Re: Peering versus Transit

[Matt Zimmerman <mdz () netrail net>]

On Mon, 30 Sep 1996, Bill Woodcock wrote:

[re: pointing bogus statics at a provider's router to reach their customers]
>     WRT the former, I simply cannot fathom, and no one other than Sean has
>     yet presented an argument explaining why it's malicious to deliver a
>     packet to its addressee's ISP.  Why should I, as an ISP, not prefer
>     that all other ISPs deliver packets to my customers as quickly,
>     efficiently, directly, and inexpensively as possible?  Why should I
>     prefer a more expensive or less reliable route, or expect any other
>     ISP to do so?

Quite simply, because you're using THEIR resources to do so, without
explicit permission from them.  Claiming that you're using the resource
for its intended purpose, or to the advantage of their proprietor, does
not justify this.  Could one demand to ride public transportation without
fare with the justification that the stated purpose of a certain bus is to
carry persons into the city?  Or because one's employer desires that one
get to the city in an efficient fashion?

By delivering your packets to their customers, an ISP is not only
servicing said customers, but you, the originating ISP, as well.  If there
is an imbalance in services rendered, settlement is in order.  Utilizing
their services without an agreement could be interpreted as theft.

--
// Matt Zimmerman       Chief of System Management           NetRail, Inc.
// mdz () netrail net                                       sales () netrail net
// (703) 524-4800 [voice]    (703) 516-0500 [data]    (703) 534-5033 [fax]


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