<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""><b class="">Background:</b></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class="">Five years ago PCH conducted the first, and to date only, comprehensive survey characterizing Internet peering agreements.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 46, 122);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">The document that resulted can be found here: <a href="https://www.pch.net/resources/Papers/peering-survey/PCH-Peering-Survey-2011.pdf" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 46, 122);" class=""><font color="#00009a" class="">https://www.pch.net/resources/Papers/peering-survey/PCH-Peering-Survey-2011.pdf</font></span></a></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class="">That document was one of the principal inputs to an important document that the OECD publishes every five years, one that recommends communications regulatory policy to OECD member nations: <a href="http://www.oecd.org/officialdocuments/publicdisplaydocumentpdf/?cote=DSTI/ICCP/CISP(2011)2/FINAL&docLanguage=En" class=""><span style="line-height: normal; -webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 46, 122);" class=""><font color="#000099" class="">http://www.oecd.org/officialdocuments/publicdisplaydocumentpdf/?cote=DSTI/ICCP/CISP(2011)2/FINAL&docLanguage=En</font></span></a></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class="">The survey had several useful findings which hadn’t previously been established as fact—most notably the portion of peering relationships that are “handshake” agreements, without written contract. These findings have improved the regulatory environments in which many of us operate our networks.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class="">At the time of the 2011 survey, we committed to repeating the survey every five years, so as to provide an ongoing indication of the direction peering trends take. It’s now five years later, so we’re repeating the survey.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class="">The survey is global in scope, and our goal is to reflect the diversity of peering agreements in the world; we’re interested in large ISPs and small ISPs, ISPs in Afghanistan and in Zimbabwe, bilateral agreements and multilateral, private and public. Our intent is to be as comprehensive as possible. In 2011, the responses we received represented 86% of all of the world’s ISPs and 96 countries. We would like to be at least as inclusive this time.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""><b class="">Privacy:</b></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class="">In 2011, we promised to collect the smallest set of data necessary to answer the questions, to perform the analysis immediately, and not to retain the data after the analysis was accomplished. In that way, we ensured that the privacy of respondents was fully protected. We did as we said, no data was leaked, and the whole community benefited from the trust that was extended to us. We ask for your trust again now as we make the same commitment to protect the privacy of all respondents, using the same process as last time. We are asking for no more data than is absolutely necessary. We will perform the analysis immediately upon receiving all of the data. We will delete the data once the analysis has been performed.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""><b class="">The Survey:</b></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class="">We would like to know the following five pieces of information relative to each Autonomous System you peer with:</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-indent: -18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class="">• <b class="">Your ASN</b></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-indent: -18px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(96, 96, 96); -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(96, 96, 96);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">• <b class="">Your peer’s ASN</b> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class="">(peers only, not upstream transit providers or downstream customers)</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-indent: -18px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(96, 96, 96); -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(96, 96, 96);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">• <b class="">Whether a written and signed peering agreement exists</b> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class="">(the alternative being a less formal arrangement, such as a "handshake agreement")</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-indent: -18px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(96, 96, 96); -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(96, 96, 96);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">• <b class="">Whether the terms are roughly symmetric</b> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class="">(the alternative being that they describe an agreement with different terms for each of the two parties, such as one compensating the other, or one receiving more or fewer than full customer routes)</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-indent: -18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class="">• <b class="">Whether a jurisdiction of governing law is defined</b></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-indent: -18px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(96, 96, 96); -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(96, 96, 96);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">• <b class="">Whether IPv6 routes are being exchanged</b> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class="">(this year, we’ll still assume that IPv4 are)</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class="">The easiest way for us to receive the information is as a tab-text or CSV file or an Excel spreadsheet, consisting of rows with the following columns:</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class="">Your ASN: Integer</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class="">Peer ASN: Integer</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class="">Written agreement: Boolean</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class="">Symmetric: Boolean</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class="">Governing Law: ISO 3166 two-digit country-code, or empty</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class="">IPv6 Routes: Boolean</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class="">For instance:</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(170, 170, 170); -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">42</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""> <tab> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">715</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""> <tab> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">false</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""> <tab> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">true</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""> <tab> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">us</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""> <tab> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">true</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""> <cr></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(170, 170, 170); -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">42</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""> <tab> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">3856</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""> <tab> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">true</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""> <tab> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">true</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""> <tab> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">us</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""> <tab> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">true</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""> <cr></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class="">We are asking for the ASNs only so we can avoid double-counting a single pair of peers when we hear from both of them, and so that when we hear about a relationship in responses from both peers we can see how closely the two responses match, an important check on the quality of the survey. As soon as we've collated the data, we'll strip the ASNs to protect privacy, and only the final aggregate statistics will be published. We will never disclose any ASN or any information about any ASN. We already have more than 8,000 ASN-pair relationships documented, and we hope to receive as many more as possible. <b class="">We'd like to finish collecting data by the end of September, about two weeks from now.</b></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class="">If you’re peering with an MLPA route-server, you’re welcome to include just the route-server’s ASN, if that’s easiest, rather than trying to include each of the peer ASNs on the other side of the route-server. Either way is fine.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class="">If all of your sessions have the same characteristics, you can just tell us what those characteristics are once, your own ASN once, and give us a simple list of your peer ASNs.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class="">If your number of peers is small enough to be pasted or typed into an email, rather than attached as a file, and that’s simpler, just go ahead and do that.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class="">If you have written peering agreements that are covered by non-disclosure agreements, or if your organizational policy precludes disclosing your peers, but you’d still like to participate in the survey, please let us know, and we’ll work with whatever information you’re able to give us and try to ensure that your practices are statistically represented in our results.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class="">If you're able to help us, please email me the data in whatever form you can. If you need a non-disclosure, we're happy to sign one.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class="">Finally, if there are any other questions you’d like to see answered in the future, please let us know so that we can consider addressing them in the 2021 survey. The question about IPv6 routing in this year’s survey is there because quite a few of the 2011 respondents asked us to include it this time.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""><b class="">Please respond by replying to this email, before the end of September.</b></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class="">Thank you for considering participating. We very much appreciate it, and we look forward to returning the results to the community.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""> -Bill Woodcock</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""> Executive Director</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;" class=""> Packet Clearing House</span></div></body></html>