Upstream and peering
- MASS-IX · Peering
- 100G
- Cogent · Transit
- 100G
- TowardEX · Standby
- 10G
Edge connections operated by Amherst Systems as AS402389; MASS-IX is operated by TOWARDEX Technologies, Inc..
Network
AS402389, running out of Boston.
We run our own autonomous system with 100G of active Cogent transit, a standby TowardEX path, and a 100G port into MASS-IX for regional traffic.
Owning the AS means we control the routing policy and peering decisions instead of reselling someone else's network and hoping for the best.
AS402389Our own autonomous system number.
100GActive IP transit; standby failover capacity excluded.
100GPeering port into MASS-IX, in the same building as our cabinets.
95thPercentile billing, so short spikes do not set your invoice.
The edge
Every port, named and sized.
Plenty of providers describe their network in adjectives. Here are the actual ports, the actual carriers, and what each one is for.
MASS-IX at a glance
- Networks connected
- 72
- Active ports
- 84
- Connected capacity
- 3.0T
- Peak traffic
- 321G
Figures published by MASS-IX. MASS-IX is operated by TOWARDEX Technologies, Inc., not by Amherst Systems.
Why it is built this way
Diversity where it matters, directness where it helps.
Two decisions shape the network: never depend on a single upstream, and keep regional traffic regional.
Primary transit with standby failover
A 100G Cogent port carries active global transit. A separate 10G TowardEX circuit remains on standby for failover and is not counted in active capacity.
Peering in the same building
MASS-IX has a point of presence at 128 First Avenue — the same building as our cabinets — so peering needs no metro cross-connect to reach.
Shorter regional paths
New England traffic exchanged over the fabric stays in the metro rather than transiting out to a distant peering point and back.
Our routing policy
Because we hold the AS, we decide what we announce, where we prefer to send traffic, and how quickly a change gets made.
Bring your own transit
The floor is carrier-neutral. If you would rather keep your existing provider, cross-connect to them and use our network only where it helps.
Where it lives
Digital Realty BOS14.
The network terminates at 128 First Avenue, Needham, MA 02494, in the Boston metro. Facility specifications below are separated by source.
Facility specifications
- Facility
- Digital Realty BOS14
- Building
- 281,000 ft², three storeys
- UPS redundancy
- N+1
- Cooling redundancy
- N+1
- Onsite security
- 24×7 security personnel
- Surveillance
- CCTV, 90-day retention
- Access control
- Biometric + photo badge
Published by Digital Realty for BOS14.
Power and cooling
- Power sourcing
- 100% renewable energy
- Generator runtime
- 72 hours at full load
- Fuel supply
- Priority refuelling contracts
- Cooling design
- Raised-floor air distribution
Reported by Amherst Systems as a tenant of the facility.
Plan your footprint
Tell us what you are racking.
Send us the equipment list, the power draw, and the date you want to be live. We will come back with a real number, not a range.
- Footprints from a single rack unit to a full cabinet in Boston.
- Carrier-neutral, so you keep your existing transit relationships.
- Direct engineering conversations rather than a ticket queue.
Questions, answered
Network questions
What the network is made of, who provides the transit, and what peering does for your traffic.
What is the Amherst Systems network?
Amherst Systems operates AS402389 from Digital Realty BOS14 with 100G of active Cogent transit, a standby TowardEX circuit, and a 100G port into MASS-IX for regional peering.
Who are the upstream carriers?
Active IP transit is delivered over a 100G Cogent port. A separate 10G TowardEX circuit remains on standby for failover and is not included in the active-capacity total.
What does peering on MASS-IX do for me?
MASS-IX is a New England peering fabric with a point of presence in the same building as our cabinets, so regional traffic can take a short, direct path instead of transiting out of the metro and back.