©Centro de Informática da Universidade Eduardo Mondlane The Role of Internet Exchanges Américo Muchanga 25 September 2005

©Centro de Informática da Universidade Eduardo Mondlane Outline IXP  Driving force  Technology  Economics  Organization and politics  Operations

©Centro de Informática da Universidade Eduardo Mondlane The role of IXPs today  The Internet would not exist without agreements to exchange traffic!!!  Competitor ISPs must co-operate to serve their clients  Two main forms of traffic exchange:  Transit – sell access to all destinations in routing table  Peering – access to each other’s customers  Lack of peering has cascading effects – eg many African websites are hosted offshore!

©Centro de Informática da Universidade Eduardo Mondlane Internetworking

©Centro de Informática da Universidade Eduardo Mondlane Why XPs?  Multiple service providers  Each with Internet connectivity Internet A B

©Centro de Informática da Universidade Eduardo Mondlane Why XPs?  Is not cost effective  Backhaul issue causes cost to both parties Internet A B

©Centro de Informática da Universidade Eduardo Mondlane The Internet without peering

©Centro de Informática da Universidade Eduardo Mondlane Why IXPs?  Domestic Interconnection Internet A B

©Centro de Informática da Universidade Eduardo Mondlane Interconnection is the Keystone of Internet Economy Efficient interconnections are necessary for new revenue opportunities and the Internet to thrive. Bandwidth savings Improved service quality New revenue opportunities Driving Forces

©Centro de Informática da Universidade Eduardo Mondlane Peering and Transit There exists two different types of interconnections; peering and transit. Peering: is an interconnection business relationship whereby ISPs provide connectivity to each others´customers Transit: is the business relationship whereby one ISP provides (usually sells) access to all destinations in its routing table

©Centro de Informática da Universidade Eduardo Mondlane Layer 2 Solutions AdvantagesDisadvantage s The ISPs control the traffic ISP technicians need routing knowledge IX staff does not need routing knowledge Cheap for the IX operator Scalable

©Centro de Informática da Universidade Eduardo Mondlane 2 Layer 3 Solutions Advantage s Disadvantages The ISPs control the traffic ISP technicians need routing knowledge The ISP technicians do not need routing knowledge Not scalable Cheap for the ISPs Trust is needed between IX operator and ISPs

©Centro de Informática da Universidade Eduardo Mondlane An Internet is Exchange Not more than this !

©Centro de Informática da Universidade Eduardo Mondlane An IX has both technology, economy and managerial aspects Deployment of IXP Topology Equipment Configure BGP Connect ISPs Services Looking glass Monitoring tool Training of ISPs Evaluation of IXP IX Webpage Organization of IXP Ownership Management Business model Financing of IXP ISP Business Models Brief Internet Market analysis Policy for connection Guidelines for peering IXP Maintenance IXP Administration Responsibility Documentation Admin structure Content - IX Webpage Technology Economy Managerial

©Centro de Informática da Universidade Eduardo Mondlane Contains also organizational aspects: Organization of the IX Financing of the IX IX regulations: - Policy - Peering - Transit - QoS IX Administration Organization

©Centro de Informática da Universidade Eduardo Mondlane Ownership of an IX OwnershipGrowth potential Ease of initiation NeutralityCompetence level University/ResearchLowHigh Non-profit ISP association HighMedium/LowMediumHigh Governemental/ Institutional LowMediumHighLow Private ISP ownership High LowHigh National PTOs (TDM) LowMediumLow Telehousing companies High Medium

©Centro de Informática da Universidade Eduardo Mondlane Financing of an IX Start-up costs:  Project costs  Equipment Hosting costs:  Space rental  Salary to staff  Electricity  Security  Other overhead costs Continous costs:  Depreciation of equipment  (IP Addresses) Project funds Hosting org Institutions Participating institutions pay a monthly fee to cover future costs.

©Centro de Informática da Universidade Eduardo Mondlane Major issues for the African Internet  International bandwidth prices are biggest contributor to high costs  African users effectively subsidise international transit providers!  Fibre optic links are few and expensive  reliance on satellite connectivity  High satellite latency  slow speed, high prices  Growth of Internet businesses is inhibited

©Centro de Informática da Universidade Eduardo Mondlane The solution: IXPs for Africa  So far, 10 out of 53 countries have IXPs (2003 count)  More IXPs  lower latency, lower costs, more usage  Both national and regional IXPs needed  Also needed: regional carriers, more fibre optic infrastructure investment

©Centro de Informática da Universidade Eduardo Mondlane Obstacles  Current providers (cable and satellite) have a lot to loose  Many of these have close links to regulators and governments  Regulatory regimes on the whole closed and resistant to change  Sometimes ISPs themselves are unwilling to co-operate

©Centro de Informática da Universidade Eduardo Mondlane Existing IXPs  South Africa - JINX  Kenya – KIXP  Mozambique – MozIX  DRC – PdX  Egypt – CR-IX  Nigeria – IBIX  Tanzania – TIX  Uganda – UIXP  Swaziland – SZIX  Rwanda - RINEX  Namibia – NamibIX  Exchanges are in formation in:  Ghana – GIX  Zambia  Malawi  Botswana  Senegal  Benin

©Centro de Informática da Universidade Eduardo Mondlane Solutions  Education and lobbying!  Players: AFRISPA, AFIX-TF, CATIA, AFNOG, TSLAB/KTH  Links:  Afrispa  AFIX-TF  TSLAB/KTH  CATIA

©Centro de Informática da Universidade Eduardo Mondlane The Mozambique IX project MOZ-IX TDM Virconn Dataserv CFMNet Tropical Net TV Cabo Downlink 2Mbps Interne t CIUEM Teledata Interne t 1024/512 kbps Interne t Downlink Com. Sol. Status: Connected Status: Physical connection on its way 5/1,5 Mbps 1 Mbps 128 kbps 512 kbps 256 kbps 64 kbps 256 kbps

©Centro de Informática da Universidade Eduardo Mondlane Solucoes Microsys EMILNe t

©Centro de Informática da Universidade Eduardo Mondlane Obrigado