EBONE The European Backbone Bernhard Stockman April 2, 1992 Abstract. The requirement for Europe-wide network connectivity at increasing bandwidth and for high-speed connectivity to US networks has long been recognized. In recent years, this demand has focused on IP services. Until late 1991 such connectivity was available only to individual national and international research networks. Ebone is an initiative to promote close collaboration among today European network service providers to provide a general purpose pan-European backbone. The paper gives an overview of the background, the administrative and technical implementation and future developments. 1. Introduction Ebone began in September 1991 when representatives of several European academic and research networks met to resolve long-standing European connectivity problems. Their approach was to evaluate existing available links, to look for opportunities to bring these links together quickly under a unified approach, and to make plans to enhance these links. This was documented in the initial Ebone proposal. [EBONE-92] Contributions were secured, a management structure was established, operational procedures were put in place, and an overall contribution-oriented funding approach was agreed. Each participating organization has signed a Memorandum of Understanding which defines the terms of Ebone membership and the resources which each member contributes to the Ebone effort. [EBONE MoU] Ebone focuses on supporting networking organizations which serve the European academic and research communities. Through Ebone, European researchers have improved access and higher-performance connections to their colleagues throughout Europe and the United States. Furthermore, by encouraging the participation of commercial network service providers (e.g., PTTs, information technology companies), Ebone will increase the size of the participating communities, reduce individual costs, encourage the participation of industrial researchers, and stimulate the creation of competitive international IP networking services in Europe. Ebone complements other European activities such as the X.25 service provided by the IXI network, and the EMPP pilot multi-protocol project. 2. Functional description Ebone today operates a core backbone between London, Stockholm, Amsterdam, Geneva, and France (Montpellier). Regional, national and international networks connect to these core backbone sites. The links interconnecting the Ebone core sites operates initially at speeds between 256 and 512 Kbps. Intercontinental links to the United States are currently provided from London, Stockholm and Geneva at 512 Kbps and 1544 Kbps. A three level hierarchy is imposed with the Ebone kernel at the top interconnecting regional networks which in turn connects sites within the regional networks. The Ebone kernel does not enforce any restrictions on the traffic being forwarded to and from Ebone contributing organization as long as this traffic is not regarded as harmful to the overall Ebone functionality. Internet IP and ISO CLNS are the supported layer three protocols. Ebone is managed by the Ebone Management Committee made up of representatives from selected member organizations. Operational support is provided by core and other sites in cooperation with Ebone Network Operations Center at The Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm. 3. Technical description 3.1 The Ebone Kernel. The Ebone kernel is built on leased lines with a nominal bandwidth of 512 Kbps interconnecting the Ebone Boundary Systems (EBS). In some cases there may be a need to make upgrades of existing lines or additions of new lines to conform to the overall Ebone functional goals. For US connectivity it is recommended that at least three T1 capacity circuit is connected into major Ebone junctions. The connections to the Ebone are currently at Stockholm (512 Kbps), London (512 Kbps) and Geneva (1544 Kbps). The Ebone core sites, i.e. Ebone Boundary Systems, is where the traffic forwarding decisions are made and the backbone lines interconnecting the EBS's are terminated. The EBS Technical Specification document gives the recommendations for EBS installations. [EBS] For reasons of stability, each EBS has two Ebone core links, connecting into two other EBS's and these links shall, as far as possible, be routed in separated paths between the EBS's. Topology April 1992 !