Self-Hosted IXP Management Platforms: IXP-Manager vs PeeringDB vs JIX (Internet Exchange Guide 2026)

Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) are the physical infrastructure where networks interconnect to exchange traffic directly, bypassing upstream transit providers and reducing latency and costs. Managing an IXP requires specialized software to handle member onboarding, port provisioning, route server configuration, billing, and peering database management.

This guide covers three open-source IXP management platforms: IXP-Manager (the most widely deployed open-source IXP platform), PeeringDB (the global peering database used by nearly every major IXP), and JIX (Jakarta Internet Exchange’s custom management platform).

What Does IXP Management Software Do?

An Internet Exchange Point connects hundreds or thousands of autonomous systems (ASes) at a single physical location. The management platform handles:

• Member onboarding: AS registration, contract management, and legal documentation
• Port provisioning: Physical and logical switch port allocation, VLAN assignment
• Route server management: BGP route server configuration (BIRD, FRRouting, OpenBGPd)
• Peering database: Member directory, peering policies, contact information
• Traffic monitoring: Per-member traffic graphs, 95th percentile billing data
• Billing: Usage-based invoicing, flat-rate fee management
• Looking glass: Network diagnostics and route lookup for members

Without dedicated management software, IXP operators would need to manually track all of this information in spreadsheets — an unsustainable approach for any exchange with more than a dozen members.

Comparing IXP Management Platforms

1. IXP-Manager (INEX)

IXP-Manager is an open-source Laravel-based web application developed by INEX (Irish National Exchange) and used by over 250 IXPs globally. It is the most feature-complete open-source IXP management platform available.

Key features:

• Full member lifecycle management (application, approval, provisioning, billing)
• Switch port and VLAN management with physical topology visualization
• Integration with BIRD and FRRouting for route server generation
• Traffic graphing via MRTG, Smokeping, or Grafana
• Customer portal for self-service peering management
• Multi-IXP support (manage multiple exchanges from one instance)
• API for automation and third-party integrations

IXP-Manager is production-proven at major exchanges including INEX, LINX, DE-CIX, and many regional IXPs. Its Laravel architecture makes it extensible with custom plugins and integrations.

2. PeeringDB

PeeringDB is a community-maintained, publicly accessible database of peering information. While not a full IXP management platform, it serves as the universal peering directory that nearly every IXP and network operator uses.

Key features:

• Global peering facility directory with location data
• Network profiles with peering policies and contact information
• IXP facility listings with port availability
• API for automated network provisioning tools
• Integration with looking glasses and route server generators
• Open-source (Python/Django) with community contributions

PeeringDB is the “phone book” of the peering world. While it does not manage billing or port provisioning, it is essential for any IXP that wants its members to be discoverable by other networks seeking peering partners.

3. JIX (Jakarta Internet Exchange Platform)

JIX represents the custom IXP management platform developed for Indonesia’s Jakarta Internet Exchange. While not as widely documented as IXP-Manager, it provides a case study in building an IXP platform tailored to regional requirements.

Key features:

• Custom workflow for Southeast Asian regulatory requirements
• Integrated billing in local currency with tax compliance
• Bahasa Indonesia localization
• Simplified member onboarding for emerging market IXPs
• Lightweight architecture suitable for smaller exchanges

JIX demonstrates how IXPs in emerging markets build customized solutions when generic platforms do not meet local regulatory, language, or business requirements.

Feature Comparison Table

Deployment Guide

IXP-Manager with Docker Compose

IXP-Manager is a Laravel application requiring PHP, MySQL, and a web server:

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version: '3.8'

services:
  ixp-manager:
    image: ixpmanager/ixp-manager:latest
    container_name: ixp-manager
    ports:
      - "8080:80"
    environment:
      - APP_ENV=production
      - APP_DEBUG=false
      - DB_HOST=ixp-db
      - DB_DATABASE=ixp_manager
      - DB_USERNAME=ixp_user
      - DB_PASSWORD=ixp_secret
      - IXP_NAME=My Internet Exchange
      - IXP_SHORTNAME=MyIX
    volumes:
      - ixp_configs:/var/www/ixp-manager/config
      - ixp_logs:/var/www/ixp-manager/storage/logs
    depends_on:
      - ixp-db
    restart: unless-stopped

  ixp-db:
    image: mysql:8.0
    container_name: ixp-db
    environment:
      - MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=root_secret
      - MYSQL_DATABASE=ixp_manager
      - MYSQL_USER=ixp_user
      - MYSQL_PASSWORD=ixp_secret
    volumes:
      - ixp_data:/var/lib/mysql
    restart: unless-stopped

volumes:
  ixp_data:
  ixp_configs:
  ixp_logs:

