Evaluating Tier 1 Internet providers

Tue Aug 27 22:47:59 UTC 2013

> - speed to handle your emergency support call.     (recent experience,
> some tier1 can take a couple hours)
> *[EL>] * time to respond / time to resolve are good ones (hard to get
> them to provide the true values, though)****
>
>
> Call and pretend your a customer with an emergency.    You might be
surprised how long it takes the first person to be on the call with you.

> - To get more specific, where is their peering in relationship to you.
> Strong peering not near you could mean a lot of extra latency just to get
> off their network.****
>
> *[EL>] *“How many hops to their edge”?  Will they admit that?  can I get
> a traceroute?  (however, this is in downtown LA so I’m guessing it’s close
> to the edge****
>
> * *
>
This one can be harder to get any answers on depending on who you are.
You can ask what locations they have most of their peering with.  Also ask
for a POP list they are located in.   Usually they are marked with the type
of service each building is (pop vs metro ring vs extension).    unless
it's a private peer, I woudlnt' expect any peering at locations that are
not pops and you can see what is nearby your location that is a pop.

Somethign else I just thought of that I do ask providers.   Ask how they
get into your building.   If they are using some sort of metro ring between
their routers make sure your not about to screw yourself with no diversity
when that ring needs to be worked on.

Thanks,
Bryan