One of the benefits of connecting to the ORION network is the significant performance enhancements ORION members achieve as a direct result of ORION's peering agreements with Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and content providers.

ORION peering agreements are credited for diverting up to 20 per cent of ORION's data traffic to directly peered network links, representing significant savings for ORION institutions as well as enhanced performance.

"ORION's peering agreements have already resulted in significant cost savings for our network's users," says Senior Director of Engineering and Network Operations, Sam Mokbel. "This is a win-win for all the players involved. The transmission of data is much more efficient, consuming less bandwidth, and performance is enhanced significantly."

Peering, in which networks agree to exchange traffic for mutual benefit and reduced transit costs, has been in place among larger networks for a while. A new trend in the Internet marketplace and in the R&E network community is for similar sized service providers to interconnect directly and exchange settlement free data traffic between their two networks.

The benefits to service providers are enhanced performance for customers, and lower cost for sending and receiving data.

This physical connection between networks takes place at Internet exchange points such as Toronto's TORIX at 151 Front Street West or at a private facility. Data exchanged is limited to the two peered networks and their directly attached customers. The data is not allowed to transit to external service providers and thus bypasses potential bottlenecks.

ORION has free peering arrangements at its Toronto Front Street facilities with numerous Internet service providers, content providers, and web hosting companies. Among the major Internet companies that ORION peers with are Rogers, Shaw, Allstream, Videotron, Q9, and Akamai. Google is the latest organization that now peers directly with ORION.

The benefit for ORION members is that they have direct access to resources available on the networks of these peers over the ORION network. All traffic exchanged between ORION and its settlement-free peers is free of charge and contributes to lowering the overall Internet access costs of members.

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