Initial setup requires running the Laravel installer and database migrations:

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docker exec -it ixp-manager php artisan ixp:install
docker exec -it ixp-manager php artisan migrate
docker exec -it ixp-manager php artisan db:seed

PeeringDB Local Instance

For organizations that want to run their own PeeringDB mirror:

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git clone https://github.com/peeringdb/peeringdb.git
cd peeringdb
pip install -r requirements.txt

# Configure Django settings
cp peeringdb/settings_local.py{-dist,}
python manage.py migrate
python manage.py sync --init  # Initial data sync from production

Configure periodic sync to keep your mirror up to date:

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# Add to crontab
*/30 * * * * cd /opt/peeringdb && python manage.py sync >> /var/log/peeringdb-sync.log 2>&1

Route Server Integration

IXP-Manager generates BIRD configuration for route servers automatically. Connect it to your BGP infrastructure:

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# Generated by IXP-Manager - /etc/bird/bird.conf
router id 192.0.2.1;

protocol bgp rs_v4 {
    local as 64512;
    import filter rs_import;
    export filter rs_export;
    
    neighbor 192.0.2.10 as 64501 {
        import filter rs_import_v4_64501;
        multihop;
        graceful;
    };
    
    neighbor 192.0.2.11 as 64502 {
        import filter rs_import_v4_64502;
        multihop;
        graceful;
    };
}

For comprehensive BGP routing setup, see our guides on BGP routing with FRRouting, BGP route servers, and BGP monitoring.

Why Self-Host an IXP Management Platform?

Running your own IXP management platform is essential for any organization operating a network exchange point:

• Operational efficiency: Automating member onboarding, port provisioning, and route server generation reduces manual work from hours to minutes. IXP-Manager handles the entire lifecycle from application to billing.
• Member self-service: A customer portal lets members update their contact information, view traffic statistics, and manage their peering preferences without opening support tickets.
• Accurate peering data: Maintaining your own PeeringDB mirror or integrating with the global database ensures your members are visible to networks seeking peering partners worldwide.
• Regulatory compliance: In many jurisdictions, IXPs must maintain detailed records of members, traffic volumes, and interconnection agreements. Self-hosted platforms provide the audit trail and reporting tools needed for compliance.
• Revenue protection: Automated billing based on actual traffic data (95th percentile, port speed tiers) ensures accurate invoicing and prevents revenue leakage from manual tracking errors.

For network operators managing BGP infrastructure, combining an IXP platform with BGP route server management and anycast network management creates a comprehensive interconnection management stack.

Traffic Monitoring and Reporting

Modern IXPs require detailed traffic analytics for capacity planning and billing. IXP-Manager integrates with MRTG, RRDtool, and Grafana to provide per-member traffic graphs, peak utilization reports, and 95th percentile billing calculations. These metrics are essential for justifying infrastructure upgrades to the board of directors and ensuring accurate invoicing based on actual port utilization.

For exchanges handling terabits of daily traffic, real-time monitoring dashboards combined with historical trend analysis enable proactive capacity management — identifying congested ports before they impact member performance and planning switch upgrades months before physical capacity is exhausted.

FAQ

What is an Internet Exchange Point (IXP)?

An IXP is a physical infrastructure where multiple networks (ISPs, CDNs, cloud providers) interconnect to exchange traffic directly. This reduces latency, improves performance, and eliminates transit costs that would otherwise be paid to upstream providers.

Why do IXPs need dedicated management software?

IXPs manage hundreds of members, each with unique port configurations, VLAN assignments, peering policies, and billing arrangements. Manual tracking via spreadsheets becomes unmanageable beyond 10-15 members. Dedicated software automates provisioning, billing, and route server configuration.

Is IXP-Manager free to use?

Yes. IXP-Manager is open-source software released under the MIT license. It is maintained by INEX and a community of IXP operators. There is no licensing cost, though you will need infrastructure (servers, switches) to run the IXP itself.

Can IXP-Manager manage multiple IXPs from one installation?

Yes. IXP-Manager supports multi-IXP deployments, allowing a single instance to manage several Internet Exchange Points with separate member databases, VLAN configurations, and billing.

How does PeeringDB relate to IXP management?

PeeringDB is a global peering directory that IXPs register with so their members can be discovered by other networks. While IXP-Manager handles internal operations (billing, provisioning), PeeringDB handles external discoverability. Most IXPs use both.

What BGP routers are compatible with IXP-Manager?

IXP-Manager generates configuration for BIRD and FRRouting route servers. It can also produce templates for other BGP implementations. The generated configurations include per-member route filters, AS path validation, and prefix limits.