small exchanges (was: Re: PSINet and C&W peering)

[Jim Mercer <jim () reptiles org>]

On Tue, Jun 05, 2001 at 05:39:41PM +0000, E.B. Dreger wrote:
> > BTW, to solve these types of problems, Smaller companies need to band
> > together and start peering with each other in the local metro area.
>
> Until the smaller companies get bought out by OneM^H^H^H^H a national
> provider who has no interest in peering.
>
> Quite frankly, it seems that most smaller companies have no clue what the
> heck peering is or why it's good.  I've approached a few, and none seem to
> get it.

i have been involved with a couple small exchanges, and the way it worked for
us was "build it and they will come".

initially TorIX was only a few ISP's who happened to be in the same building.

then a few other ISP's pulled in circuits and peered.

then i bumped into an @home tech, and they jacked in.

it took 4+ years to get the momentum going, but now we have a pretty good
peering thing going on.

so, if you can at least get one other ISP to peer, pick a good place, and
drive a stake in the ground.

others may migrate towards it.

(some of the selling points are sharing usenet news feeds and/or http caches)

-- 
[ Jim Mercer        jim () reptiles org         +1 416 410-5633 ]
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