On Mon, 28 Mar 2005, Randy Bush wrote: > > Firstly, peering isn't binary. Is peering vs transit a distinction based on > > routes taken / accepted & readvertised, or on cost? Does "paid for peering" > > count as peering or transit? If you pay by volume? If you pay for "more than > > your fair share" of the interconnect pipes? (if the latter, I am guessing > > there are actually no Tier 1s as everyone reckons they pay for more than > > their fair share...). > > pay? did i say pay? i discussed announcement and receipt of prefixes. this > was not an accident. it is measurable.
i also avoided money.. i dont think its that relevant, everyone is paying for peering or transit in one form or another, i dont think any peering is free (free != settlement free) > > Secondly, it doesn't cover scenarios that have have happened in the past. > > For instance, the route swap. EG Imagine networks X1, X2, X3, X4 are "Tier > > 1" as Randy describes them. Network Y peers with all the above except X1. > > Network Z peers with all the above except X2. Y & Z peer. To avoid Y or Z > > needing to take transit, Y sends Z X2's routes (and sends Z's routes to X2 > > routes marked "no export" to X2's peers), and Z sends Y X1's routes (and > > sends Y's routes to X1 marked "no export" to X1's peers). Perhaps they do > > this for free. Perhaps they charge eachother for it and settle up at the end > > of each month. Perhaps it's one company that's just bought another. "transit (n). The act of passing over, across, or through; passage." whether it is a settlement arrangement or a mutual swap, they do NOT have peering, they ARE transitting and by our definition are not transit-free (and hence not tier1) however alex, you do highlight an excellent point - things are not as simple as 'tier1, tier2', there are complicated routing and financial arrangements in operation, which brings me back to my earlier point: does it matter what a network is paying for some connectivity providing they deliver to you the connectivity you need at the quality you desire? Steve