The KINBER Member Exchange service provides a means for KINBER customers with PennREN Ethernet Port Connection service to connect to other KINBER customers using PennREN as Ethernet network. The Member Exchange service is analogous to a public network exchange, but is available exclusively to KINBER customers. Built as a general-purpose network, it is ideal for giving a shorter path for Best Effort IP traffic that would otherwise transit the public Internet. The Member Exchange can be a lower-cost and flexible alternative to circuit, private- line technology, or VPNs that customers may be using today for best effort connectivity between disparate locations and peers.

This service is delivered as an 802.1Q tagged Layer 2 Ethernet hand off with a common Ethernet Broadcast Domain within the Member Exchange. This design maximizes the potential uses for the Member Exchange and gives customers the flexibility to implement their specific network requirements and policies.

Potential Use Cases

Additional network path and path redundancy:

The Member Exchange can act as a secondary path when a primary path exists between customer sites and peers. The Member Exchange can provide customers alternatives to increase resiliency in their wide area networks.

LAN extensions across different physical facilities:

The ability to extend a LAN across physical sites transparently introduces a number of new opportunities that can reduce network infrastructure costs or enable emerging technology.

Layer 3 network peering between members:

Customers can use the Member Exchange to off-load traffic between KINBER customers that may otherwise transit the public Internet by establishing BGP peering. Off-loading traffic from an existing service provider can reduce operational costs and enhance network security.

Benefits

Any-to-Any connectivity – Any customer can send traffic to any other customer within the Member Exchange with minimal configuration in the customer’s network

Cost effective – Easy to use and cost effective Ethernet technology makes the Member Exchange very accessible without additional infrastructure investment

Flexible – Simplicity of Ethernet hand off maximizes use cases and implementation options

Simplified bandwidth scaling – Incremental connectivity options allow bandwidth to be upgraded without additional network infrastructure or long provisioning times

Requirements for Service/Technical Specifications

KINBER members and affiliates subscribing to PennREN Ethernet Port Connections services are eligible to use the KINBER Member Exchange. A PennREN Ethernet Port Connection Service is required to participate in the KINBER Member Exchange. The base committed information rate (CIR) is a 100Mbps connection to the Member Exchange. Additional bandwidth may be provisioned in 100Mbps or 1Gbps bandwidth increments.

Contact info@kinber.org for more information or call 717. 963.7490 to speak with a KINBER network sales support specialist.