[185614] in North American Network Operators' Group
Re: Satellites and submarine cables
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Sean Donelan)
Fri Oct 30 13:32:14 2015
X-Original-To: nanog@nanog.org
Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2015 13:30:04 -0400 (EDT)
From: Sean Donelan <sean@donelan.com>
To: nanog@nanog.org
In-Reply-To: <alpine.BSF.2.20.1510261926500.91343@cnex.qbaryna.pbz>
Errors-To: nanog-bounces+nanog.discuss=bloom-picayune.mit.edu@nanog.org
Dyn Research, Doug Madory, has a good blog post looking at the physical
threats affecting submarine cables; as well as covering recent historical
submarine cable outages due to human action.
http://research.dyn.com/2015/10/the-threat-of-telecom-sabotage/
And also a very nice infographic by Caroline Troein, Tufts University,
show global submarine cable vulnerable points.
https://sites.tufts.edu/gis/files/2014/11/Troein_Caroline.pdf
Overall, Internet architecture has demonstrated resiliance to physical
layer disruptions, but it has not proven as resliant to logical layer
disruptions.
On Mon, 26 Oct 2015, Sean Donelan wrote:
>
> Since the weekend's list problems seem to have died down. How about some
> infrastructure news.
>
>
> http://spacenews.com/from-russia-some-unofficial-assurance-about-lurking-luch-satellites-intent/
>> From Russia, Unofficial Assurance about Intent of Lurking Luch Satellite
>
> http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/26/world/europe/russian-presence-near-undersea-cables-concerns-us.html
> Russian Ships Near Data Cables Are Too Close for U.S. Comfort
>
>
> This seems to be a case of "I know you can see me, and I can see you."
>
> Its not new. Multiple countries have demostrated submarine and satellite
> capabilities over the decades ... more submarines than satellites. But
> generally everyone has more to lose than gain. What is different is the
> increasingly public rhetoric.
>
> Occasional satellites or submarine cable disruptions haven't had long term
> impact on the US mainland due to US connectivity options. Carriers serving
> the US mainland regularly have outages and repair submarine cable and
> satellite problems. But countries with less connectivity options could get
> pushed around more, along the lines of "Make him an offer he can't refuse."
> Some of the public rhetoric may be for allies.
>
