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How Networks Interact — Peering and Transit Explained

Posted by Soulskill on from the very-carefully dept.

Raindeer writes to share his article about peering and transit between networks, which begins: "In 2005, AT&T CEO Ed Whitacre famously told BusinessWeek, 'What they [Google, Vonage, and others] would like to do is to use my pipes free. But I ain't going to let them do that...Why should they be allowed to use my pipes?' The story of how the Internet is structured economically is not so much a story about net neutrality, but rather it's a story about how ISPs actually do use AT&T's pipes for free, and about why AT&T actually wants them to do so. These inter-ISP sharing arrangements are known as 'peering' or 'transit,' and they are the two mechanisms that underlie the interconnection of networks that form the Internet. In this article, I'll take a look at the economics of peering and transit in order to give you a better sense of how traffic flows from point A to point B on the Internet, and how it does so mostly without problems, despite the fact that the Internet is a patchwork quilt of networks run by companies, schools, and governments."

5 of 92 comments (clear)

  1. Obligatory by bigtangringo · · Score: 2, Funny

    L. Bob Rife approves.

    --
    Yes, I am a smart ass; it's better than the alternative.
  2. Re:Summary Clarification by iamdrscience · · Score: 4, Funny

    If I hire trucking company A to cary my packages...

    There's just one problem with this analogy: the Internet is not a truck, it's a series of tubes.

  3. Re:These guys are worse then the cellular companie by Shakrai · · Score: 2, Funny

    At least the cellphone carriers only overcharge *one* end of the conversation for airtime

    Is that why I pay for my incoming SMS and calls? ;)

    --
    I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
    We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
  4. Re:Summary Clarification by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    OK, instead of trucks think bits of pasta sauce.. hang on thats cannelloni/penne..
    ok, instead of pasta sauce think of cars going between Edgeware Rd and Victoria.. oh, thats the London Tube..
    ok, how about those vacuum tubes they used to transport memos & papers between departments in old offices & large buildings. What was this discussion about again?

  5. Re:Summary Clarification by svank · · Score: 3, Funny

    If I hire trucking company A to cary my packages...

    There's just one problem with this analogy: the Internet is not a truck, it's a series of tubes.

    Here at /., we understand things best when they come with car analogies.

    I'd say you must be new here, but your UID is half of mine.