Peering versus Transit

Sun Sep 29 17:22:48 UTC 1996

  Hi Bill,

> I can see no justification under any circumstances why any provider
> would refuse to peer with another at an established exchange point for
> exchanging their _own_ customers' traffic!

  I can give you three:

     1/	LargeISP does not want to spend the X hours it takes to
  	bring up a peering session for SmallISP's routes.  The
  	benefit gained to SmallISP's 5 routes is not great enough.

     2/ LargeISP does not have confidence in SmallISPs ability to
  	properly administer a safe BGP peering connection, and
  	believes that there is high risk involved with such.

     3/ LargeISP knows that if they don't peer with SmallISP, their
  	customers won't care.  LargeISP knows that if SmallISP can't
  	get traffic to LargeISP, they will have a poor service.
  	LargeISP knows SmallISP will then/therefore buy
  	peering/transit (prolly from them).  [this perpetuates the
  	small number of global palyers model]

  I don't see that this is necessarily "correct" justification, but
  it is justification.

  -alan