Topology

IXLeeds is based on a Cumulus and Extreme platform.

We operate a Cumulus based 10Gbit switch that is linked on a 20G aggregated connection to our copper port switch, an Extreme X440. We plan capacity within the network such that we never fill links between switches.

Our current site is aql Leeds DC2 although we will consider expanding to other sites should they become viable.

Network statistics »

Physical connection

Connection is relatively straightforward as we are a simple layer 2 platform and your router can directly reach the edges of the other participants.

We support 1 gigabit over copper and 10 gigabit over single mode fibre connections to our fabric.

Here is an example configuration for a Cisco switch port:

interface TenGigabitEthernet0/2
 description IXLeeds
 switchport access vlan 774
 switchport mode access
 switchport nonegotiate
 no cdp enable
 no lldp transmit
 no lldp receive
 spanning-tree bpdufilter enable
end

Here is an example for a Cisco router:

interface Vlan774
 description IXLeeds
 ip address 10.123.45.67 255.255.255.0
 no ip redirects
 no ip unreachables
 no ip proxy-arp
 ipv6 address 2001:DB8:67::FFFF:1/64
 ipv6 nd dad attempts 0
 ipv6 nd prefix default no-advertise
 ipv6 nd ra suppress
 no ipv6 pim
end

BGP configuration

The first thing you want to configure is a connection to our collector. This router will send you no routes, but gives us a very important diagnostic view into how your side is configured.

IPv4: 91.217.231.1
IPv6: 2001:7f8:67::1
AS: 51526

If you haven't already got one, then we really recommend creating a PeeringDB account. It contains details of other networks peering and contact data, and allows you and them to automate the process of creating the sessions that will interlink your networks. Being present on PeeringDB even if you don't use this automation yourself will greatly increase your chances of having peering requests accepted.

Route servers

We operate route servers that make exchanging routes with other participating members a lot easier.

IPv4: 91.217.231.2 and 91.217.231.3
IPv6: 2001:7f8:67::2 and 2001:7f8:67::3
AS: 57932

If you're running Cisco, you will want "no bgp enforce-first-as" in your BGP configuration. This stops it enforcing the first AS in the received AS path being the same as the peer's AS. Other vendors will have equivalent commands. Without it, your route server connection probably won't establish.

The route servers filter against IRR data, and you can use communities to influence the propagation of your routes.

Action	Community
Send your prefix to all participants	None
Send your prefix to a RS participant with a specific AS	57932:ASN
Do not send your prefix to a RS participant with a specific AS	0:ASN
Do not send your prefix to anybody	0:57932

Should you want to send your routes to only specific peers, you will need to add the global deny community 0:57932 to your prefix, for example to only advertise to AS 1234, you would tag your route with 0:57932, 57932:1234.