The evolution of the Internet RAI

1. The evolution of the Internet RAI Pisa, May 27th, 2008

2. RAI Discovers Internet • 1995 – RAI begins its Internet presence renting a 512Kbps link, later expanded to 2 Mbps, this link was mainly used for internal purposes (e-mail and journalist web browsing) • 1996 – As the Internet evolves, so does RAI, realizing that an institutional presence on the Internet is needed. The very first "Internet Node" is designed and deployed. At this stage, Internet access is provided by a single operator, who in turn distributes content to its peers • 1999 – RAI makes the choice to make direct peering with other national ISPs, hence the need to acquire its own Autonomous System # (AS 8234), which is announced by its peers. • 2000/2001 – RAI becomes more aggressive towards the Internet market, and developes its first portal. At the same time, all the necessary steps to become Local Internet Registry are done and in 2001 RAI becomes a full member of RIPE, with its own pool of IP addresses and, for all intents and purposes places itself in the highest range of the market, as a content provider, thanks also to the enormous archive of audio and video material available. Also, direct peering with international operators is implemented.

3. RAI Discovers MIX 2006 – At company level it is assessed positively the need to access the most importantItalian NAP / IX (Neutral Access Point / Internet Exchange), the MIX (Milan Internet Exchange). The process to access the MIX as a full rights member starts. 28/08/2007 – The process completes successfully and RAI deploys a CISCO CRS1 at the MIX headquarters in Milan with a bandwidth of 2 Gbps. 2008 – RAI currently has direct peering with 42 operators accessing the MIX with a use of bandwidth approximately about 700 Mbps peak.

4. Why RAI Connects to MIX Direct peering with the various operators at RAI’s Internet Node doesn’t makes it possible to reach all possible users of the portal content. Since RAI a national public service, being able to offer to those who want to make a direct peering seems natural. The MIX offers this possibility to all major ISPs operating nationally and which are related to MIX. RAI offers to all the MIX members the possibility of direct peering, and new operators who are seeking peering with RAI are connected immediately upon request. Greater visibility of corporate content not only through their direct peer (today mostly international, granted that the Italian communities abroad are huge) but more important, through the whole group of operators which joined the MIX, announcing RAI even if there is no direct peering agreement in existence. Costs optimization and scaling options always available, not excluding the possibility of direct peer, as indeed is the case of RAI.

5. What is the future ? Access to a panel of selected players with the objective to test the implementation of new technologies and methods of content distribution. For example, agreements involving the use of Multicast Protocol towards provider networks that are – or can be made - Multicast enabled. Potential experimentation with other operators of the IPv6 protocol (IPv6 peering), while not impacting the current use of IPv4 Possibility of creating a CUG (Closed User Group), basically a VLAN within the MIX infrastructure dedicated for a private peering within limited number of operators for purposes different than public peering.