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--- peering-toolbox:what-is-peering:what_is_transit [2022/08/18 06:30] – created philip
+++ peering-toolbox:what-is-peering:what_is_transit [2023/03/27 07:22] (current) – [Diagram showing Transit] philip
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-===== Transit =====
+====== Transit ======
+Transit is the purchasing of Internet access by a network operator from another network operator (known as their upstream provider).
-TO BE DONE
+The two considerations when purchasing transit are:
+  * [[peering-toolbox/what-is-peering/what_is_transit#transit_costs|Transit Costs]]
+  * [[peering-toolbox/what-is-peering/what_is_transit#choosing_a_transit_provider|Choosing a Transit Provider]]
-**Public peering** takes place at a public peering point, commonly known as an [[peering-toolbox/what-is-peering/what_is_an_internet_exchange_point|Internet Exchange Point (IXP)]].
+===== Transit Costs =====
-{{:peering-toolbox:what-is-peering:ixp.png?400| }}
+The vast majority of transit attracts traffic charges. Charges are normally levied on traffic levels (typically measured in US$ per Mbps per month). Charges vary from region to region, and the quantity committed to. For example, committing to 100Mbps will attract a much higher charge per Mbps than committing to 1Gbps would.
-Public peering is how network operators scale private peering - a large number of private interconnects with different network operators starts becoming expensive and more challenging to manage. So rather than having many private interconnects with other operators, it is more cost effective, and operationally straightforward, to connect to a public interconnect where all operators meet, and peer with all of them there.
+Some locations charge based on outright volume (usually of downloads, but some combine both downloads and uploads), which can make Internet access very expensive. This method is reminiscent of legacy telephony plans which permit so many calls per month, or mobile data plans allowing the user so many call minutes and/or Gbytes of download per month.
-This may seem counter-intuitive when commercial network operators all compete with each other, but each competitor knows that they improve their cost and quality of operation by interconnecting with their competitors.
+===== Choosing a Transit Provider =====
-As a newcomer network operator is scaling their operations, it becomes high priority for them to participate in their local Internet Exchange Point.
+The detailed process behind choice of a transit provider is beyond the scope of the Peering Toolbox, and often depends on local or regional circumstances too.
+However, typical considerations include (in no particular order):
+  * cost of the link (physical as well as traffic)
+  * reliability of the link and of the transit provider
+  * service quality provide by the transit provider
+  * latency to destinations that are important for the end-site operator
+  * bandwidth available through transit provider network
+  * the transit provider's diversity of peering and transit arrangements
+All of these considerations are important - it's not just about cost, even though cost minimisation is desirable!
+===== Diagram showing Transit =====
+The diagram below shows the transit link between the upstream provider and their customer network.
+{{ :peering-toolbox:what-is-peering:transit.png?500 | }}
 [[:peering-toolbox/what-is-peering| Back to "Interconnections" page]]