CIX router aquired by Smithsonian Museum of American History
The Cisco 7500 router that served as the workhorse for the CIX commercial Internet traffic exchange point for a little more than a decade was aquired by the Smithsonian Institution Museum of American History in November 2005.
Historic Role of the CIX Router
The world’s first commercial Internet exchange point was set up more than a decade ago between March and October 1991. The Commercial Internet eXchange or CIX was established on the principle of open competition on a level playing field between large and small operators. The CIX was also a proponent of self-regulation of the Internet industry. Since that time Internet eXchange Points (IXPs) have grown to more than one hundred and fifty worldwide with a variety of interconnection policies and technologies employed.
CIX Router back click on the image for slide show
The CIX Router it represents the first arrangement between commercial Internet Service Providers (ISPs) for the free exchange of traffic. It was a novel, non-traditional use of router technology allowing users of competing ISPs to exchange traffic allowing the customers of the interconnected networks access to each other. It was the first commercial implementation of a zero settlement economic model breaking the traditional telephony approach to monetary settlement for the exchange of traffic. The setting up of the CIX was central to the breaking the de facto monopoly of the ANS/NSFNET arrangement and the restriction of the Acceptable Use Policy that was maintained by the NSF.
CIX Router Timeline
CIX Router Agreement
The original 'peering agreement' between CIX router members for the eXchange of Internet traffic. This version was the last released in 2000 substantially unchanged from the initial draft collaboratively conceived between members of PSInet, UUNET and CERFnet late 1991 and early 1992.
CIX Connection Matrix 2000
Nearing the end of it's operational utiliy the CIX Router's list of around 60 networks declining from a peak of a few hundred in the mid-1990s. Both Palo Alto (PAIX) and Santa Clara (PacBell) locations are shown.
CIX Shutdown
The notification of turning down the CIX Router with the closure of UUNET's peering session after just over ten years of operation.
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