How Inter.link Migrates Customers to the AS5405 Network  
January 21, 2025

Inter.link originally kicked off its activity by acquiring the network assets of SysEleven (AS25291) in January 2022 – then comprising 15 European points of presence (PoPs).  

Inter.link’s new sustainable network is on AS5405 and has grown a lot since 2022, however, there are still some customers on the SysEleven backbone. 

In this article Stefan Funke, Head of Tech Operations, and Nicol Nógrádi, Account and Sustainability Manager, explain the process for migrating customers from the SysEleven backbone to Inter.link’s AS5405 backbone, highlighting how we make this is effortless for them as possible.

 
What are the steps for migrating IP Access and IP Transit customers to Inter.link’s new AS5405 network? 


Step 1. 

For the migration process, the first part is to identify the customers who will be migrated.  

We check which services they use, including whether they are utilizing some custom features which are not immediately available on the AS5405 network. Even if a custom-enabled method is required to get this functioning on the new network, Inter.link makes sure customers are always supported with a high-quality service. 

Step 2. 

After identification, the next step is creating an account. 

If this is an ‘easy-to-migrate’ customer, we check what the configuration is and then create an account on the Inter.link portal. So, the person who is doing the migration (for Inter.link it is Nicol Nogradi our account and sustainability manager) goes through the Inter.link portal like a customer would, then registers a new service in the portal for this customer.  

This new service reflects one to one with what is configured on the old network, whether it is an IP Transit, IP Access, Flex Ethernet, or DDoS Protection service. 

Step 3.  

The customer then gets a new port on the new AS5405 network. 

This new port is automatically generated from the portal, so this is all ready to go once the process in the portal is finished.  

Up until this point, the customer hasn’t been required to do anything, so now they get a notification from the Inter.link portal which lets them know they are ready for service. 

Then we reach out to the customer, telling them about the email they received from the portal which informs them about the new LOA, telling them about their new portal and new network. We explain that the new LOA is not something they need to use because we are taking care of all the more intensive required steps in the background. 

Step 4. 

The next step is the physical activity of moving the port from the old network to the network. 

Inter.link handles this completely and it involves us identifying what is the old port and what is the new port. We instruct the data centre to repatch it from the old router to the new router and discuss with the customer which would be the best date to do this migration. 

For the migration we need to set a maintenance window and prepare for the process. We set this maintenance window according to the need of the customer, which is influenced by their setup. Then we connect the customer to their new port.  

Step 5. 

The next step is for the customer to reconfigure their site, including a new IP address and new ASN number (Inter.link’s is AS5405). 

This is the only step the customer needs to handle themselves because they will get a new IP address for the transit network between Inter.link and the customer where the tech, the packets, will be forwarded and will be sent in two different directions later. 

All this information is already in the portal so the customer can see it at any time, but to make the required actions clear and easy, we reach out via email and tell them what they need to configure (new IP address and ASN as mentioned above) for their service to continue with all the benefits of the new network. 
 
Additionally, to make sure everything goes smooth during remote hands/migration, one engineer is available on our side who is overlooking the process. This person can be easily reached by the customer. 
 
This is the entire migration process. 


What makes migration easy for Inter.link customers? 

Customers are fully supported throughout the migration process and it is almost effortless because they only need to reconfigure a few things. Inter.link takes care of the physical migration in the background, which is the more strenuous part with networks and data centres. 
 
We keep migration simple for customers so they can focus on running their business and providing great service to their own customers. 
 
Once the customer has migrated, they benefit from our new network, all the new peers, all the upstreams we have, and other connections. AS5405 is a 400G network with almost 40 PoPs. With the Inter.link portal, it is also much easier to manage services and maximise the benefits of being an Inter.link customer.  

For a greater explanation of the benefits of Inter.link’s AS5405 network and services, watch out for an article all about it coming soon. 


What happens to customers with custom configurations on the old network? 

 
Sometimes customers do have some custom configurations on the old network, because we built custom solutions according to their needs. 
 
In these cases, we find a solution for how to migrate them. This involves contacting the customer and discussing the options. We explain the services and features available on the new network; the majority of customers are happy to move forward with this. 
 
In unique cases we collaborate with customers to make sure that we develop a solution that works for everyone and maintains Inter.link’s high standard of quality, meeting their needs as a business. 

 
 
What do DDoS Protection customers need to do to migrate to the new network? 


All customers with DDoS Protection on the old network first require an IP Transit or IP Access service, so they follow the migration steps above with their required actions being in the reconfiguration stage. 
 
Besides this, DDoS Protection customers don’t need to do anything! 
 
Once a customer has a prefix that is DDoS protected – which is the case for the old network – this will be automatically also protected on the new network. This is because we integrated DDoS protection from the old network and the new network. 

Utilising DDoS Protection on the new network is means that customers have access to the Inter.link portal. This provides far greater visibility and management, including full traffic insights and a tab for viewing all support tickets. 
 

Explore the portal today! 

One of the best ways to discover the benefits of Inter.link’s services and network is by exploring the portal. 
 
Click here to sign up and see services, locations, pricing, and more. No commitment required!