How UKNode Achieved Sub-2ms Ping Through LINX Peering: A Technical Deep Dive
Network latency matters. When you're hosting critical applications, serving high-traffic websites, or running real-time services, every millisecond counts. Today, we're excited to share how UKNode (AS215262) achieved something remarkable: consistent sub-2ms ping times through our strategic peering at LINX Manchester.
This isn't just a number we're proud of—it's a technical achievement that directly translates to better performance for every customer using our infrastructure. Let's dive into how we made it happen.
What is LINX, and Why Does It Matter?
The London Internet Exchange (LINX) is one of the world's largest and most prestigious Internet Exchange Points (IXPs). While the name suggests London, LINX operates multiple exchange points across the UK, including a significant presence in Manchester.
Think of LINX as a neutral meeting point where networks connect directly with each other. Instead of your data taking a convoluted path through multiple intermediary networks (each adding latency and potential failure points), LINX enables direct peering between networks—creating the shortest possible path between A and B.
For businesses and end-users in the North of England, our Manchester presence means dramatically reduced latency compared to routing everything through London. Geography matters in networking, and being closer to your users makes a tangible difference.
AS215262: Building a Modern Network from the Ground Up
Every network on the internet has a unique identifier called an Autonomous System Number (ASN). UKNode operates as AS215262, our official designation in the global routing system.
Having our own ASN isn't just about identity—it's about control and optimization. With AS215262, we:
- Control our routing policies: We decide exactly how traffic flows to and from our network
- Establish direct peering relationships: We connect directly with major networks and content providers
- Optimize for performance: We can choose the best paths for different types of traffic
- Build redundancy: Multiple upstream providers and peering connections ensure reliability
- Maintain independence: We're not reliant on a single provider's infrastructure or policies
Running AS215262 means we're not just reselling bandwidth—we're operating genuine network infrastructure with full control over performance and routing decisions.
The Power of 10G Connectivity
Speed matters, but so does capacity. Our LINX peering connection runs at 10 Gigabits per second—providing not just high throughput, but also the headroom needed for traffic bursts without degradation.
Here's what 10G connectivity means in practice:
Burst Capacity
When multiple customers experience simultaneous traffic spikes (think coordinated product launches, viral content, or DDoS mitigation), our 10G connection ensures there's always headroom. We're not running near capacity, which means consistent performance even during peak periods.
Low Serialization Delay
At 10Gbps, the time it takes to transmit a packet onto the wire is measured in microseconds. This serialization delay is a component of latency that scales inversely with bandwidth—faster links mean less time waiting for bits to be transmitted.
Future-Proofing
Network requirements grow over time. By deploying 10G infrastructure now, we've built capacity for years of growth without requiring disruptive upgrades that might affect service quality.
Reduced Queuing
Higher bandwidth means less congestion and shorter queues in network buffers. This translates directly to lower latency and more consistent response times—crucial for real-time applications and interactive services.
BGP: The Routing Protocol That Makes It All Work
Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is the routing protocol of the internet. It's how networks announce their presence, exchange routing information, and determine the best paths for data to travel.
Our BGP configuration at LINX is carefully optimized for performance:
Direct Peering Sessions
We maintain BGP sessions with hundreds of networks at LINX. Each session represents a potential direct path to that network's customers and resources. The more direct connections we have, the shorter the average path length for traffic.
Intelligent Route Selection
BGP allows us to prefer certain paths based on multiple criteria:
- Latency: We prefer lower-latency paths
- Path length: Shorter AS paths typically mean better performance
- Reliability: We track peer reliability and adjust preferences accordingly
- Traffic engineering: We can balance load across multiple paths
Redundancy and Failover
Our BGP configuration includes multiple upstream providers alongside our LINX peering. If any single connection experiences issues, BGP automatically reroutes traffic through alternative paths within seconds—often before users even notice.
