Policies for Peering and Internet Exchanges AFIX Technical Workshop Session 8

AFIX Technical Workshop: Session 8 Recap of key terms Transit: One ISP provides (usually sells) access to all destinations in its routing table Peering: ISPs reciprocally provide access to each other’s customers

AFIX Technical Workshop: Session 8 Transit Peering Peering vs Transit Peering

AFIX Technical Workshop: Session 8 Internet Exchange Points Three or more peering partners  IXP should be considered Platforms: Layer 2 or Layer 3 Ownership Commercial Non Profit Governmental

AFIX Technical Workshop: Session 8 Policy influences on IXPs IXPs are affected by two kinds of policy: Government policy Business and technical policies: IXP and member ISPs Government policy is simple: none is best! In the real world, two extremes of intervention: Governments have shut down IXPs Government have forced peering Both approaches are failures. Government’s ideal role is to encourage, provide information, support, facilitate.

AFIX Technical Workshop: Session 8 IXP business & technical policy Key areas to be negotiated between members Must be agreed BEFORE IXP is set up to ensure buy-in Business and technical decisions frequently overlap – technical choices are made for business reasons.

AFIX Technical Workshop: Session 8 Key business decisions Location Ownership Operator: who runs it? Do you provide additional services eg co-location? Form of business (for profit or not?) Funding and pricing: Flat fee, traffic fee, some other?

AFIX Technical Workshop: Session 8 Commercial Option IXP built and operated by a telco or co-location provider Profit comes from the services that support the IXP: Co-location space Telecommunications services, etc. MAE, PacBell NAP, Equinix, AboveNet

AFIX Technical Workshop: Session 8 Non-Profit Option A collective effort by several ISPs Incorporate as a non-profit in order to operate the IXP Referred as the “club” IXP model LINX, JINX, KIXP, APE (NZ)

AFIX Technical Workshop: Session 8 Government Option To enhance the connectivity of government and educational institutions Federal Internet eXchanges (FIXs): interconnected US govt networks Internet2’s GigaPOPs: Universities StarTap: the R&D Networks Private sector benefit is incidental, if at all

AFIX Technical Workshop: Session 8 Alternative forms Network Service Providers: Backbone carriers mainly selling transit service Use the term IX as a marketing tool Example: SAIX, EIX,..etc National Gateways: Mainly in regulated markets Local and international traffic are separated domestically

AFIX Technical Workshop: Session 8 Best Practices IXP operated by a neutral party who is not an ISP (to ensure fairness and neutrality) Robust and secure fashion Located in areas of high density of Internet market space Able to scale in size Fiscally sound and stable

AFIX Technical Workshop: Session 8 Key technical decisions Multilateral (all peer with all – no choice) Bilateral (any peer with any – ISPs can choose) Hybrid? Interconnect policy

AFIX Technical Workshop: Session 8 Typical agreements IXP Advertise no transit routes Peering Respond to queries in 24hrs Collaborate on tracking and dealing with abuse originating from own network Advertise all its customer routes to the other parties Accept all routes as agreed and advertised by the other parties Exchange traffic between its customers and customers of other parties Register customers in a whois searchable database or establish a routing registry

AFIX Technical Workshop: Session 8 Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) Ensure that IXP won’t be competing with its own members (e.g. connecting customers at the IXP) Ensure smooth and stable operation Preserve the business reputation of the IXP and member ISPs Provide reasonable privacy protection to members

AFIX Technical Workshop: Session 8 AUP non-compete terms Entry qualifications Who is to connect to the IXP Who is NOT to connect to the IXP Minimum peering requirements Exchanging traffic Bi-lateral agreements Multi-lateral agreements Settlement of peering charges

AFIX Technical Workshop: Session 8 Additional AUP issues Privacy – AUP should cover: Monitoring of operational data Publication of operational data Disclosure of information to relevant authorities Exceptions Content – AUP should cover: Conformance to laws regarding content hosted Prevention of spam, etc Protecting network stability and integrity Cooperation in achieving those objectives

AFIX Technical Workshop: Session 8 Traffic Exchange Strategy Transit through a global backbone Public Peering at exchange Points whenever possible Migrate higher-volume connections to private peering Negotiate peering with global backbones

AFIX Technical Workshop: Session 8 Conclusion Peering is a complement to transit – only top-tier ISPs can rely solely on peering for coverage. Companies will peer when they perceive equal benefit. Peering agreements are the result of commercial negotiations. Each ISP decides whether, how, and where to peer by weighing the benefits and costs of entering into a particular interconnection agreement.

AFIX Technical Workshop: Session 8 Policy Negotiation: Exercise Divide into three groups and read through the following IXP policies: Group A: JINX (South Africa) Group B: Moz-IX (Mozambique) Group C: KIXP (Kenya) How has each of these IXPs resolved the issues covered during this presentation? Would this policy, or some elements of it, be appropriate for your local conditions? What would be the most appropriate policy or set of policies for your local conditions?

AFIX Technical Workshop: Session 8 Summary of policy issues Location Ownership and form Governance Additional services Pricing Interconnection policy Acceptable use