[165131] in North American Network Operators' Group
Re: Vancouver IXP - VanTX - BCNet
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Joe Abley)
Tue Aug 20 08:52:19 2013
From: Joe Abley <jabley@hopcount.ca>
In-Reply-To: <m2vc316jgb.wl%randy@psg.com>
Date: Tue, 20 Aug 2013 08:52:04 -0400
To: Randy Bush <randy@psg.com>
Cc: North American Network Operators' Group <nanog@nanog.org>,
Jacques Latour <jacques.latour@cira.ca>,
Allan MacGillivray <allan.macgillivray@cira.ca>
Errors-To: nanog-bounces+nanog.discuss=bloom-picayune.mit.edu@nanog.org
Hi Randy,
On 2013-08-20, at 01:05, Randy Bush <randy@psg.com> wrote:
>> As you may know CIRA has been working with groups across Canada to
>> establish new IXPs.
>=20
> wow! i thought there were a lot of ixps, torix, vantx, ...
The TorIX has been the most significant exchange point with growth and =
traffic for some years. I hear the QIX in Montr=E9al (pre-CIRA) was =
active, but I know less about that one since I've never had occasion to =
connect and use it. Other exchange points have existed (or still exist) =
in Halifax, London, Edmonton and Ottawa but have struggled to attract =
interest despite enthusiastic and well-meaning activism on the part of =
individuals.
I always had the impression that the BCIX in Vancouver was mainly a =
cooperative transit purchasing arrangement between academic =
institutions, and that all commercial peering on the west coast of =
Canada really took place in Seattle. Again, I have no direct experience =
however.
What CIRA is doing is providing support in the areas where previous =
efforts have struggled, providing hardware, accounts payable, legal, =
help with incorporation and forming sensible bylaws and stimulating =
local discussion and interest. My perspective is that they have done a =
great job in Calgary and Montr=E9al. It sounds like the approach in =
Vancouver (engage with existing efforts, see where CIRA can help) is =
following the same path.
> are these open, neutral, ixps, a la six etc? or big players trying to
> save the internet from itself?
I think they are as open and neutral as the local ISP communities want, =
and that CIRA is not dictating terms but rather enabling locals to do =
what they think is best for themselves. Open, Neutral, =E0 la SIX (et =E0 =
la TorIX) is what people seem to want.
I think the work CIRA is doing here is sensible, pragmatic, sensitive =
and useful. A good use of my .CA domain registration fees. It'd be nice =
to hear more about their experiences in Phoenix, if there is a suitable =
slot available on the programme.
Joe=
