Mplify, previously known as MEF, is a global alliance of service providers, cloud platforms, data centres and systems integrators working to standardise NaaS through automation, certification and shared API frameworks. Its Lifecycle Service Orchestration (LSO) API specification is designed to make network services work the way cloud compute does: self-service, API-first, and manageable across multiple providers.
DE-CIX contributes an established track record in interconnection automation. Its IX-API — developed collaboratively with Amsterdam's AMS-IX and London's LINX — standardises the ordering, scaling and cancellation of interconnection services and is now available as an open standard. DE-CIX's CTO, Dr Thomas King, co-initiated the IX-API project and will bring that expertise to Mplify's LSO API working groups.
"At DE-CIX, we have joined the Mplify Alliance to contribute our expertise to the further development of NaaS standards," said Dr Thomas King, CTO of DE-CIX. "In the cloud and AI era, automated NaaS solutions and secure, controllable connectivity to clouds and other networks will become essential to the success of networking projects of enterprise and wholesale customers."
As NaaS continues to evolve, standardized frameworks such as Mplify's LSO APIs, along with automation and certification, are becoming increasingly important to scalable, interoperable service delivery across the ecosystem. We're excited to welcome DE-CIX and look forward to their contributions as the industry advances AI-ready connectivity and digital infrastructure.
DE-CIX operates in 60 locations across Europe, Africa, the Americas, the Middle East and Asia. Its Frankfurt exchange — which processes more than 48 exabytes of data per year and connects close to 1,100 networks — is among the largest internet exchanges in the world. The company launched a dedicated AI-IX service in 2025, offering direct connectivity between AI infrastructure providers and the broader internet.
The Mplify membership extends DE-CIX's automation work beyond its own products, contributing to standards that govern how network services can be ordered and delivered across different providers and domains.
