Exploitation opportunities for TOP-IX within DECICE

As we approach the conclusion of the DECICE project, TOP-IX is beginning to define the future exploitation of its outputs and key relevant results. This reflection is not only about consolidating the knowledge gained during the project, but also about situating DECICE within a broader roadmap where Internet Exchanges evolve into active players of Europe’s federated digital ecosystem.

Expanding the role of the IXP

Traditionally, IXPs (Internet eXchange Points) have acted as neutral interconnection hubs, enabling networks to exchange traffic efficiently, with reduced latency and improved reliability. Yet today, new demands for distributed computing, data sovereignty and service orchestration are reshaping the digital infrastructure landscape.

In this context, TOP-IX envisions the evolution of the IXP into a Service Composition Point (SCP) — a neutral broker where services can be discovered, orchestrated and consumed across federated cloud and edge environments. DECICE contributes to this long-term vision by providing valuable building blocks: AI-driven orchestration mechanisms, validated use cases and insights into how workloads can be dynamically placed and adapted in distributed infrastructures.

Exploitation paths for TOP-IX

Federated services
DECICE outcomes support our ambition to participate in a European Federation of Service Composition Points, complementing other initiatives such as DOME, Fluidos and Fulcrum. Together, they point towards a cohesive framework where marketplaces and orchestration converge to strengthen sovereignty and interoperability.

Marketplace for members (Long-Term Vision)
In the longer term, building on federated initiatives, TOP-IX aims to evolve its service offer into a marketplace of orchestrated resources. This could include access to edge computing, GPU-based inference, storage and AI-powered management — all accessible through our neutral interconnection hub. While still a roadmap item, this ambition illustrates how IXPs can progressively expand their role in the digital value chain.

Living testbed for startups
Beyond validating technology, our infrastructure testbed represents a unique opportunity for startups and scaleups, who can experiment with advanced digital services in a neutral and production-like environment. This continues TOP-IX’s long-standing tradition of supporting entrepreneurship and innovation through its Development Program.

Interoperability and compliance services
As data spaces and federated infrastructures take shape in Europe, TOP-IX can use DECICE lessons (as well as inputs from other initiatives like Gaia-X and IDSA) to provide interoperability services that meet the requirements of secure and sovereign data management and sharing.

Business models and sustainability
Beyond connectivity, IXPs like TOP-IX can explore future models such as subscription-based services, pay-per-use resource allocation, and transaction-fee schemes in federated marketplaces.

DECICE has been a valuable step in our broader journey: it does not by itself redefine the Internet Exchange, but it strengthens our capacity to evolve into a neutral service broker and to actively contribute to Europe’s federated digital landscape.

By building on these synergies, TOP-IX can empower its community and play a strategic role in ensuring that Europe’s future cloud-to-edge ecosystem remains open, trustworthy and fair.

Author(s): CHRISTIAN RACCA, TOrino Piemonte Internet eXchange

Key words: #Federation #Orchestration #Interoperability #Marketplace #ServiceBroker