Pan African Virtual Internet eXchange

1
Pan African Virtual Internet eXchange

• Brian Longwe
• Technology Officer,
• Telecommunication Service Providers Of Kenya
• brian_at_pure-id.com

2
Outline

• Background
• The Backbone of the Internet?
• US Centric Traffic Flows
• Problems for Regional Connectivity
• Poor performance
• High Costs
• Solutions
• National Exchange Points
• Regional Exchange Points
• PAVIX?

3
Background

• IS the USA really the backbone of the Internet?

4
Background

• US Centric Traffic Flows

• Cumbersome!

5
Problems

• Poor Performance on transfers between African
  countries
• 900 2000ms latency for Inter-country traffic
• Heavy dependence on Inter-Continental Satellite
  connectivity
• Insufficient internal optical fibre connectivity
• Insufficient cross-border connectivity

6
Barriers

• Legislation
• Economics
• Socio-Political Agendas
• Inter-Provider Cooperation and Collaboration

7
Solutions

• National Exchange Points Interconnecting Local
  ISPs

Gateways
Local ISPs
Keep Local Traffic Local!
Internet Exchange Point
8
Solutions

• Regional Exchange Points Interconnecting
  National IXs

9
PAVIX?

• Pan African Virtual Internet eXchange
• Any Peering/IX initiative involves 90
  relational/social engineering and 10 technical
  engineering
• PAVIX is at the Social/Political engineering
  stage

10
PAVIX?

• 4 ISPAs have discussed and expressed Interest
• ISPA (SA)
• TESPOK (Kenya)
• TIXP (Tanzania)
• UIXP (Uganda)

11
PAVIX?

• Is it possible?
• Is it necessary?
• Next Steps?

12
Thank You!