KIXP Peering Policy

• 1. Introduction
  • • 1.1 What is peering?

   

  Peering is the arrangement of traffic exchange between Internet service providers (ISPs), content providers, government institutions, banks and other companies that have internet traffic and are willing to exchange with another.

  Bilateral peering is an agreement between two parties. Multilateral peering is an agreement between more than two parties.

   

• 1.2 IXP: What is an Internet Exchange Point?
•  An Internet exchange point (IX or IXP) is a physical infrastructure through which Internet service providers (ISPs) and Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) exchange Internet traffic between their networks (autonomous systems).
• 2. What is a peering policy?
•  A peering policy is a set of rules that guide the exchange of traffic between internet service providers (ISP’s).
  This guide is used by KIXP to evaluate requests made by Network Providers for the purpose of bilateral or multilateral peering facilitated by KIXP. KIXP regularly updates its Policy and maintains the current version of its Policy on the TESPOK website: www.tespok.co.keFor the purposes of this Policy, an ISP or content provider must have an Autonomous System (“AS”) number.
• 3. Significance of this peering policy
• This Policy describes guidelines used to evaluate all requests for interconnection at KIXP, either via dedicated connections (“direct peering”) or via traffic exchange at the Internet Exchange Point (“public peering”). KIXP will continue to review and maintain this policy and reserves the right to update its policy at any time.
• 4.Service Details
• The Internet Peering VLAN or ISP Unicast VLAN is the most widely used exchange service. The service offers access to the multitude of networks connected to the KIXP platform with a single connection.The Internet Peering VLAN is an Ethernet based Unicast service, enabled to support both IPv4 and IPv6 natively. The service offers interface speeds of 100 Mbps, 1 Gigabit per second Ethernet (1GE) or 10 Gigabit per second Ethernet (10GE). The peering VLAN is monitored 24×7 by our NOC.
  • • 4.1 Ports available

   

  The following ports are available at the KIXP Switching fabric:

  • • • 4.1.1 1 Gbit/s “GE” (1000BaseSX, 1000BaseLX, 1000BaseLH)
      • 4.1.2 10 Gbit/s “10GE” (10000BaseLR, 10000BaseER)
      • 4.1.3 100gBIT/S “100GE” (10000BaseLR, 10000BaseER)
    • 4.2 Features
      • 4.2.1 Provisioning of non-blocking GE, 1 or 10 GE ports. In case of 1 and 10GE 2 redundant ports on separate access switches are provided.
      • 4.2.2 IPv4 and/or IPv6 (native) are available
      • 4.2.3 Live monitoring of traffic over KIXP member ports is provided
      • 4.2.4 Live Quality of Service reporting is offered
      • 4.2.5 Monthly volume reports are available online

   

  • 4.3 IP detailsOne IPv4 address (1 per port) and/or IPv6 out of the prefix that is in use on the KIXP infrastructure
  • 4.4 Service Level & Responsibilities:
  • • 4.4.1 KIXP delivers a service from the port to the patch panel.
    • 4.4.2 KIXP is responsible for correct functioning of KIXP infrastructure between its switches.
    • 4.4.3 The customer is responsible for its peering and correct functioning of its own network.
    • 4.4.4 The customer is responsible for the necessary cabling between their router and the KIXP switch panel at the colocation.
    • 4.4.5 The KIXP Network Operations Centre (NOC) actively monitors the KIXP infrastructure 24×7.
    • 4.4.6 Problems can be reported to the KIXP NOC via email or telephone.

     

   

• 5. The Policies
• • • 5.1 Introduction

   

  The requesting peer network must fulfil the following conditions and requirements in order to qualify for a Peering Agreement with KIXP.