---------!RBS!- Nordic Carriers !!--------!RBS!- TIPnet !!!-------!RBS!- SWIPnet !!!!------!RBS!- NORDUnet !!!! 512 Kbps !-------------! USA <------------------ !Stockholm EBS! !-------------! / \ / \ / \ 256 Kbps / \ 512 Kbps / \ / \ / \ / \ 512 Kbps !----------! !-------------! USA <---------!London EBS! !Amsterdam EBS! !----------! !-------------! !! | | !!!!!!! JANET ---!RBS!--!! | | !!!!!!!--!RBS!- SURFnet ICRF ----!RBS!---! | | !!!!!!---!RBS!- ESA | 512 Kbps | !!!!!----!RBS! -RedIRIS | | !!!!-----!RBS! -HEAnet | 256 Kbps | !!!------!RBS! -ULB | | !!-------!RBS! -YUNAC | | !--------!RBS! -EUnet | | | ! | ! !---------------! 256 Kbps !----------! !Montpellier EBS!-----------!Geneva EBS! !---------------! !----------! !!!! ! !!!!!!! RENATER -!RBS!--!!!! ! !!!!!!!---!RBS!- SWITCH FORTH ---!RBS!---!!! ! !!!!!!!---!RBS!- EARN Leuven --!RBS!----!! ! !!!!!-----!RBS!- ACOnet ! !!!!------!RBS!- ARIADNEt ! !!!-------!RBS!- EASInet ! !!--------!RBS!- EUnet 1544 Kbps ! !---------!RBS!- ILAN USA <----------------------------------! 3.2 Connections between Ebone and regional networks. The boundary between the Ebone kernel and connecting networks is described in terms of the functionality of the systems at either side and the specifications of their common interface. The defined functions are handled by the Ebone Boundary System (EBS) and the Regional Boundary System (RBS). Regional networks connects to the Ebone via Regional Boundary Systems (RBS). Regional policies are implemented in the RBS's. This makes it possible for each connecting network to enforce their local policy on the traffic they accepts without restricting the traffic possible to forward in the Ebone kernel. Regional connectivity to the Ebone EBONE EBONE ! ! !------------------------------! ! BANDWIDTH MANAGEMENT ! ! BACKBONE TRAFFIC ROUTING ! <- EBS ! ROUTING TO/FROM THE REGION ! !-----B------------------B-----! ! ! B = EBONE Boundary ! ! Interfaces ! ! !-------------------!---! !---!-------------------! ! ACCESS (AND CONTROL) ! ! ACCESS (AND CONTROL) ! ! TO/FROM THE BACKBONE ! RBS's ! TO/FROM THE BACKBONE ! ! SERVICES. REGIONAL ! ! SERVICES. REGIONAL ! ! TRAFFIC ROUTING ! ! TRAFFIC ROUTING ! !-----------------------! !-----------------------! ! ! ! ! REGIONAL NETWORK REGIONAL NETWORK Both EBS and RBS shall be implemented using similar technology to assure interoperability with regards to forwarding of traffic and management of the EBS's and RBS's. For further details on the implementation of the initial backbone see [EBONE IMPL]. For a description of the routing and addressing structure see [EBONE ROUT] and for a description of the management and operations see [EBONE OPS]. All major EBONE documents are available via anonymous ftp from archive.ripe.net and nic.nordu.net in the directory ebone. For further information on formal procedure for how to connect to the EBONE please contact the EBONE secretariat co-located with the RARE secretariat in Amsterdam. Marieke Dekker or Anne Cozanet RARE Secretariat Singel 466-468 NL-1017 AW AMSTERDAM tel: +31 20 639 1131 fax: +31 20 639 3289 email: ebone@rare.nl 4. Ebone development Demand for Ebone services is growing rapidly. Additional links and increased capacity will be installed to satisfy this demand, and several such upgrades are in planning. This may especially be the case for the fast growing need for connectivity to Central and East European Countries. The present flexible contribution-oriented approach is expected to evolve towards a more formal funding structure. Over the longer term, it is anticipated that the Ebone will become a part of the multi-protocol networking infrastructure to be provided via the the RARE initiated Operational Unit. References: [EBONE-92] The EBONE-92 proposal. September 1991. [EBONE MoU] The EBONE Memorandum of Understanding. December 1991. [EBS] The EBONE Boundary System Technical Specification. Juha Heinanen, Peter Lothberg, Bernhard Stockman. February 8, 1992. [EBONE IMPL] The EBONE Implementation Plan. Bernhard Stockman. February 24, 1992. [EBONE ROUT] EBONE Routing and Adressing Plan. Tony Bates, Peter Lothberg. April 1992. [EBONE OPS] EBONE Mangagment and Operations. Bernhard Stockman. April 1992.