[165011] in North American Network Operators' Group
Re: How big is the Internet?
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Patrick W. Gilmore)
Thu Aug 15 14:33:32 2013
From: "Patrick W. Gilmore" <patrick@ianai.net>
In-Reply-To: <DEF3A009-E983-4714-AE6C-44BFBB6FD555@ufp.org>
Date: Thu, 15 Aug 2013 14:27:36 -0400
To: NANOG list <nanog@nanog.org>
Errors-To: nanog-bounces+nanog.discuss=bloom-picayune.mit.edu@nanog.org
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On Aug 15, 2013, at 10:05 , Leo Bicknell <bicknell@ufp.org> wrote:
> On Aug 14, 2013, at 3:27 PM, Patrick W. Gilmore <patrick@ianai.net> =
wrote:
>> Once you define what you mean by "how bit is the Internet", I'll be =
happy to spout off about how big it is. :)
>=20
> Arbitrary definition time: A Internet host is one that can send and =
receive packets directly with at least one far end device addressed out =
of RIR managed IPv4 or IPv6 space.
>=20
> That means behind a NAT counts, behind a firewall counts, but a true =
private network (two PC's into an L2 switch with no other connections) =
does not, even if they use IP protocols. Note that devices behind a =
pure L3 proxy do not count, but the L3 proxy itself counts.
>=20
> Now, take those Internet hosts and create a graph where each node has =
a binary state, forwards packets or does not forward packets the result =
is a set of edge nodes that do not forward packets. The simple case is =
an end user PC, the complex case may be something like a server in a =
data center that while connected to multiple networks does not forward =
any packets, and is an edge node on all of the networks to which it is =
attached.
>=20
> To me, "all Internet" traffic is the sum of all "in" traffic on all =
edge nodes. Note if I did my definition carefully out =3D in - (packet =
loss + undeliverable), which means on the scale of the global Internet I =
suspect out =3D=3D in, when rounded off.
I have a feeling you flipped "in" & "out" in that formula.
> So please, carry on and spout off as to how big that is, I think an =
estimate would be very interesting.
Spout off time:
My laptop at home is an edge node under the definition above, despite =
being behind a NAT. My home NAS is as well. When I back up my laptop to =
my NAS over my home network, that traffic would be counted as "Internet" =
traffic by your definition.
I have a feeling that does not come close to matching the mental model =
most people have in their head of "Internet traffic". But maybe I'm =
confused.
--=20
TTFN,
patrick
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