Commodity Peering Service to the rescue...

As a completely separate topic, Abilene started turning up it's content provider peering this week. But that's not what I want to talk about. I'd like to focus on how this will help us "glue" the new network to the old network in Chicago. Internet2 purchased metro fiber between Qwest (current Abilene node), 710 North Lakeshore Drive, and 350 N. Cermak, where the commodity peerings physically interconnect at Equinix. This fiber runs via 600 W. Chicago St, the same location as the new Internet2 node in Chicago.

So, the current thinking is to "shim" the new Internet2 router in between 350 Cermak and 710 NLSD. Easier said than done, I'm afraid. The Looking Glass fiber that I2 purchased runs through the 3rd floor of 600 W. Chicago. The new Internet2 node is on the first floor. See where this is going?

There's no fiber between the first and third floors...right now. Level3 is working on a solution. We've already told them that if they can make this happen, we owe them some beer. I'll make that a case of beer if they can make it happen in time for our Chicago install. Getting fiber blown between floors can be tricky, so this will be especially impressive if they can pull it off. Go team!