Re: How big is the Internet?

[Leo Bicknell <bicknell () ufp org>]

On Aug 14, 2013, at 3:27 PM, Patrick W. Gilmore <patrick () ianai net> wrote:

> Once you define what you mean by "how bit is the Internet", I'll be happy to spout off about how big it is. :)

Arbitrary definition time: A Internet host is one that can send and receive packets directly with at least one far end 
device addressed out of RIR managed IPv4 or IPv6 space.

That means behind a NAT counts, behind a firewall counts, but a true private network (two PC's into an L2 switch with 
no other connections) does not, even if they use IP protocols.  Note that devices behind a pure L3 proxy do not count, 
but the L3 proxy itself counts.

Now, take those Internet hosts and create a graph where each node has a binary state, forwards packets or does not 
forward packets the result is a set of edge nodes that do not forward packets.  The simple case is an end user PC, the 
complex case may be something like a server in a data center that while connected to multiple networks does not forward 
any packets, and is an edge node on all of the networks to which it is attached.

To me, "all Internet" traffic is the sum of all "in" traffic on all edge nodes.  Note if I did my definition carefully 
out = in - (packet loss + undeliverable), which means on the scale of the global Internet I suspect out == in, when 
rounded off.

So please, carry on and spout off as to how big that is, I think an estimate would be very interesting.

-- 
       Leo Bicknell - bicknell () ufp org - CCIE 3440
        PGP keys at http://www.ufp.org/~bicknell/