The document describes the evolution of TOP-IX, an internet exchange point in Piedmont, Italy, and its role in facilitating cloud computing and resource exchange. It began in 2002 with 14 members and has since expanded its infrastructure and membership. TOP-IX now aims to define an inter-cloud architecture to address issues like interoperability and resource exchange between clouds through an InterCloud exchange point, applying the peering model of internet exchange. This could provide benefits like flexibility, neutral access, and standard protocols for communication and resource sharing across cloud systems.

1. The Evolution of Internet Exchange: TOP-IX Public and Private Broadband Infrastructure in Piedmont, Italy

2. The evolution timeline © mario bros. courtesy NINTENDO 2002 Start operation 14 members 2 node (metro Torino) 1 Gbe 100 Mps Traffic X 2004 Interregional development Local Government joins 24 members 6 node 2 Long haul FO Gbe 500 Mps Traffic X 2006 8 node 2 Long haul FO Gbe 10 GBE trunk 2 Gbps Traffic X Development program (start-up support program) 37 members 1 st startup –hosted 1 apps 1 server 18 node 2 Long haul 10 GBE Ring N x 10 GBE trunk (metro) 10 Gbps Traffic X 2008 Regional expansion Public Admin & Research CDN provider 64 members 56 start-up hosted Starting virtualization process 2010 International interconnection (LyonIX - Lyon – France) 72 members 120+ star-up hosted CLOUD paradigm 19 node 3 Long haul 10 GBE Ring N x 10 GBE trunk (metro) 25 Gbps Traffic X

3. … High performance Backbone …

4. … a Cloud computing environment …

5. In the last couple of years, internet peering started evolving towards a more generic approach to include the exchange of computing resources according to the cloud-computing model. The number of different private clouds is rising and new channels and exchange points might be needed in order to integrate them. The vision of Top-IX is a scenario where the demand for computing power is met with the same flexibility and neutrality as the demand for bandwidth is met today. As traffic exchange has shown its potentials for the Internet today, the exchange and trade of computing resources is likely to be one of the key points for Internet2. TOP-IX promotes the development of public and private infrastructures and it is defining an inter-cloud architecture capable of addressing issues such as Interoperability, data exchange formats and SLA management.

6. The value of Exchange: our value today TOP-IX is: Technologic HUB (N.A.P.) Economic HUB Social HUB Source: Wikipedia, Internet Map

7. 3 2 Internet eXchange platform ISP 1 ISP 2 ISP3 CDN1 CDN2 … Private peering/ Transit Public peering Standard interface Standard protocol 1 OSI Internet exchange

8. The value of Exchange: what’s next on the net?

9. The value is moving to the clouds… Internet is moving to the clouds (also) … of eXchange

10. Cloud layers Source: Buyya et al (2008) Cloud Computing and Emerging IT Platforms: Vision, Hype, and Reality for Delivering Computing as the 5th Utility

11. What is the role of Internet eXchanges? Are IXs valuable also in a cloud environment? To what extent Internet peering is similar to Cloud peering? When clouds are rising…

12. Internet : Internet eXchange = Cloud Computing : InterCloud eXchange Standards Interoperability Flexibility SLA management Neutrality Communicate Trade Share Internet eXchange InterCloud eXchange

13. Internet eXchange + Cloud Computing = InterCloud eXchange InterCloud eXchange : A Communication platform capable to introduce the same benefits of IX (peering) in the cloud environment.

14. InterCloud eXchange Neutral Access Point, where cloud systems communicate by standard protocols, in a trusted environment.

15. 5 4 3 2 InterCloud eXchange platform ISP 1 Cloud 1 Cloud 2 Cloud 3 Cloud 4 1 OSI Cloud 5 3 2 1 OSI Internet peering InterCloud eXchange – HaaS Peering Integration suite Layer Haas peering

16. 7 6 5 4 3 2 InterCloud eXchange platform ISP 1 Cloud 1 Cloud 2 Virtualized resources Cloud 3 Virtualized resources 1 OSI 3 2 1 OSI Internet peering InterCloud eXchange – PaaS Peering HaaS peering Cloud 4 Common API Cloud 5 Common API PaaS peering Trusted connection, API exchange, Common framework

17. What’s next on the net? The value of IXs is moving to “high level” communication ( …Internet is moving to the Cloud ). A new market of computing resources (hw and sw) is rising, which is based on communication between clouds and within the cloud. The IX model is evolving to the ICX model Work in progress… InterCloud eXchange

18. Beyond Bandwidth: content and processing Internet eXchanges attract CDN and Cloud operators Content and processing power concentrate at I X s No exchange of resources between CDNs or Clouds (Ships in the Night) ISPs Content Delivery Networks Cloud Operators IX

19. InterCloud eXchange: first steps Pooling resources across different entities (different AS’s) o ver a trusted hi-capacity infrastructure CPU RAM iSCSI / NFS storage Italian University Network (GARR)

20. InterCloud eXchange: early examples

21. HaaS-X: Integration of data centres with Abicloud Physical S ervers on different AS’s added to a common pool Central multi-tenant control node for configuration and performance management of collections of virtual machines or “virtual appliances” (HaaS) Web API IX AbiCloud server storage P hysical machines

22. PaaS-X: ShareGrid Cooperative Grid Physical machines join the grid when not in use “ Bag of tasks” grid computing model Network composed of cooperating users/providers connected to Top-IX or to the Italian university network (GARR) W eb portal developed in collaboration with Top-IX peer Machines running the user agent software peer Web portal jobs submitted via web jobs submitted via myGrid client GARR/Internet IX peer

23. PaaS-X: DoQui distributed and scalable document management system DoQui platform highlights: Management of content model and workflow M ulti-tenant partitioning Multi-user in each partition DoQui platform IX storage Internet DoQui application IP Network DoQui Platform Workflow engine DoQui app Management console www

24. PaaS-X: DoQui distributed and scalable document management system DoQui platform clustering M ultiple application servers M ultiple storage servers private interface DoQui platform IX storage Internet DoQui application IP Network DoQui Platform Workflow engine DoQui app Management console www

25. PaaS-X: DoQui distributed and scalable document management system p ublic interface w eb user DoQui platform clustering M ultiple application servers M ultiple storage servers DoQui platform IX storage Internet DoQui application IP Network DoQui Platform Workflow engine DoQui app Management console www

26. PaaS-X: SLA-based elasticity through Sense SLA defined through Service Level Objectives (eg. CPU load of server instances, priority of services, economic value of sessions) Sense SW: monitors and reports SLA for each service provisions/unprovisions virtual instances “ overflows” to external clouds if economically beneficial P hysical machines IX Internet app i nstance on commercial cloud app A app B Sense agent Sense server

27. Exchanging resources Flexibility Neutrality Interoperability SLA management Exchange Trade

28. InterNet and InterCloud: framing the issues

29. InterNet and InterCloud: framing the issues

30. InterNet and InterCloud: framing the issues

31. InterNet and InterCloud: framing the issues

32. InterNet and InterCloud: framing the issues

33. InterNet and InterCloud: framing the issues

34. Conclusions Most of our Cloud Exchange infrastructure is at “Proof-of-Concept” stage. Useful to identify the dynamics that become relevant when increasing the scale of the system. Optimal use of HW resources Better reliability of services/applications Resources provided and received even out between participants Brokering of resources