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EBONE 92
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Contents
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
1.2 Strategy for a Shared Infrastructure
1.3 Acceptable Use
1.4 The Two Step Approach
2 EBONE 92 - THE SHORT TERM STEP
2.1 A model for a network of networks
2.2 The Ebone 92 Boundary
2.3 The Ebone 92 Services
2.4 Topology
2.5 Ebone 92 Initial Configuration
2.6 The Ebone 92 Organisation
3 THE EUROPEAN BACKBONE - IN 1993 AND BEYOND
3.1 Preparation for 1993
3.2 The Call for Tender
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
One of the most urgent actions for the European Research
Networking community is to progress the establishment of a well
managed pan-European multi-protocol backbone service. The
recognition of this need was expressed by the RARE CoA in its
May 1990 meeting in Killarney and documented in the EEPG report
tabled to the CoA in May 1991 in Blois. The EEPG report
confirmed the urgent need for 2Mbps bandwidth and tabled two
options for the technical preparation of the multi-protocol
backbone itself:
- X.25 with embedding of other layer 3 protocols;
or - TDM with native support of layer 3 services.
An ad hoc task force was initiated by SURFnet to work out a plan
of action to implement the second EEPG strategy, concentrating
on the technical and operational aspects of the backbone. The
start-up meeting was held in Amsterdam on 2nd September 1991.
The task force reviewed the EEPG strategy, drew up an outline
"acceptable use" statement, and recommended a two step approach:
o creation and growth during 1992 of a kernel
backbone by combining and enhancing existing
facilities;
o merging the resultant backbone into the RARE
Operational Unit plans for 1993.
1.2 Strategy for a Shared Infrastructure
This strategy as laid out in the EEPG report treats the
provision of networking services based on a shared
infrastructure as the key issue and recognises that the
underlying technology to provide the transmission facilities
is a rapidly evolving area and must be managed as a process
of continual change. The European telecomms regulatory
environment may also exhibit some developments that a well
orchestrated research community could play to its advantage.
The approach is to evolve the currently available facilities
into a shared and managed infrastructure for the European
research network community. It is recognised that a range of
carrier level protocols are in heavy use and developments in
technology such as ATM and Frame Relay will provide
increasingly flexible methods to manage bandwidth and share
the expensive transmission facilities between services.
Thus management attention can be divided between:
o Provision of Services (OSI Layer 3)
o Bandwidth Management (OSI Layers 1-2)
The Ebone 92 strategy is to start the provision of parallel
Layer 3 services on a backbone NOW in such a way that future
technology can be "slid underneath". The benefits are
savings in line costs through better use of high speeds
(cheaper per bit) and better service through a redundant
topology linking both European and USA networks.
1.3 Acceptable Use
The target group for Ebone 92 is all the national and
international networks and international research
institutions (hereafter referred to as Regionals) providing
network services for users at higher education and research
sites, including those involved in industrial research.
In principal, the Ebone 92 will have no restrictions on
traffic. It will be up to participating networks to restrict
traffic according to their own norms.
1.4 The Two Step Approach
The two step approach generates two streams of activity: short
term implementation in 1992 and a parallel tender/procurement
process aimed at 1993.
o Ebone 92 - The Short Term
This document defines and details proposals for the
immediate establishment of a common managed interim
pan-European Internet IP backbone based on the current ad hoc
Internet IP backbone infrastructure(s). Recommendations also
include the provision of pilot CLNS services in 1992. The
exclusion of X.25 at this step is not because X.25 is
considered less important than IP: the pan-European
provision of X.25 is well covered already by the current
COSINE IXI service and its planned enhancements.
Chapter 2 details Ebone 92.
o 1993 Multi-protocol Backbone
An immediate action is recommended for RARE to prepare a draft
Call for Tender document for a pan-European Multi-protocol
Backbone Service to be in operation by the beginning of
1993. The execution of this step is to be the responsibility
of the Operational Unit currently under establishment.
Chapter 3 outlines the planning for 1993.
2 EBONE 92 - THE SHORT TERM STEP
2.1 A model for a network of networks
Ebone 92 is to be a multi-protocol high-bandwidth pan-European
backbone for a network of networks. This model describes
Ebone 92 in terms of its boundaries:
- the functional components of the boundary;
- the services available at the boundary;
in terms of its topology:
- the connectivity;
- the redundancy;
and presents the organisational elements:
- the management and operational functions and
interfaces;
- the funding mechanisms.
2.2 The Ebone 92 Boundary
The boundary of the Ebone 92 is described in terms of the
functionality of the systems at either side and the
specifications of their common interface.
The defined functions are handled by the Ebone 92 Boundary
System (EBS) and the Regional Boundary System (RBS). See
Fig. 1.
EBONE
----------------------------------
! backbone traffic routing !
! !- Ebone Boundary System
! access to/from the backbone !
----------------------------------
======================== <- Ebone Boundary Interface
----------------------------------
! access to/from the Regional !
! !
! access control !- Regional Boundary System
! !
! regional traffic routing !
----------------------------------
REGIONAL
Figure 1: The Ebone 92 Boundary Interface and Connected Systems
The Ebone 92 Boundary Interface is defined for Layers 1 & 2,
for routing as appropriate for the Layer 3 services, and for
network management procedures.
The Interim Specifications for the Ebone 92 Interface for IP
and CLNS working is:
Layers 1 and 2
- Ethernet (AUI Male Port provided by the EBS)
- FDDI (Dual Attachment)
- V.35 or HSSI with PPP (RFC 1171) or Frame Relay
(CCITT I.122) encapsulation
Routing
- IP with BGP (RFC 1163) or static routes
- CLNS with IDRP (ISO CD 10747) or static routes
Management
- SNMP (RFC 1157) with MIB-II (RFC 1213)
The Boundary between Ebone 92 and the connected Regionals can be
conceptually viewed as in Fig. 2. The physical connection
between the EBS and RBS can be a local link, a national wide
area link, or an international wide area link. These last two
could be called "tail" links.
------
......... | \
. . | \ ...........
. R#E / \ E#R .
. Regional B#Bo Ebone oB#B Regional .
. S#S \ / S#S .
.......... \ / ..........
| /
\ --/ ...........
o .. .
EBS###RBS Regional .
| . .
/| .............
|
###
| "Tail" link
.RBS....
. .
. Regional .
.........
Ebone European Backbone Network
Regional Regional Wide Area Network
EBS Ebone Boundary System
RBS Regional Boundary System
### the Ebone/Regional boundary
Figure 2: Ebone 92 - joining the Regional Networks
2.3 The Ebone 92 Services
The EBONE 92 access modes are:
- Internet IP
- ISO-CLNS (Pilot)
These services can be considered as pins on a
"multi-protocol socket".
The interim "Ebone 92 Socket" is shown in Fig. 3.
!========================!
! !
! O O !
! !
! Internet IP ISO-CLNS !
! !
!========================!
Figure 3: The "Ebone 92 Socket"
In general, service specifications will be those in common usage
in the research community, e.g.:
- Internet IP as per Internet standard for IP in RFC 791
et seq;
- ISO-CLNS as per the specifications used by the
RARE/COSINE CLNS Pilot Project.
2.4 Topology
The Ebone 92 topology will be developed in two phases.
The goal of Phase 1 is to establish an Ebone kernel by
combining existing facilities at existing network sites into
a coherent design that will exhibit the benefits of a
backbone by providing practical connectivity and high
availability both pan-Europe and to the USA. It is to be
achieved with minimal upgrading of existing "available"
lines and node equipment.
Phase 2 grows the Ebone by incorporating other sites into
the backbone. Each new backbone site must have at least two
links to existing Ebone sites (EBS to EBS links) so that a
robust mesh topology is formed. Single "tail" links can extend
Ebone access to regions (EBS to RBS links).
2.5 Ebone 92 Initial Configuration
A robust Ebone 92 kernel must provide:
- a three node (triangle) or four node (diamond) basic
topology;
- two links to the USA.
Simple symmetry denies the triangle and suggests a balanced ring
structure to achieve a robust kernel:
<-----------o
/ \
/ \
o o
\ /
\ /
<-----------o
This diamond principle could lead to the following initial
configurations. Taking the map of the higher capacity European
Internet IP international links and transforming this to a
diamond could give the following initial kernel:
USA <-------Stockholm
/ .
/ .
Amsterdam Hamburg
\ /
\ /
USA <--------Geneva
Adding the regional networks and some readily achievable
extensions could give:
USA <----Stockholm (NORDUnet)
/ .
/ .
/ .
(IXI)--A'dam (SURFnet) Hamburg (German nets)
\ /
\ /
\ /
USA <-----Geneva (CERN) --- (SWITCH)
|
|
Bologna (GARR/INFN)
Key: ----- existing line
..... new line
All links are targetted to be at least 512 Kbps except the IXI
link at 64 Kbps. A new line from Stockholm to Hamburg is needed
to complete the diamond.
The Phase 1 configuration will be decided by the initial
partners in the Ebone 92 Consortium. During Phase 2 in 1992, new
partners may join at any time. Potential candidates are all
networks providing services to researchers.
2.6 The Ebone 92 Organisation
An ad hoc consortium approach is proposed to carry through the
Ebone 92 initiative. A meeting for those organisations
interested in the formation of a consortium will be held on 26th
September at CERN Geneva.
The following activities will be implemented by interim groups
drawn from the consortium of contributing organisations:
o Getting it going
An Ebone Action Team (EAT) will be needed to prepare and
implement the initial robust Ebone kernel. This group will
consist of a "network" of today's primary junctions management
staff.
The expansion of the infrastructure will continue to be managed
by the EAT - which itself will grow as further Regionals
subscribe to Ebone 92 - until handover or incorporation into the
OPUNIT/1993 Backbone organisation.
New Ebone access points will be registered during 1992. This
information and traffic statistics will be made available to
the OPUNIT for planning transition to contracted services.
o Operating the backbone
An Ebone Operations Team (EOT) will be needed to provide day to
day operation of the backbone services and to provide a central
point for incident handling. Initially one support person or
Full Time Equivalent (FTE) is needed for this function, to be
supplied by consortium members. Each attached Regional will be
required to nominate a contact person to liaise with the EOT.
o Clearing house
An Ebone Administration Unit (EAU) will be needed to balance out
the costs and contributions. SURFnet BV has offered to
contribute such facilities for the 1992 interim period.
The initial consortium members need to agree on the division of
costs for the 1992 situation.
3 THE EUROPEAN BACKBONE - IN 1993 AND BEYOND
3.1 Preparation for 1993
A full multi-protocol service is required to be up and running
at the beginning of 1993 provided by a contracted service via a
Call for Tender procedure. The rational behind this step is that
the scope of the backbone service together with good procurement
practices necessitate a proper tender process. There is an
urgent need for a group to start work on this activity. It is
recommended that a RARE Task Force be charged with preparation
of the Call for Tender and evaluation criteria for the 1993
Backbone.
3.2 The Call for Tender
The Call for Tender document will specify requested services in
terms of technical and functional specifications of the services
to be supported (notably X.25, Internet IP and CLNS), the
required Quality of Service parameters and the location and
capacity of the access points.
The design and implementation details of the backbone service
will be at the discretion of the Tenderers. The depth and
breadth of contracting out services is to be discussed during
the tender process.
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