe, secure and efficient—and in no danger of experiencing costly network downtime.
Becoming OIX certified means that IXPs and data centers offer a level of services and offerings that make them compliant and up to par with OIX community-mandated regulations. In order for IXPs to become OIX certified, they must provide the minimal service offerings of a public exchange and private VLAN, as well as a physical interface. A reliable switching platform, IP space and a route server are also necessary for certification. Data center providers must provide carrier neutrality and open access as well as meet specific requirements for space, power, cooling and security.
Businesses looking to apply for OIX certification must first submit an application. After the application is accepted, data centers and IXPs are expected to review and comply with the OIX technical requirements by completing and submitting a detailed compliance report. There is a one-time fee for this process, and if all requirements are met the business that is applying will become eligible for certification.
For more information about how your business can become OIX certified, please visit www.open-ix.org or contact info@open-ix.org.
