PeerIX - Official thread

xphil3

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
1,212
PeerIX
As some of you saw from the previous thread "Network nerds" this will be the new official thread. We will start off with a quick faq followed by some of descriptions of whats going on.

VISIT THE NEW FORUM!!
http://forum.peerixproject.com

What is PeerIX:
PeerIX is the official name for an idea that was put forth to to develop a functional "mini internet" for both practical experience with enterprise technologies as well as to learn them.

What are the requirements?
A network device that supports IPsec, GRE and BGP. Other routing protocols may be considered but will be "corner case" as the core will be eBGP.

What devices work?
We will add to this list as more users being to peer. Currently most Cisco routers will work permitted that you are running an IOS that supports the core technologies above.
http://tools.cisco.com/ITDIT/CFN/jsp/index.jsp
You can use the IOS feature navigator to verify if your IOS/device supports the required features.
Working devices:
-----------------------
Cisco routers

What technologies are you talking about?
The sky is the limit here, but the main core technologies are the IPsec suite, GRE and BGP. Right now we have limited things going on within this network but eventually the hope is to have it grow much larger with more services.

Why are you doing this?
I had this Idea a very long time ago so myself and a few others talked about doing something like this, both to better ourselves technically as well as provide a resource to others to really get their "feet wet" with some of the other technologies.

Who can participate?
ANYONE! If you want to learn the core technologies and the other technologies to come, send an email to [email protected] listing your name, AIM name and what device that you want to bring.

What technologies are available?
Internal(within the network) Voice
Internal conference bridging
Practical BGP technologies

What if I don't want to do this, but I'm still curious
Fair enough, but you would be missing out. If you want to see whats going on within the network 4-5 route-view(or looking glass) servers will be publicly available. Come back later for the addresses and credentials.


IRC:
irc.rizon.net
#peerix|project

Network layout:
-----------------------
This is still a work in progress and the diagram will be updated as often as possible. I'm sure different documents will be posted as well.
PeerIX_DiagramV3.png


More information will be added as this network grows and questions arise.
 
Last edited:
Hey, I tried to send e-mail to that group and Google tells me I don't have permission! I'd definitely like to join in; here's the e-mail I sent:
me said:
Initially I think I'll try and bring a pfSense 2.0 box (my current edge router), and possibly in the near future bring up a Vyatta VM just for fooling around with this network.

I might not be able to get moving on this until next week, but possibly tomorrow if some folks are around and want to help me get a couple tunnels up. I hope your peering policy is lenient ( :p ) since I can't offer much bandwidth to the network, as my WAN connection as home is rather piddly and I don't have any colocated machines I can set this up on.

In the meantime I'd like to claim AS404. I don't use AIM, maybe we can congregate on IRC somewhere instead, or someone can set up an XMPP server on the network :p

K
 
I'll keep the latest version of our public documentation in this post :cool:

peerix_public_diag.jpg
 
Last edited:
I'd like to be a part of this, but am awaiting my 2620XM to be delivered (max RAM/Flash). It'd really be a great learning experience for me, as well. Give me about a week, and I'll jump on.
 
I'm still a network noob (taking a Network+ test soon and working my way through a CCENT book and eventually a CCNA book) but for the sake of science (or nerdom perhaps?) I'll be working on getting my hands on an edge router if you folks are willing to deal with a lot of questions.
 
Hi guys...

Looooooong time lurker here.
Especially in Networking & Security.

Anyway, this project has me VERY interested, as I am also on a networking path.
(I have a Net+...too poor for anything else at the moment)
I have always wanted to do something like this.

I am running pfSense 1.2.3RC1 and if we can figure out settings for that,
I will participate.


If not, I have been interested in Vyetta anyway.
:)
 
Looks like everyone is coming out of the woodwork for this one!

If pfSense/Vyetta works out, this could be pretty big.

If anyone out there is afraid to do this because they're going to ask "stupid" questions, don't be. It's a learning experience and you should take part in it if you can.
 
Hmmm, I have access to a Cisco 1841 that has been decommissioned. I'd have to pull it out, I believe it does BGP.
 
I would be interested. I have 2 Cisco routers at home (2503 and 2514) but don't know if they are capable of BGP etc. I also don't know what IOS they are running. I have always wanted to learn this stuff and don't do well with books as I am more of a hands on type guy.
 
Looks like everyone is coming out of the woodwork for this one!

If pfSense/Vyetta works out, this could be pretty big.

