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African Inter-Networking: The challenges and Opportunities

This presentation discusses the challenges and opportunities of inter-networking in Africa, focusing on concepts such as peering and transit. It also explores the policy, infrastructural, and information/data challenges faced in the region, and highlights the opportunities of building peering and transit points, research and development, and content hosting services.

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African Inter-Networking: The challenges and Opportunities

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  1. African Inter-Networking: The challenges and Opportunities Michuki Mwangi ISOC, Senior Education Manager AfriNIC-9 Le-Meridien Hotel, Mauritius 26th November 2008

  2. What is Inter-Networking? • This is defined as the Interconnection of Local Area Networks with Wide Area Networks • The larger picture is the Interconnection of Wide Area Networks (WANs) • The WANs are commonly represented by ISPs and Content Providers • Inter-Networking involves the exchange of traffic between the various operators for free or at a cost.

  3. Inter-Networking Concepts • Peering • This is the exchange of traffic between two networks in this case WANs for free • In the ISP environment this is the mutual exchange of traffic of its networks and clients with another ISP at no costs other than that of the circuit • Transit • This is the exchange of traffic between WANs at a fee. • For ISPs it enables them to have access to networks they cannot reach through peering • Its common practices between small and big ISPs

  4. Inter-Networking Models IGP O IGP P High Cost Transit ISP G ISP B

  5. Inter-Networking Model - current IGP O IGP P High Cost Transit ISP G ISP B Peering Low Cost IXP

  6. Inter-Networking Model - future IGP O IGP P High Cost Transit ISP G ISP B Peering Low Cost IXP

  7. The Challenges

  8. Policy Challenges • Uncompetitive regulatory and licensing regimes • Absence of policy mandates to ensure general awareness creation is undertaken • Poor mechanisms to develop advanced technical capacities • No significant investments in ICT R&D • Lack of adequate ICT policies and absence of legal framework to support e-commerce

  9. Infrastructural Challenges • As a result of the policy challenges, there has been minimal or no investment in; • National terrestrial high capacity infrastructure • Regional terrestrial high capacity infrastructure • Access to infrastructure leeway is not straight forward; • No accurate maps of existing infrastructure locations • Approval process is slow and costly

  10. Information/Data Challenges! • There lacks empirical data on how much traffic exchange exists between the African region • This makes it difficult to develop any potential business cases for regional Inter-Networking • This has in the past been due to mistrust amongst the operators to share information

  11. The Opportunities

  12. Building Peering and Transit points • Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) are the ideal peering and transit point • The provide opportunities for peering (free) access for what would be otherwise transit (paid) access traffic. • IXPs reduce the overall access costs • Reduce dependence of International connections for local traffic • There’s need to build IXPs in many potential areas to enhance access to content • IXPs are technology enablers – ideal locations to launch project testbeds i.e IPv6.

  13. IXPs in Africa Source: www.nsrc.org

  14. Research and Development • IXPs become the natural aggregation points of National or regional traffic • They naturally attract research into traffic patterns especially for traffic within the region. • The resulting research is useful for the development of future services and killer applications. • IXPs also promote the establishment of National Research and Education Networks (NRENs)

  15. Other Opportunities – Content! • Hosting and Collocation Services • Both regional and local hosting services • E-Government Projects and Initiatives • The main source of national content and expanding Government service provision • The case of Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) collects over USD $ 6Million Daily via KIXP • VoIP Call Clearing Houses • Promotes cheaper national/regional calling rates • E-Commerce • Implements 24hr economies at the least.

  16. Conclusion • InterNetworking will play a key role in providing access to reach the next billion • AfriNIC and ISOC are partnering to bring additional value to IXPs. • Project involves assisting in implementing Anycast Root server instances, Routing Data collectors, NTP amongst others • The process will also include enabling IPv6 at the IXPs • Technology transfer will be a critical component of the project

  17. Questions – Discussion? Michuki Mwangi mwangi@isoc.org 17

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