In message <p05001911b6bc16c992d2@[63.216.127.100]>, "Howard C. Berkowitz" writ
es:
Between fading memories and NDA's, it can be hard to track how things
happened...but I'm trying to put together some timelines about
interprovider peering both through private peering (i.e., at what
point it became economic to meet other than through ARPANET/NSFNET)
and at exchanges.
Hi Howard:
My memory is that it became economic almost as soon as NSFNET started.
Various regional networks found, for various reasons, that it was useful
to have direct connections, independent of NSFNET. Recall that at certain
times in its life, NSFNET didn't have enough bandwidth to meet demand.
You can probably look at some of the old Internet maps that Mike Brescia
used to prepare for IETF and see the backdoor paths. (Side note to old
IETF/NSFNET types -- Mike didn't keep the originals of those maps, and
they are fast becoming valuable bits of history -- if you still have your
copies and find you don't need/value them anymore, please donate them to
the Computer Museum or another history of technology museum).
Craig
one-time technical director, NSFNET Service Center