EBONE93 IP SERVICE DEFINITION [- DRAFT 1] by Phil Jones September 16, 1992 --------------------------------------------------------------- 0. Contents 1. Introduction 2. The Service 3. Procedures 4. Costs Appendix: Contacts for Enquiries about Possible Connection to Ebone93. 1. Introduction In summary, the aim of Ebone93 is: o to provide IP networks in Europe with cost-effective IP connectivity to the other IP networks that are attached to the global Internet, with the emphasis of the service targeting being as for the research community; o to offer this to potential connecting networks at a single contact point which they may choose from a list offered by the Ebone93 service. Ebone93 funds its own operational staffing and resources. In addition, Ebone93 has the support of many agencies and organisations as listed in the Ebone brochure, and through them (and within its own resources) has access to the networking expertise required to run its services and to develop them. In this context, Ebone93 is confident that the service can develop; o in terms of topology, of geographical spread, and in terms of capacity of components and links in response to the demand on the service; o with that of the rest of the global Internet, in particular functional changes through the provision of known and to-be-defined Internet Exchanges, and technical changes (like the CIDR proposals and IP version 7). Ebone93 is also piloting a CLNS service in collaboration with the RARE and the Internet initiatives in this area. Ebone is operated by the Ebone Operations Team (EOT). The EOT consists of the skipper (Peter Lothberg) and others ('mates') based at KTH in Stockholm, and other operational staff at the other EBS sites. It is important to note the distributed nature of the EOT. General information can be found in the Ebone brochure available from the RARE Secretariat. More specific, and technical, enquiries, and applications to connect and enquiries about connection, should be made to the contacts for the connection points as listed in the appendix, to the Ebone Operations 'Skipper'. 1 2. The Service From the point of view of the connecting IP network, Ebone93 looks like an IP routing service (albeit a distributed service, as it will be seen to have several points at which customer networks can connect) between the connecting network and the rest of the global Internet. The connection points on Ebone93 are known as Ebone Boundary Systems (EBS). Diagrammatically, the Ebone looks like this: *S----------A----------C* + + + + + + *L+ + + + + + + + + + +P* where the letters denote Ebone Boundary Systems for Ebone93 (at Stockholm, Amsterdam, CERN, Paris and London); * denotes a trans-Atlantic connection across which traffic from connecting networks may travel, ---- denotes a line speed of 512kbps, and + + + denotes a line speed of 256kbps. (Formally, and at the time of writing, CERN has not been able to commit to Ebone in the same way as the other organisations responsible for EBSes. The Ebone router at CERN is consequently referred to as a 'virtual EBS'. It is not expected that those operating networks connecting to Ebone93 will notice any operational difference between a virtual EBS and other EBSes.) o Connecting networks exchange IP traffic as defined in the Internet norms. The necessary technical specifications are available in Ebone documents available from the contacts listed in the appendix (and available in machine readable form on the Internet hosts nic.ebone.net and info.ripe.net). Connecting networks provide a router to interface between the connecting network and Ebone93 in accordance with those specifications, and a line/link between that router and an EBS. The connecting network may negotiate with any EBS care of the contact points given in the appendix, an important consideration being the likely cost to the connecting network of its link to Ebone93. o Timetable: The Ebone93 service is scheduled to be available 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, all year, except that each EBS *may* close down for all or part of a single defined two-hour 'at risk' period each week (for example for special work on hardware or software). It will only do this if it has given notice to the Ebone Operations Team and to the networks connected to the notifying EBS by noon two working days before the period in question. (Thus there is a clear 1.5 working days notice of any 'at risk' closure, and this can happen during the same period each week only, on a given EBS. Furthermore, because of the resilient nature of the Ebone93 topology, the general Ebone93 service continues, with the only connectivity affected being that to and from the networks connecting to the particular single EBS). 2 o Connectivity: connectivity is offered from the connecting network to all networks fully connected to the global Internet. The Internet ethos is for general interworking without restrictions. Interworking between individual networks is nevertheless formally a matter to be negotiated between them. Also, different parts of the global Internet have different acceptable use policies, and it is the responsibility of the connecting network to ensure that it respects those policies in its use of the global Internet and its various links (especially international links) and its resources. o Serviceability: [If there are serviceability (e.g. availability (%) or reliability (perhaps mean time between failure)) targets for Ebone93 say an overall figure representing a path between any two EBSes chosen at random, this should be quoted. I think this is what those responsible for potential connecting networks would wish to see. Serviceability targets for the individual Ebone 93 links and for the EBS router would be a valuable substitute.] Because of the resilient nature of the Ebone93 topology, availability of the service is not in general affected by the failure of a single link or of a single EBS, nor indeed by some combinations of these. Serviceability is affected by the nature of the operational cover. All EBS are manned during prime shift, and have manned and on call cover outside that period. That said, there are some EBSes with no operational cover at certain off-peak times. Work is in progress with the aim of improving the cover at all EBS sites not having manned operational cover all day 365 days a year, with cover at all times being at least as good as it is at the time of writing, and to have at least on-call-cover at each EBS all the time. 3. Procedures Once connection has been agreed, connecting networks will be given contact information for the EBS to which their network connects to Ebone93. It is important that the only point of contact of a connecting network is using the methods and points of contact given in that information except in serious emergency or unless requested to do so. Connecting networks may accept third party traffic and pass it on to Ebone93. For Ebone93 purposes, this will be treated as traffic from the connecting network. It should be noted however that connecting networks are expected to service those to whom it offers third party traffic. The Ebone93 EOT will only pass information to directly connecting networks. Direct operational, problem management or any other communication to Ebone93 should come in to defines EBS contacts only, and then only from directly connected networks and not from third parties. Connecting networks are expected to cooperate with the procedures of the Internet NIC and the procedures of the global Internet, the services of the RIPE NCC, and the coordination of RIPE. 3 4. Costs Ebone93 aims to make neither a profit nor a loss. Networks wishing to connect to Ebone93 will be quoted a charge which depends on the speed of their link to Ebone93. Surplus of income over expenditure will used for investment in the network. Payment will be quarterly in advance unless otherwise agreed with the Ebone Resources Manager. Networks which have not made their initial payment should not expect to be offered service, and networks who are not fully up to date with their payments should expect to be cut off. In addition to the quarterly payment, their may be a small initial payment expected to cover the cost of connection. Further details of costs and charges will be available from Ebone93 when enquiring about possible connection from the contacts given in the appendix. Ebone93 is a confident service, based on confidnce in the the people working for it and those supporting it. However, no guarantee of service, can be given. Figures, and schedules and other matters described in this document are targets only, and service is not guaranteed at any level or at all. The reader may nevertheless feel confidence in the service, based on experience of, or the history of the Ebone service. 4 Appendix: Contacts for Enquiries about Possible Connection to Ebone93. (Note: These will NOT in general be the same as the operational contacts. These enquiries may go to any of the contacts below, but it may well be best to contact the nearest country of contact as that may well also turn out to be where the link will turn out to be the cheapest). o Ebone93 (as for Amsterdam): <> o Ebone93(as for CERN): <> o Ebone93(as for London): Phil Jones JNT, c/o RAL, Chilton, Didcot, OXON, OX11 0QX, United Kingdom. Voice: +44 235 446618 Fax: +44 235 446251 Email: p.jones@jnt.ac.uk c=gb;a= ;p=uk.ac;o=jnt;i=p;s=jones. o Ebone93(as for Paris) <> o Ebone93(as for Stockholm) <> o Ebone93 Skipper Peter Lothberg, <>. o RARE Secretariat Marieke Dekker 5 --