Our Network
Our high-performance, fully redundant network.
Our network utilizes routing and switching products from Cisco Systems, the leaders in the industry. We utilize redundant Cisco
6509 (SUP720) routers as our
core routers/switches, Cisco 3560-E switches in our distribution layer, and Cisco 2950/2960 switches in our
aggregation/customer layer. Additional network equipment includes an
InterNAP FCP to optimize overall network routing and performance. In
addition, 10 Gigabit Ethernet is
used at the core of
the network to reduce the risks of internal congestion due to DDoS attacks and to maintain
optimal flexibility.
Our network is fully meshed, using BGP, and redundant with a wide selection of backbone providers, including Level(3), NTT, nLayer, PCCW, and supplemented by our international peering network. We took care in choosing our carriers; our research showed them to be some of the fastest and most reliable networks available. Not only are the providers redundant, but their entry paths are redundant as well. Some carriers are brought into the network at Equinix and carried down three floors to our data center over redundant 10 Gigabit Ethernet lines while several pairs of fiber also connect us to providers in the building Meet-Me Room (MMR). In the building there is also fiber from dozens of other companies such as Global Crossing, Abovenet, Qwest, and Sprint and easy access to the Equinix peering fabric as well as the Chicago Internet Exchange.
We have also recently begun full support for IPv6, so all of our customers can now take advantage of the new features and advantages of IPv6. Our IPv6 network uses the same fully redundant core infrastructure as our IPv4 network, but there are several differences between our IPv4 and IPv6 networks due to compatibility/support issues. The IPv6 network is not InterNAP FCP optimized and includes full transit service from nLayer, NTT, and Hurricane Electric, along with various direct peers.
Internal Network
- Redundant Cisco 6500 (SUP720) core routers/switches
- Cisco 3560-E series distribution layer switches
- Cisco 2950/2960 series aggregation/customer layer switches
- InterNAP FCP for Performance Network route optimization
- 10 Gigabit Ethernet internal backbone
- 100% network uptime SLA
Chicago Backbone Carriers
- Level(3) - Direct 10 GigE (10,000mbit/sec)
- NTT - Direct 10 GigE (10,000mbit/sec)
- nLayer - Direct 10 GigE (10,000mbit/sec)
- PCCW - Direct 10 GigE (10,000mbit/sec)
New York Backbone Carriers
- Level(3) - Direct 10 GigE (10,000mbit/sec)
- NTT - Direct 10 GigE (10,000mbit/sec)
- nLayer - Direct GigE (1,000mbit/sec)
Network Peering
- Comcast - Direct 10 GigE + GigE (11,000mbit/sec)
- Equinix Exchange Chicago - Direct 10 GigE (10,000mbit/sec)
- Chicago Internet Exchange - Direct 2x GigE (2000mbit/sec)
- NYIIX - Direct GigE (1000mbit/sec)
- PAIX New York - Direct GigE (1000mbit/sec)
- PAIX Palo Alto - Direct GigE (1000mbit/sec)
- Any2 California - Direct GigE (1000mbit/sec)
- Equinix Exchange Ashburn - Direct GigE (1000mbit/sec)
- LINX - Direct GigE (1000mbit/sec) AMS-IX - Direct GigE (1000mbit/sec)
Level(3)
Level(3) is one of the world's largest and most reliable carriers. Nine out of ten of the world's largest telecom carriers all continue to use Level(3) services, as do five of the top six U.S. Internet Service Providers, and nine out of ten of the largest European telecom carriers. The company operates a 22,500 mile broadband fiber optic network in 72 US markets and 20 European markets.
NTT
NTT Communications is the international and long distance service arm of NTT (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation), one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world. NTT's extensive global infrastructure covers over 150 countries and a Tier 1 IP backbone connected with major ISPs worldwide, as well as secure data centres in Asia, North America and Europe. In 2009, NTT Corp. was ranked 44th in Fortune's Global 500 list with operating revenues of more than $103 billion.
nLayer
nLayer Communications has designed and deployed a robust, legacy-free, and highly scalable network spanning key markets across North America. Major backbone nodes are connected via multiple OC-192 (10 Gbps) diversely routed circuits, provisioned over a highly scalable Dense Wave Division Multiplexing (DWDM) infrastructure.
PCCW
PCCW Hong Kong's premier telecommunications provider and a world-class player in Information and Communications Technologies. PCCW provides integrated global communications solutions, runs a fully-meshed IP, fiber and satellite network and serves the voice, data and multimedia needs of multinational enterprises, as well as the operational requirements of service providers. It serves the enterprise and wholesale markets from its presence in Europe, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. PCCW Global's resilient network currently provides connectivity in more than 1,000 cities and 80 countries.






