[2583] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
One regional's proposal to keep the Internet whole
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (jrugo@nic.near.net)
Wed Mar 18 20:31:01 1992
To: nearnet@nic.near.net, nearnet-plan@nic.near.net
Cc: com-priv@psi.com
Date: Wed, 18 Mar 92 20:28:21 -0500
From: jrugo@nic.near.net
NEARnet, and the Internet in general, have seen dramtic growth over recent
years, both in the number and variety of organizations which have joined. Many
members of regional networks, including NEARnet's members, have expressed
interest in using their connections to support inter-business communications.
However, use of the NSFNET to support business activities is prohibited under
the National Science Foundation's Acceptable Use Policy. An organization of
providers of commercial services has been formed to provide those services,
named the Commercial Internet Exchange (CIX). In addition, the provider of
NSFNET services, Advanced Network and Services (ANS), has formed a subsidiary
to provide commercial services (ANS CO+RE). NEARnet's policies already allow
commercial traffic between NEARnet members. NEARnet has been negotiating with
both ANS and the CIX to provide broader commercial access to our members.
NEARnet believes that the Internet needs to remain fully interconnected in
order to support the wide range of needs present in the Internet.
NEARnet has proposed to join the CIX and to sign an agreement with ANS CO+RE.
Under the terms of the ANS CO+RE agreement, NEARnet's access to the CIX member
networks (PSI, Alternet, CERFnet, BARRNET, and a few others) would be provided
by the ANS CO+RE network. We believe that this solution accomplishes two
goals. The first goal is to establish connectivity with the greatest number of
networks. The second goal is to establish that connection using the best
available technical means. NEARnet has determined that, if separate
connections were established to ANS and the CIX, current routing technology
would not enable us to provide the best possible service to our members.
Utilizing the high-speed ANS connection for CIX and ANS CO+RE traffic will
satisfy both goals in the interim while we continue to pursue advances in
routing technology that wil allow more diverse network connections for NEARnet.
We hope to have a working interim solution available from ANS and CIX in the
near future.
Bill Yundt, the Executive Director of the Bay Area Regional Research Network
(BARRNet) which serves over 120 organizations in California, has joined with
NEARnet in support of its proposal. Yundt says:
"BARRNet management is committed to the NEARnet strategy and has informed the
CIX management that BARRNet's continued participation in the CIX organization
is contingent upon resolution of routing issues and effective coordination of
connectivity with the ANS-NSFNET backbone. Though announced as a CIX member,
BARRNet has deferred its connection to the CIX West hub which we determined
would result in unacceptable routing and coordination difficulties and
increased performance risks to our membership. The current routing technology
is not up to the task of supporting regional networks with multiple Internet
connections in a way that satisfies use restrictions, matches paths to user
requirements and avoids routing assymetry, loops or other unacceptable routing
behavior.
We believe NEARnet has proposed the only workable solution currently available
to the Internet community and we are prepared to use the NEARnet model as the
basis for negotiating our connectivity agreements with the CIX and ANS."
