Re: Is the IP layer the right place to support location information

[EXT Randy Bush <randy@psg.com>]

> The example I think as most useful has to do with hosting content. Right
> now if I go to www.microsoft.com, I tend to traverse the entire network
> until I end up in Redmond. Now image a situation like Disney or MSNBC or
> maybe even the Victoria Secret show - the entire network clogs up with
> traffic to a set of clustered machines. If we have positioning information
> in the system, in other words I am at a machine in Boston, I can construct
> a DNS environment that could factor in the location and identify a machine
> that can stream the content to me, one that is closer. Of course this
> means that MS or Victoria Secret might have to have multiple machines
> around the world, and stream content (or maintain them in real-time), but
> the end result is that the network load is more evenly distributed.

most successful large scale service distributions use ip routing.  kluding
through multiple layers, e.g. location, dns, ... to get the effect is a
recipe for failure modes which for your noc will forever hate you.

randy