How far can you go with IX Route Servers only?

2 days ago

Internet exchanges (IX) simplify BGP peering by connecting routers via a shared layer 2 Ethernet switch.
Route servers (RS) on IXs act as BGP route reflectors, reducing the need for direct peering between members.
RSs enhance security with features like RPKI ROV, IRR filtering, and AS_PATH validation, often surpassing member configurations.
Despite benefits, not all networks use RSs, and policies may differ from direct peering, especially for sensitive services like anycast.
BGP.tools data shows RSs cover ~56.6% of IPv4 and ~61% of IPv6 prefixes, but uniqueness diminishes after top exchanges.
Inbound reachability via RSs is low (~14%), highlighting a gap between outbound and inbound route acceptance.
Major content networks (Meta, Akamai, Google, etc.) dominate traffic, making IXs less economical for large networks compared to PNIs or transit.
IXs risk becoming middle-tier solutions as large networks favor PNIs/transit, and small networks find IX ports costly.

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