Federal Internet Exchange (FIX)
The Federal Internet Exchange (FIX) refers to a series of network access points established in the United States in the early 1990s to facilitate the interconnection of government and commercial networks. The primary goal was to enhance the performance and reliability of the Internet by allowing networks to exchange data directly, without having to rely on a centralized backbone network.
There were two main Federal Internet Exchanges:
- FIX East: Established in 1991 and located at the College Park campus of the University of Maryland, FIX East primarily served government and research networks on the East Coast of the United States.
- FIX West: Established in 1992 and located at the NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California, FIX West served government and research networks on the West Coast.
The FIXes were critical in the early development of the Internet, as they allowed for more efficient data exchange and improved overall network performance. They played a significant role in the transition from the government-funded National Science Foundation Network (NSFNET) backbone to a more decentralized, commercially operated Internet infrastructure.
As the Internet continued to grow and evolve, the need for FIXes diminished, and they were eventually replaced by commercial Internet exchange points (IXPs). Today, the Internet relies on a vast network of IXPs around the world, which allows different Internet service providers (ISPs) and networks to exchange data directly, enhancing the performance, resilience, and efficiency of the global Internet.
In summary, the Federal Internet Exchanges (FIX) were a series of network access points established in the United States in the early 1990s to facilitate the interconnection of government and commercial networks. They played a crucial role in the early development of the Internet and were eventually replaced by commercial Internet exchange points as the Internet infrastructure evolved.
See Also
- IT Strategy (Information Technology Strategy)
- IT Governance
- Enterprise Architecture
- Chief Information Officer (CIO)
- IT Sourcing (Information Technology Sourcing)
- IT Operations (Information Technology Operations)
- E-Strategy