North American Network Operators Group Date Prev | Date Next | Date Index | Thread Index | Author Index | Historical Re: NAP History (was RE: The large ISPs and Peering)
Comments inline... -s On Thursday 26 July 2001 16:24, Sean Donelan wrote: > On Thu, 26 July 2001, steve wolff wrote: > > With the impending closure of the NSFNET Backbone, and the distfribution > > of those funds to (academic) regional networks for the purpose of buying > > backbone service from ISPs on the open market, NSF feared that universal > > connectivity within the US higher education community might be lost - if > > all ISPs concerned did not peer with one another. > > The NSF never required ISPs peer with one another. The requirement > was to "connect" to the three primary NAPs, not exchange traffic. Universal > connectivity was an issue we are still dealing with. NSF placed the requirement on the regionals - not the NAPs nor the ISPs. Universal connectivity WAS maintained - for that community. > > Accordingly, NSF established the NAPs as open exchange points, and the > > funds distributed to regional networks to buy backbone service had a > > string attached: the regionals could only buy from ISPs who agreed to > > come to one or more NAPs and exchange higher ed traffic. Thus the > > universal connectivity of the community NSF was charged to serve was > > aassured. > > The CIX router had a mandatory peering policy, assuring universal > connectivity among its members. For several years, the CIX router > served as the "router of last resort." But some providers didn't > like that policy. And still don't... > Neither MAE-East, or the NAPs had "AUPs" covering traffic exchange. Quite right; the NAPs were AUP-free - taking advantage of a special exemption granted by the US Congress the year before. > > NSF never intended the NAPs to be the ONLY peering/exchange points, and > > never contemplated a 'stamp of approval' (or disapproval, for that > > matter) for anybody else's exchange point; the NAPs were inclusive, not > > exclusive. -- Stephen Wolff 202 362 7110 voice Office of the CTO 202 362 7224 fax Cisco Systems 202 427 6752 mobile
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