+RAICES Project

Within the framework of the LACNIC VI meeting which took place in Montevideo on the 1st of April, 2004, the ISC Internet Systems Consortium, and LACNIC signed an agreement for the +Raices Project. This project will strengthen the global infrastructure of the Internet as well as its stability by providing the installation of up to seven anycast copies of the F root server operated by ISC in countries within LACNIC's region.

With the installation of these servers in strategic sites such as IXPs (Internet Exchange Points)and NAPs (Network Access Points), it is expected that more direct access to the Internet will be provided for a greater number of users as well as local Internet Service Providers.

This initiative is undertaken as part of the active role of LACNIC as promoter of Internet development within the region, and through the +Raices Project we seek to enhance the reach, strength and response times of the DNS system (a key building block of the Internet's infrastructure) regionally as well as globally.

Background

The Domain Name System (DNS) is based on a hierarchical structure shaped in the form of an inverted tree, where millions of servers throughout the world have part of the information necessary for the whole system.

The root of the system is not made up of a single server, but there are 13 servers that perform this function. They are named using the letters A to M. There is no subordination among these servers, they are all equal. Ten of them are located within the U.S., two in Europe and one in Japan. The small number of total root servers as well as the high number of root servers within the United States are a weak point in terms of stability and security when considering the possibilities of DDOS attacks.

Anycast

The Anycast technique has been used for a long time as way of announcing the same prefix from several different locations. The routing system can identify the nearest location for each user. This technique has been in use for a few years for creating "clones" of a root server, providing a way to work around the technical limitations that do not permit the creation of new root servers.

Users will only see the nearest root server and will not see the original copy nor the rest of the copies. This makes the whole system more efficient while adding security and stability. If an anycast copy fails for any reason, users will automatically start seeing other copy or other root servers.

The F Root Server

The F root Server is one of the 13 existing root servers, and it is operated in honorary form by the Internet Software Consortium (ISC). ISC also performs some other important activities related to the Internet such as, for example, the development of the highly popular DNS implementation, BIND. The ISC has been very active in the development of Anycast copies of the F root server throughout the world.

Project Objectives

The main objective of the +Raices Project is the installation of up to seven anycast copies of the F root Server in countries within LACNIC's region.

LACNIC's Participation

In order to host an anycast copy of the F root Server, it is necessary to reach an agreement with the ISC and to provide all the physical space requirements as well as the equipment and connectivity requirements necessary for the ISC. An installation fee must be paid to the ISC and there is also an annual maintenance fee that must be paid to the ISC. It is not necessary to train or dedicate staff since the root server is operated remotely by the ISC.

Through the agreement reached between LACNIC and the ISC, up to seven sites within the region will be chosen to host anycast copies of the F root server. LACNIC will make the initial installation payment and will also pay for the first two years of maintenance.

For more detailed information about this project's requirements as well as the conditions required in order to be eligible to host one of the copies of the root server, please contact LACNIC's Project Management Office at: proyectos@lacnic.net.