  5.2 Governance

• • 5.2.1 TESPOK Board members will govern the IX in accordance with technical and policy best practices generally accepted within the global community of IX operators as represented by the African Internet Exchange Task Force, Europe Internet Exchange Portal (Euro-IX), and similar associations.
  • 5.2.2 From time to time, the Management of KIXP may recommend certain charges to the Technical and Operational policies of the IX to the Members. Such recommendations may only be implemented with the approval of a majority vote by the Members.
  • 5.2.3 General KIXP technical and operational policies shall be made publicly available on the KIXP web site.
  • 5.2.4 The KIXP shall impose no restriction upon the types of organization or individual who may become members and connect to the exchange.
  • 5.2.5 The KIXP shall impose no restrictions upon the internal technical, business, or operational policies of its members.
  • 5.2.6 Members shall be required to sign a copy of the KIXP policies document, indicating that they understand and agree to abide by its policies, before any resources shall be allocated to them.
  • 5.2.7 The primary means of communication with other Members will be via email.
  • 5.2.8 Members shall subscribe to a KIXP email list, operated by the KIXP management.
  • 5.2.9 Members have a duty of confidentiality to the other KIXP Members in KIXP affairs.
  • 5.2.10 Members must not refer their customers, or any agent of their customers, directly to KIXP member’s support staff. All queries must be directed through the KIXP administration.
  • 5.2.11 Members must ensure that all contact information held by KIXP in connection with their membership is correct and up to date.
  • 5.2.12 The KIXP shall allow for both bilateral and multi-lateral peering relationships or transactions which the members may form between each other. KIXP will be involved in ensuring the traffic flow through the KIXP networking fabric.
  • 5.2.13 Members must provide 24×7 operational contact details for the use of KIXP staff and other Members.
  • 5.2.14 Members shall be required to provide and maintain current technical contact information, which shall be publicly posted on the KIXP web site. This information shall include the website and the member’s Autonomous System Number if they have one.

   

• 5.3 Infrastructure and Operational Requirements
• • 5.3.1 The Requesting Network shall have a fully redundant backbone network with enough capacity to exchange traffic without congestion.
  • 5.3.2 The requesting network should operate a fully staffed, 24/7/365 network operations centre (NOC).
  • 5.3.3 Each Network must be responsive to routing and security issues, providing a knowledgeable technical response within a 24-hour period after notice for network and operational issues and a 2-hour period for security related issues.
  • 5.3.4 The KIXP and KIXP MSA platform is designed to carry Ethernet frames with a payload of up to 1500 bytes. MTU settings must be configured accordingly.
  • 5.3.5 Members may only connect equipment that is owned and operated by that Member to KIXP. Members may not connect equipment to KIXP on behalf of third parties.
  • 5.3.6 Members must only use IP addresses on the interface(s) of their router(s) connected to the KIXP allocated to them by the KIXP.
  • 5.3.7 Members may only present a single MAC address to any individual KIXP port that is allocated to them.
  • 5.3.8 It is preferred that each member have their own Public Autonomous System Number.
  • 5.3.9 Any equipment and/or cabling installed by a Member at KIXP must be clearly labelled as belonging to the Member.
  • 5.3.10 Members will not touch equipment and/or cabling owned by other Members and installed at KIXP or in the room containing the KIXP without the explicit permission of the Member who owns the equipment.
  • 5.3.11 KIXP may monitor any port but will keep any information gathered confidential, except where required by law or where a violation of this Memorandum of Understanding has been determined by the KIXP Management.
  • 5.3.12 Members will not circulate correspondence on confidential KIXP mailing lists to non-members.
  • 5.3.13 Members must ensure that their usage of KIXP is not detrimental to the usage of the KIXP by other Members.
  • 5.3.14 Members will be required to install at their ends routers that support the full BGP-4 standard.
  • 5.3.15 The technical committee will set up certain monitoring features on the server at the KIXP.
  • 5.3.16 Members must not carry out any illegal activities through KIXP.

   

• 5.4 Connectivity
• • 5.4.1 The requesting networks must be able to interconnect with KIXP at a minimum of 1 point. Currently, we have 2 connection points in Nairobi: Africa Data Center, Chancery Building, Paix Data Center and ICOLO-Nairobi.
  • In Mombasa, we have 2 connection points at Telephone House and Mombasa Icolo.
  • 5.4.2 Where multiple locations are not feasible KIXP may accept an interconnect as a regional peer (solely at the discretion of KIXP where the mutual benefit to both parties exists.
  • 5.4.3 We do not host customer gear at the sites we are located in. We offer ODF connection points at EADC on the 1st & 2nd floors.

