Optimizing IP Transit for Online Video and “Donut Peering” Explained Grant Kirkwood – CTO, Mzima Networks Streaming Media East – May 13, 2009

The Internet was not designed for streaming!

To make it work, communication had to be open between all the different networks. This lead to some of the first Tier 1 networks.

What is a Tier 1 network?

Why do we still think of this as the “backbone” of the Internet?

Each network on the Internet is represented by a unique number. The quantity of networks connected to the Internet has exploded in recent years: *Source: CAIDA

This is primarily due to the desire to improve performance by connecting to multiple providers.

Network A Network B

Even when connecting to multiple providers, getting data from one network to another still relies on transiting multiple Tier 1 networks. Network A Network B

Smart networks have discovered that bypassing the Tier 1 networks by “peering” directly with other networks you can save money or improve performance. Network A Network B

“Peering” refers to the free exchange of traffic between two different networks. Peering can be an effective strategy for reducing IP transit costs, as well as a way to improve performance—but generally not both.

Mzima has taken the performance-based approach to broadband peering to the next level.

Donut Peering!

This gives Mzima an unequaled number of options to route performance- sensitive traffic.

Mzima peers directly with over 500 networks around the world.

Mzima peers directly with over 500 broadband ISPs and regional network providers around the world – in most cases at multiple locations – a very large donut indeed! Connectivity to multiple Tier 1s is important… this gives us options… Bypassing them wherever possible is even more important: skip the old, poorly-suited “backbone” and take the content straight to the users! Mzima is the first and only network that since it’s very founding has used “donut peering” to improve performance, not save money.

Request more information about Donut Peering and strategies for improving Internet video performance by requesting a free white paper at: