Re: Cogent-TATA peering dispute?

[Jon Lewis <jlewis () lewis org>]

On Fri, 17 May 2024, William Herrin wrote:

> On Fri, May 17, 2024 at 9:55 AM Ben Cartwright-Cox via NANOG
> <nanog () nanog org> wrote:
> > Also poking around on RIPE Atlas suggests that for a non-zero amount
> > of networks in India the C DNS Root Server that cogent runs is
> > inaccessible: https://atlas.ripe.net/measurements/71894623#probes
>
> I don't understand why Cogent is allowed to operate one of the root
> servers. Doesn't ICANN do any kind of technical background check on
> companies when letting the contract?
>
> For those who haven't been around long enough, this isn't Cogent's
> first depeering argument. Nor their second. And they're behaving
> unreasonably. I don't know any of the details -this time- but
> historically speaking Cogent is behaving badly -again- and you can
> take that to the bank.

Cogent has been trying to establish themselves as a "tier 1" carrier in 
markets outside their home turf, and Asia is one of the markets in which 
the established operators are doing their best to keep Cogent out.

Back when I was helping to run a global anycast CDN, Cogent was one of our 
transits [in US and EU POPs].  I identified a bunch of sub-optimal service 
to networks in Asia who were silly/cheap enough to buy transit from 
Cogent.  Since none of the established players would peer in-market with 
Cogent, and since we didn't have Cogent transit in any of our Asian POPs 
(why would we?), anycast request traffic from those Cogent customers would 
cross the Pacific and land in California rather than hit a nearby POP with 
NTT, Tata, Singtel, etc. transits.

I suspect Cogent has either reached what they consider to be customer 
critical mass in Asia, or is tired of their Asian customers complaining 
about latency (since traffic to any other in-market non-Cogent connected 
network routes via the US or EU) and has decided it's time to play peering 
chicken to force Tata to peer with them in Asia.  Why shouldn't they?  The 
only reason Tata, NTT, etc. won't peer with Cogent in-market is because 
they don't want Cogent to be able to compete with them in their home 
market.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Jon Lewis, MCP :)              |  I route
 Blue Stream Fiber, Sr. Neteng  |  therefore you are
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