   

• 5.5 Peering
• • 5.5.1 The requesting network should be able to provide and maintain a consistent route announcement at all peering points with AS 37704 unless otherwise agreed in advance.
  • 5.5.2 Hosting and Content providers may receive inconsistent route announcements from KIXP in order to reduce inbound traffic load where asymmetric routing occurs and KIXP infrastructure is being used to carry large amounts of return traffic different from the originating country.
  • 5.5.3 The requesting network must be registered as a Local Internet registry (LIR) with the appropriate Regional Internet Registry (RIR) e.g. RIPE, ARIN, LACNIC, APNIC, AFRINIC. Only routes specified by the appropriate RIR are accepted from peers.
  • 5.5.4 The requesting network will not use a route of last resort (i.e. default route) or static routing of any of KIXP’s address space directed at AS 37704.
  • 5.5.5 Routes should be aggregated as much as possible by the requesting network.
  • 5.5.6 Peering between Members’ routers across KIXP will be via BGP.
  • 5.5.7 Members shall not generate unnecessary route flap, or advertise unnecessarily specific routes in peering sessions with other Members across KIXP.
  • 5.5.8 Members may not advertise routes with a next-hop other than that of their own routers without the prior written permission of the advertised party.
  • 5.5.9 Members may not forward traffic across KIXP unless either the traffic follows a route advertised in a peering session at KIXP or where prior written permission of the Member to whom the traffic is forwarded has been given.
  • 5.5.10 Members must, on all interfaces connected to the KIXP, disable; Proxy ARP, ICMP redirects, CDP, IRDP, Directed broadcasts, IEEE802 Spanning Tree, Interior routing protocol broadcasts, and all other MAC layer broadcasts except ARP.
  • 5.5.11 Members must, on all interfaces connected to KIXP, disable any duplex, speed, or other link parameter auto-sensing. Full Duplex or Half Duplex Only Fixed.
  • 5.5.12 Members shall not announce (“leak”) prefixes including some or all of the KIXP peering LAN to other networks without explicit permission of KIXP.
  • 5.5.13 Members must set net masks on all interfaces connected to KIXP to include the entire KIXP peering LAN.

   

• 5.6 Membership, Disconnection and Re-Connection
• • 5.6.1 Members connecting to the KIXP will be registered as TESPOK members of a special category with a joining fee of Ksh 30,000/- and monthly subscription as per level of traffic as agreed upon by members. The port subscription charges are the same for all members.
  • 5.6.2 Members who fail to abide by the terms of the KIXP policy will be brought before the technical committee who will take appropriate action following review of their actions.
  • 5.6.3 Members who fail to pay up their monthly subscription for a period of 1 months or more will be given a fourteen (14) day notice within which they clear any outstanding dues, after which they will be disconnected immediately without any further notice.
  • 5.6.4 Any notice on disconnection with regard to outstanding monthly subscription will be communicated by the Finance Office and copied to the Management.
  • 5.6.5 Members who will have been disconnected will be locked out of peering for the period of time that the arrears are outstanding before they can re-connect to the KIXP.

   

• 5.7 Contact Information
• • 5.7.1 A contact point (real person, or role account) for abuse/security issues and a real person escalation contact should be provided, complete with phone numbers by the requesting network and KIXP should be notified of any changes to these details.
• 5.7.2 A contact point for network-related issues, outages and operational issues (A NOC and peering contact) should be provided by the requesting network and KIXP should be notified of any changes to these details.

• 5.8 Additional Information

These criteria are only guidelines and are not exhaustive. Any final peering executed by KIXP between potential peers may contain additional terms and conditions. KIXP reserves the right to decline to enter into a Peering Agreement even if the above criteria are nominally met by a potential peering partner.

If a network fulfills all of the requirements outlined above and wishes to proceed with an Internet Peering Agreement at KIXP, please contact support@tespok.co.ke.

A peer is expected to continually fulfill KIXPs peering policy for the duration of the peering. If a peer no longer meets KIXP peering policy, KIXP reserves the right to remove the peering with short notice.

KIXP reserves the right to revise or change this document at any time and from time to time without notice. As a living document, this guide will be updated as necessary to enhance and/or expand the information contained herein.