Tech firms unite for faster FIX project

A group of IT infrastructure vendors has come together to create a FIX Protocol solution aimed at latency-sensitive traders.
By None

A group of IT infrastructure vendors has come together to create a FIX Protocol solution aimed at latency-sensitive traders.

Together with data solutions provider OnX Enterprise Solutions, the consortium, consisting of Intel, Dell, Arista Networks, Solarflare, Equinix, Grey Spark Partners and Edge Technology Group, are testing FIX engines from Rapid Addition and FIX software specialists B2BITS EPAM Systems Company.

The group intends to focus on building up an architecture that accelerates FIX financial messaging. The member companies have stated that they will undertake research amongst themselves, as well as with new participants on request, with a briefing paper to be published in January 2012 detailing performance benchmark figures for Java FIX engines from Rapid Addition and QuickFIX/J and for C++ from B2BITS EPAM Systems Company. The solutions will be tested against a simulation of a real-life trading environment.

Once it has developed faster FIX engines, the project aims to broaden its collaboration, extending its activities to other areas that affect latency-sensitive trading, including order management systems, market data processing, risk management and other functions such as co-location services.

“At the leading edge of today’s trading operations, systems design and deployment is sophisticated, challenging firms’ ability to embrace all its disciplines,” said David Blandford, OnX vice president, financial services industry solutions. “We see a crucial role here for OnX in connecting the moving parts to fast track clients to the ever evolving leading edge in trading technology capability.”

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