15-April-1998 

Version 0.2b 

Technical Specifications for the NMIX 

     The NMIX is for the exchange of local, New Mexico generated, Internet traffic and is open to all organizations.  However, the NMIX is not an Internet access point.  That means you must have a primary internet connection with an ISP/NSP before connecting to NMIX.  The NMIX will not have a default route, so it cannot be used for primary Internet access. 

     The primary NMIX POP is located in the facilities of New Mexico Technet, Inc., at 5921 Jefferson NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109. 

     The current NMIX architecture consists of a single central router, a Cisco AGS+  with 8 serial ports and one ethernet port.  In the test phase, connect speeds up to T1 will be supported.  Two modes of connection are currently supported, Frame Relay and Point-to-Point (ptp).  In a later phase, the Cisco AGS+ router will be replaced with a Cisco 75xx router to provide for more serial ports, a fast ethernet or FDDI port, and ATM capability (as needed). Bear in mind that the NMIX is primarily a volunteer organization. Future expansion could include a route server, switching fabric, and so on. 

     The NMIX site is served by USWest, ASCI, Brooks Fiber, and GST Lightwave.  This allows NMIX members to acquire the best possible connections for the least amount of cost through their preferred telco. 

Point-to-Point Links  
     For a point-to-point line, things are pretty straight forward.  The connecting organization ("client") pays to have a 56k or T1 DDS connection installed between their site and the NMIX POP.  The client is responsible for all installation and monthly costs associated with this connection.  The client is also responsible for providing a CSU/DSU at their end of the connection. The NMIX will provide a rack mounted CSU/DSU at the NMIX site.  The charges for this will be included in the NMIX subscription fees. 

Frame Relay Links 
     Frame Relay links are easier in some ways (no extra CSU or router port at the NMIX) but harder in others (bandwidth fairness, how to amortize cost of shared equipment). The client pays to have a PVC on their new or existing FRS circuit connected to the NMIX.  The client pays their end of the circuit, and reimburses the NMIX for that end (see pricing discussion below).  Any T1 PVC on an FRS connection which has a sustained throughput of over 550kbps over the period of a month will be forced to switch to a point-to-point link.  If the total traffic on any given frame relay link consistently exceeds 70%, the clients on that link may find it necessary to move to another link to even out the traffic loads. 
     It is possible for any organization to be the sole connection on a NMIX frame relay link as long as that organization is willing to pay for both sides of the link. 

Routing Policies 
First, some terms we should agree on (refinements/corrections welcome): 

• Peering - Two or more organizations who share routes with each other.  If someone in org A's network wants to talk to org B's network, this route sharing allows that communication to occur through the NMIX rather than by other means (e.g. via expensive/slow Internet links). 

• Transit - Two or more organizations who agree to share routes, *and advertise each other's routes* so that one may use the other as a conduit to get to a 3rd party network.  Just like peering, but the two end points are not necessarily within orgs A and B -- one might be in org C, or in the extreme case one endpoint might be the Internet at large. 

• Bilateral/Multilateral agreements - In a multilateral agreement, all parties (or many) at the NMIX have to agree on something.  For bilateral agreements, pairs of organizations make deals among themselves.

     Multilateral peering: every NMIX org agrees to peer with every other NMIX org.  This is a condition of membership. 

     NO MULTILATERAL TRANSIT: Joining the NMIX does not give you a way to connect to MCI cheaply through some other MCI-connected NMIX member. 

     Bilateral transit: At this time there are no bilateral transit agreements allowed. 

 Misc 

TCP/IP is the currently the only protocol that will be routed. 

     Routing:   BGP is the preferred protocol for the exchange of routes to/from the NMIX.  However, undercertain circumstances the NMIX will accommodate OSPF or RIP.  Everyone is strongly encouraged to exchange routes via BGP.