Milo asks some good questions that I would like to address, from the perspective of ANS as a general service provider. These comments should not be viewed to represent the interpretation of policy by other organizations. Also, although I think these are important questions to be discussed, I think we are a bit off the topic of T3 network routing plans.

Milo writes:

One reason why I think some people are very interested in this issue of default routing to the NSF causing reachibility to CIX connected facilities is that as I understand it, there is a charge associated with the CO+RE service, which is supposed to go into some sort of pool to be distributed in various ways. Now, if a regional doesn't sign the CO+RE agreement, but because of default routing sends IP packets to CIX connected sites to their local ENSS, will they be charged for this in some manner?

No, a regional using NSFNET backbone services does not pay ANS anything, nor are they required to make any agreements to do so, even if the packets from a regional using NSFNET services ends up traversing the CIX due to default routing. The regionals pointing default would still be using NSFNET services and are presumed to abide by the NSF AUP.

If not, then why should any regional be a CO+RE subscriber? Since they mostly point default at the ENSS already, and then they get connectivity without charge.

A regional might choose to become a CO+RE subscriber if they want a commercial restriction free AUP and/or want to use the ANSNET as transit to get the CIX. Costs are recovered from the CO+RE subscriber. This cost recovery is used to defray the costs of the shared ANSNET infrastructure that they use. NSFNET users might get legitimate benefit out of this broadened connectivity, and CO+RE subscribers will be able to access a larger base of connected users.

You see, I think you guys have the greatest reason to not have AS 1957 routes installed in the routing tables of the various ENSS's whose members don't subscribe. Otherwise, those attached AS's could use the CO+RE service, and without an agreement, you could not be compensated for this. And I should point out that if you aren't compensated for this by the CIX folks (no settlements there) and by the regionals (because they just point default at you), then NSF would be placed in the position of supporting non-AUP traffic on resources it pays for.

ANS treats AS 1957 as CO+RE subscribers and puts funds in the infrastructure pool on their behalf to cover the compensation for CIX member networks use of ANSNET. There is no cost recovery necessary from regionals that use NSFNET services, even if they talk to CIX networks (via defaults) as long as these regionals are required to abide by the NSF AUP when using NSFNET services.

Of course, there are limits that you have to deal with if you are using IP routers as the core of your switching fabric, but I won't go into that now... :-)

Neither will I :-). Jordan