Hong Kong Internet eXchange (HKIX; ) is an
internet exchange point in Hong Kong. The cooperative project is initiated by the Information Technology Services Centre (ITSC) of
the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) providing the service free of charge. It is now operated by HKIX Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the CUHK Foundation.
The aim of the HKIX is to connect
Internet service providers (ISPs) in Hong Kong so that intra-Hong Kong traffic can be exchanged locally without routing through the US or other countries.
99% internet interaction in Hong Kong goes through the centre, and HKIX acts as Hong Kong's
network backbone
A backbone or core network is a part of a computer network which interconnects networks, providing a path for the exchange of information between different LANs or subnetworks. A backbone can tie together diverse networks in the same building, ...
. According to
Cloudflare, HKIX is the
largest internet exchange point in Asia.
History
HKIX was founded in April 1995 by the
Chinese University of Hong Kong. It reduced Hong Kong's reliance on US web servers and therefore made internet performance in Hong Kong faster.
In 2004, the HKIX2 back-up mirror site was created, which is located at CITIC Telecom Tower.
[HKIX Satellite Sites]
/ref>
In 2009, HKIX announced their collaboration with Cisco Systems to deploy the Nexus 7000
The Cisco Nexus series switches are modular and fixed port network switches designed for the data center. Cisco Systems introduced the Nexus Series of switches on January 28, 2008. The first chassis in the Nexus 7000 family is a 10-slot chassis ...
series switch technology, marking HKIX the first among the world's leading internet exchanges.
As of 2013 the exchange handles 280 gigabits of information per second during its peak times every day. Chinese University stated that the amount of information is equivalent to 17,000 five megapixel photographs. In 2013, Edward Snowden
Edward Joseph Snowden (born June 21, 1983) is an American and naturalized Russian former computer intelligence consultant who leaked highly classified information from the National Security Agency (NSA) in 2013, when he was an employee and su ...
said that the National Security Agency gained access to the backbone and took data from it. Chinese University said that it did not find evidence of hacking.
Background
The concept of an "Internet Exchange" is very important after the NSFNet Backbone faded away because IAPs had to be interconnected to maintain full connectivity to the entire Internet.
In Hong Kong, the situation is a little bit different. Many of the IAPs in Hong Kong have their own links to the US. They have to connect to each other locally only to have faster and less expensive access to local sites. In addition, there are some commercial Internet Exchanges in Hong Kong for routing traffic within the city.
Facilities
Core sites
The HKIX1 is located on the Sha Tin campus of Chinese University. The door of the building that houses it has no sign. Danny Lee of the ''South China Morning Post
The ''South China Morning Post'' (''SCMP''), with its Sunday edition, the ''Sunday Morning Post'', is a Hong Kong-based English-language newspaper owned by Alibaba Group. Founded in 1903 by Tse Tsan-tai and Alfred Cunningham, it has remained ...
'' said that the building that houses it is a "grey, bunker-like structure could easily pass for any other building" at the university.
Satellite sites
HKIX2 is located inside the CITIC Telecom Tower, and is connected to HKIX1 via two 10Gbit/s links.[Further Development of HKIX for the Future of Hong Kong](_blank)
/ref>
Members
As of June 2018, there are 283 connected ASN to the HKIX. The following are some of the major participants with 100G speed: Hong Kong Broadband Network
HKBN Ltd., commonly known for its subsidiary Hong Kong Broadband Network Limited (), is a Hong Kong-based Internet, communication and telecommunication company. HKBN was established on 23 August 1999, it is one of the largest residential and en ...
* Tencent
* TVB
* Yahoo
See also
* List of Internet exchange points
This is a list of Internet exchange points ( IXPs). There are several sources for IXP locations, including Packet Clearing House, who have maintained the earliest list of IXPs, with global coverage since 1994. Also, Telegeography, PeeringDB and t ...
References
External links
{{Portal, Hong Kong, Internet
Official website
HKIX
Internet in Hong Kong
Chinese University of Hong Kong
Internet exchange points in Asia