Ruhr-CIX (Ruhr-Commercial Internet Exchange) powered by DE-CIX is the first Internet exchange in Germany to be realized through the merger of three regional network operators and a global Internet exchange operator. In future, the Ruhr cities of Dortmund, Bochum and Gelsenkirchen will be connected via a high-speed fiber optic ring. The technical operation will be ensured by the Frankfurt-based Internet exchange operator DE-CIX. The Ruhr-CIX project represents an innovation boost for the development of the digital economy. It serves as a blueprint for other German regions.
The recently published BREKO market analysis20 clearly showed that Germany is now in the fast lane when it comes to digitalization and digital infrastructure. The volume of data consumed by internet users is increasing rapidly. Especially in times of corona, it is clear that not only stable, but above all secure data connections are crucial for citizens and companies. Dr. Stephan Albers, Managing Director of the leading German fibre optic association BREKO, says: “In the future, we can no longer rely solely on processing data traffic via non-European clouds. We need secure and stable solutions in Germany, especially for the economy. This is exactly what we are ensuring with Ruhr-CIX. On the one hand, the regional Internet node enables connections to international clouds worldwide – at the same time, it meets the highest security requirements via regional network structures and local data centers. The new trend in Internet connectivity is called glocalization: globally networked, but locally secured.”
Harald Summa, Managing Director of DE-CIX, explains the significance of the regional pilot project for the whole of Germany: “With its regional approach, Ruhr-CIX is also contributing to the German government’s GAIA-X project, which aims to create a competitive, secure and trustworthy cloud infrastructure for Europe. Gaia-X has a strong infrastructural aspect, especially the role of DE-CIX. Ruhr-CIX can perfectly complement the Gaia-X infrastructure for the Ruhr region.”
Ruhr-CIX improves Internet quality in the region
By distributing data locally, the new network node improves internet quality in the region and contributes to economic growth. It also promotes the use of digital services for companies and administrations as well as digital work and leisure offerings. Ruhr-CIX reduces the packet delay between the connected internet companies and leads to a more stable network for applications such as cloud computing, VoIP connections, video, gaming and streaming. In addition, the new internet node will provide an improved connection to major internet companies such as Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Akamai, Netflix and Facebook.
“Ruhr-CIX will increase the stability and flexibility of the regional infrastructure. Connected companies will clearly feel the improvement in the Internet structure, if only due to the local distribution of data. Ruhr-CIX will therefore contribute to economic success. The direct connection to DE-CIX also means integration into a global digital ecosystem with major international players,” explains Harald Summa, Managing Director of DE-CIX.
Regional digital ecosystem as a driver of innovation
For the Ruhr region, the Ruhr-CIX project means a new digital ecosystem. The regional telecommunications service providers DOKOM21 from Dortmund, GELSEN-NET from Gelsenkirchen and TMR from Bochum want to increase the importance of the Ruhr region for the Internet in Germany and establish the regional Internet node Ruhr-CIX in the region together with the operator DE-CIX. The partners’ goals are to strengthen digital value creation, expand the digital infrastructure and attract new Internet companies to the Ruhr metropolitan region.
“Ruhr-CIX is intended to create a new ecosystem for the digital economy,” says Jörg Figura, Ruhr-CIX spokesperson and co-founder and Managing Director of DOKOM21. “With this fiber optic and data center network across the entire Ruhr area and through the largest fiber optic network and data center operators in the region, we are promoting the technology, range and accessibility of services offered by international technology and media groups in Germany’s largest metropolitan area. This will increase the digitization and networking of the entire Ruhr metropolis for companies and private individuals,” he emphasizes.
Fiber optic networks as a basis
All of this only works on the basis of high-performance fiber optic networks. This is why BREKO Managing Director Dr. Stephan Albers is delighted about the cooperation between BREKO and DE-CIX: “With the rapid expansion of fibre optics in Germany, we are creating the infrastructure for the decentralization and regionalization of DE-CIX locations. The Ruhr-CIX project demonstrates the strength and advantage of regional fiber optic structures. Here, the regional fiber optic expansion, sometimes criticized as a patchwork quilt, is crystallizing the exact opposite, namely as a regional strength. With our more than 200 network operators spread across the whole of Germany and their regional fiber optic expansion, BREKO is the ideal partner for DE-CIX. I am therefore particularly pleased that we have successfully implemented the first blueprint for a regional Internet exchange in the Ruhr region, which was created by the merger of three regional network operators and a global Internet exchange operator. This is a pioneering development for Internet security in Germany. We are now tackling further regional projects.”
About Ruhr-CIX
Ruhr-CIX (Ruhr-Commercial Internet Exchange) powered by DE-CIX is the first regional Internet exchange in Germany, which was created through the merger of three regional network operators and a global Internet exchange operator. The cities of Dortmund, Bochum and Gelsenkirchen in the Ruhr region are connected to each other via a high-speed fiber optic ring. Ruhr-CIX is located in the data centers of DOKOM21, TMR and GELSEN-NET. The technical operation of the Internet exchange platform is ensured by DE-CIX, the operator of the world’s leading Internet exchange in Frankfurt am Main. More at ruhr-cix.net.