International Networking and the NAP Architecture BOF (INAPARCH) Reported by Tony Villasenor/NASA The INAPARCH BOF met twice on 5 December to discuss the international implications of the change from the NSFNET backbone service to the NAP Architecture. The BOF was chaired by Tony Villasenor of NASA. Agenda o Overview of current NSFNET transition plans and status. o Discussion of current plans for US Federal networks during and after NSFnet transition. o Discussion of current plans for non-US networks that currently have traffic carried via the NSFnet. o Summary/Recommendations/Actions Background The NSFNET Backbone Service is scheduled to be turned off on 1 April 1995. To aid the Federal networks transition to the new Network Access Point (NAP) architecture, the Federal Networking Council (FNC) asked the Federal Engineering Planning Group (FEPG) to develop a transition plan. An initial plan has been developed that addresses mission agency concerns about uninterrupted, reliable service. This initial plan can be found at URL: http://rrdb.merit.edu/transpage.html To satisfy mission agency needs, the FIXen will continue to act as the primary Federal interconnects. Route servers will be installed at both, and connections to Network Service Providers will be arranged. The FEPG will be continuing to develop the Federal transition plan in response to evolving agency needs and the evolution of the NAP architecture. Problem Statement Some international research and development networks connect through the FIXen. Some of these networks would like to begin routing commercial traffic. International networks can connect on the east coast at MAE-East or the New Jersey NAP, but similar interconnects on the west coast are not considered to be as reliable at this stage. Further, there are concerns about peering agreements between NSPs and whether they will continue to route transit traffic across the US. Obstacles The FIXen will continue to be constrained by the current AUP. The FIXen will not be able to incur costs to give international networks connectivity to the US. The west coast interconnects may not be ready by the time the NSFNET backbone service is discontinued. Solution Current AUP compliant links will continue at the FIXen. Those wishing to carry non-AUP traffic will be able to migrate to any of the current east coast interconnects. On the west coast, a MAE-West will be created as an interconnect for non-AUP traffic. This site will be co-located at the FIX-West facility and will grant connectivity on a cost recovery basis. While transit traffic is a concern, this is a matter of NSP policy, not Federal policy. Agreements between the international networks and their NSP will have to worked out individually as will Federal transit traffic.