2. Overview
• We need a hybrid model approach to digital
infrastructure to enable the intelligent
community
• Digital infrastructure components
• BCNET’s network and current role
• Digital Infrastructure for Metro Vancouver
October 22, 2012 Vancouver Digital Infrastructure 2
3. What do we need for digital
infrastructure?
• Networks
• Services
October 22, 2012 Vancouver Digital Infrastructure 3
4. What do we need for digital
infrastructure?
Networks Services
• Cabling • Inter-Exchange
– Local Carriers
– Intercity • ISPs (short haul)
• Aggregation points • Data Centres
– Wireless towers/bases – Content Delivery
• Exchange points Networks (CDNs)
– XaaS Providers
(infrastructure,
platform, sw)
October 22, 2012 Vancouver Digital Infrastructure 4
9. Infrastructure Ownership Summary
Network Ownership Service Layer
Sewer/Water Government Monopoly
Natural Gas Regulated Utility Mixed
Electricity Regulated Utility Monopoly/Mixed
Roads Government Market
October 22, 2012 Vancouver Digital Infrastructure 9
10. Infrastructure Ownership Summary
Most strategic infrastructure
ownership is a mix of a local
commons at the base and a market
layer over top
October 22, 2012 Vancouver Digital Infrastructure 10
11. Models for Digital Infrastructure
• Three possibilities
– Monopoly (single provider)
– Mixed
– Market (facilities-based competition)
October 22, 2012 Vancouver Digital Infrastructure 11
12. Comparisons
Type Advantages Disadvantages History
Monopoly No duplication No incentive to innovate Works for utilities
Efficient Pricing Was tried and
Ubiquitous Biases by usage found wanting
Forced purchase
Mixed Optimization Complexity Generally untried
benefits from monopoly Hand-offs and exchanges Early Internet
and market
Market Efficient pricing Segmentation Current situation
Responsive Not universal Facilities-based
Funded Vertical integration competition
Biases by usage
Scaling leads to oligopoly
October 22, 2012 Vancouver Digital Infrastructure 12
13. Mixed Model
• Choose the mixed model rather than status quo
– Optimize advantages from both
– Minimize disadvantages
• What parts are needed?
• What parts are commons vs market?
October 22, 2012 Vancouver Digital Infrastructure 13
14. Network Parts
Component Delivery
Local Cable/Conduit Commons
Aggregation Point Mixed
Exchange Point Commons (maybe)
InterCity/Exchange Cable Market
Service Market
October 22, 2012 Vancouver Digital Infrastructure 14
15. Architecture
Blue is Commons
October 22, 2012 Vancouver Digital Infrastructure 15
16. Exchange Points
• How many per city or region?
• Ownership
– Regional Entity
– Market (akin to shopping malls) in conjunction with
zoning
October 22, 2012 Vancouver Digital Infrastructure 16
17. End-to-End Service
• Network service provisioned by ISPs
• Ordering of cabling and fulfillment for ISPs
across local cabling and aggregation points
– Need for third party
– Regional entity
October 22, 2012 Vancouver Digital Infrastructure 17
18. Layered Services
• Data Centres
– Apply planning approaches and zoning
– Proximity or colocation with exchange points is
optimal but not necessary
– Connected to exchange points via local cable plant
• XaaS and CDNs
– Locate in data centres
October 22, 2012 Vancouver Digital Infrastructure 18
19. Why does BCNET care?
• Need for fibre for research and higher education
– Advanced Networks
– Internet fat pipe
– Shared IT Services
• Need for exchange points
– Connect to multiple networks
– Service from multiple suppliers
– Operates Exchange Points in 6 cities in BC
October 22, 2012 Vancouver Digital Infrastructure 19
20. Advanced Network via Exchange Points
• Research universities and
institutes
• Provincial health centres
• Federal and provincial
research labs
• 72 colleges and schools
through the Provincial
Learning Network
October 22, 2012 Vancouver Digital Infrastructure 20
21. Innovative Services
• Multiple dedicated virtual networks can be created
per service
– XaaS and CDNs can be provisioned over dedicated
infrastructure direct to customer
• Customers can create virtual networks
– Enterprise
– Government
– Family
• Interconnection at Exchange Points
– Counteracts segmentation
• Expanded market choice
– Solves network neutrality problem
October 22, 2012 Vancouver Digital Infrastructure 21
22. Metro Vancouver
• How will this happen in Vancouver?
• Task Force
– Inter-city
• Translink
• Hydro
• Port of Vancouver
– Municipalities
October 22, 2012 Vancouver Digital Infrastructure 22
23. Vision
Translink, Hydro,
Ecomm, Port, Surrey Surrey Delta
Private Providers Exchange
Point
Municipal
Interconnect Richmond
New Harbour Centre
Westminster Exchange Point
Port Vancouver
Coquitlam
Coquitlam Burnaby
West
Port Vancouver
North
Moody Vancouver
October 22, 2012 Vancouver Digital Infrastructure 23
24. How it can work
• One agency coordinates municipal interconnects
– Private Interconnects
• Direct city-to-city connections
– Third party
• Public: Translink, Port, Hydro
• Commercial interconnect providers
• Service provider connects nodes end-to-end
– Agreement for fibre from agency
– Interconnect to service provider network at exchange
points or private interconnect
• Service provider “owns” the customer
– Subcontract to agency
• Customer can have many service providers
October 22, 2012 Vancouver Digital Infrastructure 24
25. Regional Use Cases
• Public
– Translink – bus depots, maintenance yards, traffic systems
– Ecomm – emergency responders (police, fire, …)
– BCNET – higher education and research
– Libraries
– Regional District – utility systems
– Port – harbour and shipping interconnects
– Hydro??
• Private
– Internet Service Providers
– Cloud Service Providers
– Colo Data Centres
– Content Deliver Networks
• Intra-Municipality
– City departments
– Schools
October 22, 2012 Vancouver Digital Infrastructure 25
26. Issues
• Decentralized municipal and regional
infrastructure
• Lack of standards
• Hodge-podge rights of way
• ROI and business case
October 22, 2012 Vancouver Digital Infrastructure 26
27. Next Steps
• Regional task force formed
• Regular meetings
• Sharing of fibre infrastructure maps
• Develop swap agreements
• Develop shared infrastructure to get to Harbour
Centre
October 22, 2012 Vancouver Digital Infrastructure 27
