Re: Extending a MAE connection ...

[bmanning () ISI EDU]

> Technically, I believe that this is doable.  Using FDDI in NYC would cause
> the fewest technical issues.  Note that if the DS3 is to be filled, it may
> require more than a 4700.
>
> Please note that this does not constitute an endorsement of the strategy or
> of the 'taste' of such an operation.  ;-)
>
> Tony
>
> > Here is a question.. a strange one, no less.
> >
> > Is it feasible to do this:
> >
> >  
> >   WASHINGTON DC                               NEW YORK CITY
> >  
> >     
> >                     |   B R I D G E  |
> > MAE -- 100 Mb/s  -- | Cisco | -DS3- | Cisco | -- FDDI or -- (multiple
> > East        FDDI        | 4700M |       | 4700M |    100Base T      peers)
> > giga                                                 Switch
> >
> >
> > Why? here's why.
> >
> > Several folks in the same building in NYC want to connect to MAE-East.
> > But, we all don't want T1's or 10 Meg HLI to MAE-East, but DS3. So, this
> > allows us all to connect to the MAE, peer directly with others without an
> > intermediary ASN, and we can split the cost of the routers and the DS3. 
> >
> > I know (at least, I can't think of any reason it can't be done) that is
> > can be done. The unanswered questions are:
> >
> > 1) Will MFS allow us to connect multiple Peers on the same FDDI port (from
> > thier webpage, it looks like it, but I am not sure).
> >
> > 2) Is there any technical reason that the above is bad? 
> >
> > 3) Because we do it the way shown above, does that make us look less
> > attractive (politically) ?
> >
> > Thanks for any input on this. If there is anything I am missing, please
> > slap me. Thanks.

Ick!

        1. Talk to WCOM for answers.
        2. L2 media segmentation is a "fun" troubleshooting problem
           Geographic seperation of various media that compose an exchange
           have led to most of the extended outages. Its even more fun
           when the various sites are managed by diverse parties.
        3. Depends on your politics and those in whose sandbox you wish
           to play. Are you willing to subscribe to the same operational
           policies as the other sites that comprise MAE-EAST?

I'll note in passing that several exchanges, in and out of the US, have
a geographically distributed model. Generally the designs are not based
on clusters of clients wanting to interconnect. 
           
--bill