Community Tags
We use BGP communities to implement sophisticated routing policies, allowing us to control announcement scope, implement traffic engineering, and coordinate with peer networks for optimal routing.
The Manchester Advantage: Geography Meets Technology
Location matters in networking more than many people realize. While London is often considered the UK's internet hub, Manchester's strategic position in the North provides unique advantages:
Reduced Physical Distance
For customers and traffic sources in Northern England, Scotland, and parts of the Midlands, Manchester is physically closer than London. In fiber optic networks, light travels at roughly 200,000 km/s—meaning every kilometer of fiber adds about 5 microseconds of latency. The difference between routing through Manchester versus London can be 100+ kilometers, saving over half a millisecond just in propagation delay.
Network Topology
Many major networks have significant infrastructure in Manchester, making it an effective peering location. Rather than aggregating all traffic in London, distributed peering creates more diverse, resilient network topology.
Lower Costs, Better Value
Operating costs in Manchester are generally lower than London, allowing IXPs and data centers to offer more competitive pricing. This economic reality enables us to invest in higher-capacity connections and more peering relationships, ultimately benefiting our customers.
Regional Resilience
Distributed infrastructure across multiple cities creates resilience against regional issues—whether physical (construction accidents cutting fiber), logical (routing problems), or environmental (power issues, flooding, etc.).
Achieving Sub-2ms Latency: The Technical Details
Reaching consistent sub-2ms ping times isn't luck—it's the result of careful engineering and optimization at every layer:
1. Direct Peering Relationships
By establishing direct BGP sessions with key networks at LINX, we eliminate intermediary hops. Instead of:
Customer → UKNode → Transit Provider → LINX → Target Network
We achieve:
Customer → UKNode → LINX → Target Network
Each eliminated hop saves latency and reduces potential failure points.
2. Low-Latency Hardware
Our network equipment is selected for performance:
- Modern routing hardware with hardware-accelerated forwarding
- Low-latency switches with minimal queuing delay
- Optimized fiber paths with the shortest possible physical routes
3. Optimized Configuration
Software configuration matters as much as hardware:
- Minimal processing overhead through optimized firewall rules
- Reduced packet inspection where appropriate for performance
- Proper buffer sizing to avoid unnecessary queuing without sacrificing burst absorption
4. Continuous Monitoring
We monitor latency continuously across all our peering connections:
- Real-time alerting if latency exceeds thresholds
- Historical analysis to identify trends and potential issues
- Route optimization based on performance data
5. Traffic Engineering
Not all traffic is created equal, and our routing policies reflect this:
- Latency-sensitive traffic (VoIP, gaming, real-time applications) gets preferential routing through lowest-latency paths
- Bulk transfer traffic can use higher-capacity but potentially higher-latency paths
- Automated failover ensures traffic shifts to alternative paths if primary routes experience degradation
Real-World Impact for UKNode Customers
So what does sub-2ms latency actually mean for your applications and websites?
Web Applications
Lower latency means faster page loads. While the initial connection might seem like a small component, these milliseconds multiply with every asset loaded, every API call made, and every database query executed. Sub-2ms peering latency keeps the foundation fast.
Real-Time Services
For VoIP, video conferencing, and gaming applications, latency is critical. The difference between 2ms and 10ms might not sound significant, but it's often the difference between "perfectly smooth" and "slightly laggy"—especially when latency compounds across multiple network hops.
Database Replication
If you're running distributed databases with replication across multiple locations, lower latency between nodes means:
- Faster synchronization of data changes
- Reduced conflict windows in multi-master setups
- Better performance for latency-sensitive consistency models
API Services
Modern applications rely heavily on API calls—both internal and external. When your API servers can communicate with minimal latency, the entire application feels more responsive. Those 2ms savings multiply across dozens or hundreds of API calls per page load.
Financial Applications
For trading platforms, payment processing, and other financial services where microseconds matter, our low-latency infrastructure provides a competitive advantage.
