Jim Dixon wrote:
>> Still, the Internet is for the most part a Star Network, with only the
>> very largest providers multi-homed.
> This is not true, unless your definition of 'the very largest' is very
> loose indeed. There are many thousands of multi-homed ISPs. People
> periodically attempt to draw graphs of the relationships between
> ISPs. If you look at these you see nothing similar to a star network.
This hasn't been my experience here in the US. I am familiar with about
10 ISPs, from small mom and pop operations, to mid-size regional
providers.
The smallest ones have a single line. Even a pretty big ISP can run on a
single OC3, with a backup DS3.
There are a few with a handful of OC12 and OC3 circuits, but these were
generally obtained for specific customers.
I can't imagine an ISP with 50+ distinct peers, with separate circuits
to each.
Unless you're UUNET or Sprint-sized, you generally get most of your
bandwidth through a single pipe.
No ISP is going to lose its connectivity, by refusing to delete a single
customer their upstream provider doesn't like.
If backbone providers start screening content, it's going to cause
problems.
--
Eric Michael Cordian 0+
O:.T:.O:. Mathematical Munitions Division
"Do What Thou Wilt Shall Be The Whole Of The Law"
