Ask DrPeering
Dear Dr Peering,
How on earth can you promulgate that anyone other than a couple content
or anycast networks are "open". The linked-to policies have requirements
that are equal to some of the selective: WISC doesn't peer with customers,
even peer1 has capacity requirements, Bouygues calls themselves selective,
CAIW limits prefix count, steadfast has the basic 'selective' elements as
does NAC.
Is it just because they use the word open? Init7 is the only 'open' one with
no requirements listed.
I honestly don't get why this is a drum beaten so often.
Joe
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Joe - thanks for raising the debate about what being an “Open Peer” means.
Brokaw Price from Yahoo! coined the term
“Pulse Peer; if you have a pulse, Yahoo! will peer with you”.
But what if Yahoo! requires a peering prospect to repair peering problems on a timely basis? Does that requirement project Yahoo! from the “Open” peering classification into the “Selective” classification?
Another example that comes up: some “Restrictive” peers such as AT&T believe that they are more accurately classified as “Selective”, since they accepted new peers recently, demonstrating their willingness to peer.
Peering Inclinations tend to follow a continuum from “Open” to “Selective” to Restrictive” as shown in the graphic below. (The “No Peering” inclination is generally used to describe content companies that do not peer.)
Peering Inclinations and Peering Policies are explored in this Ask. DrPeering.net article
Open Peers?
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
OPEN
RESTRICTED
SELECTIVE
NO PEERING
So why categorize peering inclinations into categories?
These categories are a practical shorthand for peering conversations. If a peering prospect says they are “Open”, you can breath a sigh of relief -- the peering conversation is likely to easily turn into peering. If a peering prospect categorizes themselves as “Selective”, the next question is “What are you peering requirements?” and the discussion flows to whether or not you meet (or will meet) their requirements. If a prospect says they are “Restrictive”, then you can make a snide comment and spend your time looking elsewhere for interested peering prospects.
DrPeering took a look at the policies of the “Open” peers listed on the Peering Inclinations and Policies page and agrees that several of the companies peering policies have traffic volume requirements that project them into the “Selective” category. It might be interesting to survey what people think should project companies from “Open” to “Selective”...
We should also point out that that “Selective” does not mean that peering discussions will be difficult - it simply means that the peering prospects are generally inclined to peer but not unconditionally - they have some prerequisites. What they list as prerequisites to peering effectively position themselves at a place along the continuum.
-- DrPeering
