Sprint-Nextel has decided to sever its Internet connection with Cogent, another ISP, according to a statement from Cogent.
Internet health data supplied by Keynote Systems indicates that Cogent and Sprint are no longer exchanging traffic.
[ Keep up on the latest networking news with our Networking Report newsletter. And discover the top-rated IT products as rated by the InfoWorld Test Center. ]
As a result, it is no longer possible for many Sprint customers and Cogent customers to directly communicate across the Internet.
The two ISPs are currently engaged in litigation over their exchange of Internet traffic, so-called peering. In shutting down the peering between the two, Sprint violated a contractual obligation to exchange Internet traffic with Cogent on a settlement-free peering basis, according to Cogent.
The actual reasons for the row remain sketchy. Cogent staff in Europe wouldn't comment further, passing questions to the company's legal team in Washington. Sprint couldn't be reached for comment.
This isn't the first time Cogent has rowed with another carrier over Internet peering with another carrier. Back in 2005, it was involved in a similar dispute with Level 3, which also decided to shut down communications with Cogent. In the end, the two agreed on what they called a "modified" version of their original peering arrangement, which enabled the two providers to directly connect their networks and exchange Internet traffic across them without charge.
Earlier this year it was also embroiled in a battle with Swedish carrier TeliaSonera. That time it was Cogent that cut communications. They also settled their differences.
The dispute is unlikely to have an effect on the Internet as a whole, according to Kurt Erik Lindqvist, CEO at Netnod, which handles peering between carriers in Sweden.
In the short term, Sprint and Cogent costumers are stuck in middle, but in the end Lindqvist thinks they will be forced to work out their differences. "It's usually a question of who chickens out first," he said.
Three days into the previous standoff, Level 3 backed down and restored its peering connection to Cogent.
Carriers typically row over peering when they are unhappy with the amount of data traffic each carrier sends to the other, something usually covered by the peering agreement, according to Lindqvist. He doesn't know if that is the case here.
The conflict with TeliaSonera had to do with the cost for upgrading a peering point in the United States.
This whitepaper explains the terminology and concepts behind Data Replication technologies and establishes some sizing rules through worked examples. Learn the new paradigm in disaster tolerance—protect data anywhere.
Download now »
Server virtualization is a popular option for dealing with mounting datacenter costs. Another equally promising approach is the use of an Application Delivery Controller. Citrix NetScaler provides a low-cost way for organizations to reduce their server count and accrue cost savings from a reduction in space, cooling, power and personnel.
Download now »
The emergence of WLANs has created a new breed of security threats to enterprise networks.
Included in HP ProCurve WLAN solutions is security technology that alleviates threats from WLANs through:
* Monitoring wireless activity inside and out of the enterprise
* Classifying WLAN transmissions into harmful and harmless
* Preventing transmissions that pose a security threat to the enterprise network
* Locating participating devices for physical remediation
Effectively address data protection challenges, implementing solutions that help store and protect business–critical data while cutting costs and improving efficiency and reliability.
Download now »
Sign up to receive Security Resource Alerts
This white paper provides guidance on how to develop a strategic approach to managing and monitoring logs, a key function required for compliance with many regulatory mandates and a critical defense against security threats.
Download now! »
Learn about the processes and technologies that support security information management (SIM) operations, as well as the business case for SIM. The series examines different options for implementing SIM and gives you evaluation criteria for selecting the best option for your organization.
Download now! »
Learn the strategies, actions, and capabilities that Best-in-Class organizations employ and technologies they choose to obtain superior performance against various security performance metrics. This report provides guidelines for identifying which security solutions to consume as a MSS and defines best practices for choosing and managing MSSPs.
Download now! »
1 Recommendation
