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September 19, 2003

A safer, more robust Internet

Paul Vixie of various Internet project fame (CIX, ISC, AboveNet, PAIX, etc, etc, etc), has an excellent presentation on the ISC Web site titled "Towards a Safer and More Robust Internet".

Some of Paul's points:

  • Historically, the most significant issues the Internet has confronted are scaling issues (as he calls them, "success failures")
  • The most significant problems facing the Internet today (security and reliability) are also fundamentally scaling problems (for one, the Internet has grown faster than society's ability to adjust)
  • The Internet ecosystem is too large, too complex, and changes too rapidly, to be understood--it can only be studied

    Paul suggests the following next steps:

  • Make the infrastructure stronger, more resilient, and more robust
  • Increase technical training, starting in grade school, and covering all technology roles from designer to end user
  • Add security to core Internet protocols
  • Increase connectivity between ISPs, including an IP exchange in every metro area
  • Teach network ethics in schools
  • Incorporate costs to fund these initiatives in the cost of Internet access (which he considers artificially low)

    A thought-provoking presentation, sprinkled with Paul's unique humor.

    Posted by pete at September 19, 2003 10:42 PM