If anyone out there is afraid to do this because they're going to ask "stupid" questions, don't be. It's a learning experience and you should take part in it if you can.

Definitely. This kid ^^^ passed the CCIE written, but he knows more about time travel than he does about VPNs. :D

And I'm half a retard with pretty much everything haha.
 
I would be interested. I have 2 Cisco routers at home (2503 and 2514) but don't know if they are capable of BGP etc. I also don't know what IOS they are running. I have always wanted to learn this stuff and don't do well with books as I am more of a hands on type guy.

I'm sure those can do BGP with the right IOS, but I don't know if they can do the VPN side of it. And they're painfully slow. Buying a cheap 2600 with some RAM would be better than those things (or a 2600XM, which is better yet).
 
Hi Lightworker,

Can you add the bgp router id's so we do not overlap anyone else's.

thx
 
Definitely. This kid ^^^ passed the CCIE written, but he knows more about time travel than he does about VPNs. :D

And I'm half a retard with pretty much everything haha.
True stories. I am sheltered with all of my private links at work. Definitely need to get beyond conceptual on that one, besides the simple ASA VPN setup that I know.

+1 , thats from all the pot he smokes :p
False stories. My voice is just absurdly low.

+1 for this thread being a sticky.
 
Any chance you could link to a larger image of the diagram as I'd like to see a bit more of the details and I can't really read more then the name, AS, and EXT. Also I was wondering how you guys are allocating the IP ranges, is one person acting as an authority for the allocations.

Last question, what does EXT stand for in the diagram?
 
Any chance you could link to a larger image of the diagram as I'd like to see a bit more of the details and I can't really read more then the name, AS, and EXT. Also I was wondering how you guys are allocating the IP ranges, is one person acting as an authority for the allocations.
Lenny is taking care of the diagram, maybe he can post up a larger sanitized version. Also, ill end up making my own version and posting it as well.
Vito is IANA bitch.

Last question, what does EXT stand for in the diagram?
EXT = extension, for the voice services.
 
Last edited:
Ok I found me a 2611XM that I should be able to use. How are you actively communicating to the participants? IM/Email/IRC?
 
Ok I found me a 2611XM that I should be able to use. How are you actively communicating to the participants? IM/Email/IRC?

While I'm not directly involved yet, I do know that most of them are using AIM. I believe they also have voice communications set up.

EDIT - I have to stop for a moment here and laugh at myself... I really need to get my butt in gear and either get the hardware I need or figure out how to use Vyatta real quick...
 
Last edited:
Lenny is taking care of the diagram, maybe he can post up a larger sanitized version. Also, ill end up making my own version and posting it as well.
Vito is IANA bitch.


EXT = extension, for the voice services.

I need to update the diag later with some new peers, I'll see if I can clean one up for full size public viewing then
 
GAAAAHHHHH, my 2621 still shows "billing information received" on the UPS tracking website. I am going to reach through the internets and stab this guy in the face if he doesn't drop it off soon. The anticipation of BGP over GRE action is just killing me . . . .
 
GAAAAHHHHH, my 2621 still shows "billing information received" on the UPS tracking website. I am going to reach through the internets and stab this guy in the face if he doesn't drop it off soon. The anticipation of BGP over GRE action is just killing me . . . .

You make it sound so hot Captain... :p
 
I need to update the diag later with some new peers, I'll see if I can clean one up for full size public viewing then

BTW, the link between xphil and myself is up.

We have been communicating mostly via AIM.
 
Ok I found me a 2611XM that I should be able to use. How are you actively communicating to the participants? IM/Email/IRC?

Mostly through our Google Group, which is awesome. A lot of individual stuff through AIM as well.
 
Guess I need to break down and set up AIM...

Damn you Yanks and your crappy IM software :p
 
Thats Mr. Yank to you :p

Would be nice to get some more people from overseas



I was going to setup a jabber server, vm of course.

That's cool. If you don't want to I was just going to run it on my webserver so it'd be public.
 
Alright, I ressurrected my ancient AIM account that I'm surprised is still around. I'm a9575276 (everything was taken so I used my ICQ # - it's the same network anyway, right :p). Only in Canada though I'm afraid - not far enough for me to be fun.

Jabber/XMPP would be awesome. We're going to need a DNS too... what TLDs should we set up?

Does anyone have nodes on proper network connections? I'm just going to be running on my home (crappy) DSL line for now.
 
I am interested in joining, it looks like i would be using vyatta. Is there anything I should read up on while i am getting my hardware in order.
 
Back
Top