the Internet Backbone

Fri Apr 5 17:00:33 UTC 1996

At 10:32 AM 4/5/96, William Allen Simpson wrote:
>> From: Avi Freedman <freedman at netaxs.com>
>>...
>> Everyone (of importance) agrees that in order to claim you're a backbone
>> you have to (now, not a year ago) be connected to at least 2 public NAPs/MAEs
>> and have at least one circuit that runs at DS3 or higher speed.
>>
>No, that is not correct.
>
>A US Internet "backbone" is one which connects to ALL the NAP/MAEs in
>the US.  Not just two.  All of them.

Bill,
 
     I'm not sure that's a viable definition.   First, the number of MAE's 
     seems to be increasing withou bound, and secondly, there are points
     that you don't want to connect due to their performance.  Finally, is 
     "connecting" considered the same as "peering"?

/John