The Future: Continuous Improvement
Achieving sub-2ms latency isn't the finish line—it's a milestone in our ongoing commitment to performance. Here's what we're working on:
Expanded Peering
We're continuously establishing new peering relationships with additional networks at LINX and other exchange points, further reducing latency to an ever-wider range of destinations.
Additional Exchange Points
While Manchester is excellent for regional traffic, we're evaluating additional exchange points to optimize performance for different geographic regions and traffic patterns.
Higher Capacity
As traffic grows, we'll continue investing in higher-capacity connections to ensure we maintain headroom and avoid congestion-related latency increases.
Advanced Traffic Engineering
We're implementing more sophisticated traffic engineering techniques, including:
- Latency-based routing that automatically selects paths based on real-time performance
- Application-aware routing that optimizes paths based on traffic characteristics
- Predictive scaling that anticipates demand and adjusts capacity proactively
IPv6 Optimization
As IPv6 adoption grows, we're ensuring our IPv6 routing is as optimized as our IPv4 infrastructure, providing excellent performance regardless of protocol.
Why Network Performance Matters More Than Ever
In an era where user expectations are higher than ever, network performance isn't just a technical metric—it's a business differentiator.
Google found that a 2-second delay in page load time increases bounce rates by over 100%. Amazon calculated that every 100ms of latency costs them 1% in sales. These aren't just large tech companies with unique requirements—these principles apply to businesses of all sizes.
Your hosting provider's network infrastructure directly impacts your business outcomes. Fast, reliable connectivity means:
- Better user experience leading to higher engagement and conversion rates
- Improved SEO rankings as search engines factor in page speed
- Reduced infrastructure costs through more efficient resource utilization
- Competitive advantage in markets where responsiveness matters
Technical Transparency: How We Measure Our Claims
We don't just claim sub-2ms latency—we can prove it. Here's how we measure and verify our performance:
Continuous ICMP Monitoring
We run continuous ping tests to hundreds of destinations via our LINX peering connection, collecting statistics on:
- Minimum, average, and maximum RTT (Round-Trip Time)
- Jitter (variation in latency over time)
- Packet loss (should be zero under normal conditions)
Looking Glass
We operate a public looking glass service that allows anyone to test routes and performance through our network. You can verify our routing decisions and measure latency to various destinations yourself.
Transparent Peering Policy
Our peering policy is public and straightforward. We believe in open peering and are always willing to establish new peering relationships with networks that can benefit from direct interconnection.
Public Network Statistics
We regularly publish network statistics and performance metrics, maintaining transparency about our infrastructure and its real-world performance characteristics.
Getting Started with UKNode's High-Performance Network
Whether you're running a high-traffic website, hosting latency-sensitive applications, or simply want the best possible performance for your online presence, UKNode's infrastructure delivers.
Our sub-2ms LINX peering is just one component of a carefully engineered network stack designed for performance, reliability, and scalability. Combined with our modern hardware, expert support team, and commitment to continuous improvement, we provide infrastructure that genuinely makes a difference to your business.
Want to experience the UKNode difference for yourself? Our VPS hosting plans include full access to our optimized network infrastructure, including our LINX peering connections and global network presence.
Conclusion: Engineering Excellence in Every Packet
Achieving sub-2ms latency through LINX peering isn't just about having fast connections—it's about understanding network architecture, making intelligent routing decisions, maintaining quality equipment, and continuously optimizing every component of the stack.
At UKNode (AS215262), we're passionate about network performance because we understand how it impacts your business. Our 10G LINX connection in Manchester, coupled with sophisticated BGP routing and careful engineering, ensures your traffic takes the fastest possible path to its destination.
Every millisecond matters, and we're committed to making sure none of them go to waste.
Have questions about our network infrastructure or want to discuss how our peering arrangements can benefit your specific use case? Our technical team is always happy to talk networking. Get in touch through our contact page or join the conversation on our community forums.