On Sat, 04 December 1999, smd@clock.org wrote:
Peers and customers are currently indistinguishable.
A peer is simply a customer who receives limited connectivity, usually constrained by BGP announcement filtering in both directions, for a heavy discount, sometimes as much as 100% off normal pricing.
A supplier, on the other hand, is someone who sends you a bill, even if that bill is hugely discounted, with the expectation that if it is not paid, the connectivity offered as a service will be terminated.
I don't understand your "other hand." Using your logic, not only are peers and customers indistinguishable, but peers and suppliers are also indistinguishable. A customer, on the other hand, is someone who receives your bill, even if that bill is hugely discounted, with the expectation that if it is not paid, the connectivity received as a service will be terminated. A peer is simply a supplier who gives a limited selection of connectivity, usually constrained by BGP announcement filtering, for a heavy discount, sometimes as much as 100% off normal pricing. The problem with equating "peer" with either customer or supplier is you can never figure out who is the customer and who is the supplier. If I send you a bill every month for $0.00, does that make me the supplier and you the customer? To make things even more confusing, there are usually additional requirements peers must comply with, that neither customers nor suppliers do. Why do you think the lawyers go cross-eyed everytime they try to understand a peering agreement.