Re: Cox clamping VPN traffic?

["Jim Popovitch" <yahoo () jimpop com>]

On Jan 25, 2008 12:17 PM, Tomas L. Byrnes <tomb () byrneit net> wrote:
> I've got a local peer with Cox for VPN users to co-lo. A VPN connection that
> otherwise shows no issues just had their file transfer rate during a large
> file transfer over the VPN go from 10Mbps to 43kbps, and stay there. This
> isn't transit, it's local peering.

I see the *exact* same problem with Comcast at home.  I get about 30
seconds of the 6.6Mbps provisioned rate then the drop kicks in and
down to 43kbps it goes.  In talking with Comcast engineers privately,
I've learned that the "provisioned" rates should no longer be
considered as sustainable, only initial.   Now I don't normally need a
sustained up/down rate, but it has come in handy in the past when
up/down-loading backups or ISOs... but I guess those days are behind
us as the large providers have started re-interpreting the definition
of "provisioned", or to be more accurate they have implemented a TTL
on it.  That said, I do see their point of view wrt PTP, esp torrent
traffic, and their desire to limit it's impact on their networks....
but it does boil my blood when *I* need to use "my" bandwidth for
legitimate purposes only to find myself throttled. :-)   Part of me
wonders if this isn't an effort to push "business" class services.

-Jim P.