Re: Vancouver IXP - VanTX - BCNet

["William F. Maton Sotomayor" <wmaton () ottix net>]

On Wed, 21 Aug 2013, Clayton Zekelman wrote:

> Just wondering aloud if an ISP that did have commercial interest could run a 
> non-member driven exchange point successfully as long as they had pricing and 
> policies that were similar to member driven exchange points.

Verrrry interesting that you raise that.

IIRC, Albuquerque has NMIX which I think was setup as for-profit.  (John 
Brown are you still here?)  Well over a decade ago now, my recollection is 
fuzzy.  I don't recall the reasoning in choosing for-profit over 
nont-for-profit.

As for ISPs doing it, there are clear examples in the wild today, but. 
Many buts.  That ISP would have to be quite benevolent.  In the long run.
New MGMT/owners and then.....?

> I have a facility in Windsor, Ontario that is well connected, has all the 
> physical infrastructure necessary, the ability to provide relatively low cost 
> local fibre loops, has an open policy towards other carriers providing 
> transport loops, but alas, it wouldn't be perceived as "neutral".

The only reason why we (OttIX) followed the path of not-for-porfit (and 
all that it comes with, from beloved loons to passionate supporters to the 
somewhat silent majority) was to give the community of interest (gawd what 
a PC-style phrase) assurance that the IXP would not be held hostage to a 
bottom-line or to the dictates of the single owner.  In other words, 
neutral.

(Now going for-profit could have been tempered with issuing one share per 
peer and having share-holders, etc, but we're starting to delve into 
philosophical viewpoints which in turn have consequences, advantages and 
disadvantages too numerous to get into here.)

> Community of interest of course is the other magical ingredient that is 
> necessary.  Not sure how many ISPs would want to peer in Windsor...

If I were looking strictly at bottomline and had the same cost option 
between connecting to an IX in Ottawa/Windsor as going to Toronto, I'd go 
to Toronto.  $dayjob was public sector:  We believed the more we peer 
with, the greater the benefit to public citizen (along being able to 
divide and conquer potential DDOS).  Of course there are those who don't 
subscribe to that notion... so what do I know?

But, do what we did, throw it out there and try it just to see if there's 
any interest Windsor.  Get the packets flowing, forget the paperwork and 
managerial super-structure for now.  Talk to CIRA, get them to listen to 
you, you listen to them.  OttIX started with a Paradyne DSLAM as switch 
core and many peers coming in on $40/month xDSL lines, just to see if 
there was a point.

That's one decade gone, already into another....

wfms