Founded in 2002, TOP-IX (The Torino Piemonte Internet Exchange) is a non-profit IXP which was started with the aim to create an easy and open way of exchange traffic and improve the end user experience in the North West of Italy. A core group of Italian ISPs and companies with an interest in the Internet and telecommunication industry first came together to build the Exchange; Atlanet, COLT Telecom, CSI-Piemonte, Eutelsat, Fastweb, Gruppo IH, IT GATE, Noicom - Eutelia, Reteitaly, San PaoloIMI, Telecom Italia and Telespazio). Having grown steadily, TOP-IX currently boasts more than 90 members from various backgrounds. Unlike the standard Internet Exchange which usually involves the setting up of a single location where access equipment is placed, the infrastructure offered by TOP-IX is geographically distributed over the territory; this distributed infrastructure covers all the main towns in the Piedmont region in addition to the localities of Ivrea, Aosta, Pont Saint Martin and Milan. This aids diffusion and enables access to the data required much closer to persons and parties interested. TOP-IX has grown in recent years by expanding and joining other IXPs. Connecting into other Exchanges improves latencies and the Internet for the end-user:
  • Starting at Fall 2008, thanks to an agreement between Rezopole and TOP-IX, it’s possible for TOP-IX members to implement peering agreements with the NAP of Lyon.
  • Starting at Fall 2009, thanks to an agreement between VS-IX and TOP-IX, it’s possible for TOP-IX members to implement peering agreements with the NAP of Padua.
  • Starting at Fall 2012, thanks to an agreement between France-IX and TOP-IX, it’s possible for TOP-IX members to implement peering agreements with the NAP of Paris.
  • TOP-IX is a member of Euro-IX (European Internet Exchange Association)