Contribute

Summary

Anyone who wishes to participate in the growth of the DoubleZero network can contribute bandwidth and network hardware to the ecosystem. The DoubleZero smart contract is the cornerstone of ensuring that the network maintains high-quality links that can be measured and integrated into the topology, allowing our network controllers to develop the most efficient end-to-end path between our different users and endpoints. Upon execution of the smart contract and deployment of the network equipment and bandwidth, an entity is classified as a network contributor. See DoubleZero Economics to further understand the economics behind participating in DoubleZero as a network contributor.

Requirements to be a DoubleZero Network Contributor

Dedicated bandwidth that can provide IPv4 connectivity and an MTU of 2048 bytes between two data centers
DoubleZero Device (DZD) hardware that is compatible with the DoubleZero protocol
Connectivity to the Internet and other DoubleZero network contributors
Installation of DoubleZero software on the DZD

Quick Start Guide

As a network contributor, the simplest way to get started in DoubleZero is by identifying capacity in your network that can be dedicated for DoubleZero. Once identified, DZDs must be deployed, facilitating the DoubleZero overlay network which only requires IPv4 reachability and a minimum MTU of 2048 bytes as its dependencies from the contributor’s network.

Figure 1 highlights the simplest model for contributing bandwidth. A DZD is deployed in each data center, interfacing with the network contributor’s internal network to provide DoubleZero WAN connectivity. This is complemented by local Internet, typically a Direct Internet Access (DIA) solution, that is used as on-ramps for DoubleZero Users. While it is expected that DIA will be the preferred option for facilitating access to users of DoubleZero, numerous connectivity models are possible e.g. physical cabling to servers, network fabric extension, etc. We refer to these options as Choose Your Own Adventure (CYOA), providing the contributor flexibility to connect local or remote users in a way that best fits their internal network policies.

As with any network, reachability is a fundamental part of the architecture as network contributors cannot live in isolation. As such, the DZD MUST have a link to a DoubleZero Exchange to create a contiguous network between participants.

Image title — Figure 1: DoubleZero Network Bandwidth Contribution Between 2 Data Centers - Single Contributor

Example Contributions

The ways in which a network contributor can grow their DoubleZero contributions are many, including:

Improve the performance characteristics of their existing contributions: increase bandwidth, reduce latency
Add multiple links between the same data centers
Add a new link from an existing data center to a new data center
Add a new, independent link between two new data centers

Example 1: Single Contributor, 3 Data Centers, Two Links

A single DZD can support multiple links contributed to DoubleZero. Figure 2 illustrates a potential topology if a single data center 1 terminates bandwidth to two remote different data centers 2 and 3. In this scenario, each data center contains only 1 DZD. All DZDs are using DIA for user on-ramps as their CYOA interface.

Example 2: Single Contributor, 3 Data Centers, Three Links

Figure 3 describes the DoubleZero topology when a single contributor deploys three links in a triangle topology between 3 data centers. In a scenario similar to example 1, a single DZD is deployed in data centers 1, 2 and 3, each supporting 2 independent network links. The resulting topology is a triangle or ring between data centers.

DoubleZero Exchange

The creation of a contiguous network is a fundamental building block of the DoubleZero architecture. Contributors interface via a DoubleZero Exchange (DZX) within a metropolitan area, which is a city such as New York (NYC), London (LON) or Tokyo (TYO). A DZX is a network fabric similar to an Internet Exchange, allowing peering and route exchange.

In figure 4, network contributor 1 operates in data centers 1, 2 and 3, while network contributor 2 operates in data centers 2,4 and 5. By interconnecting in data center 2, the DoubleZero network reach increases to 5 contiguous data centers.

Bandwidth Contribution Options

DoubleZero requires a network contributor to offer connectivity via a guaranteed bandwidth, latency and jitter profile between DZDs at two terminating data centers expressed via a smart contract. DoubleZero does not mandate how a network contributor implements their contribution, however, in the following sections we provide indicative options for use at their sole discretion.

Important areas to consider for a network contributor might be:

Ability to guarantee network performance of the DoubleZero service: bandwidth, latency, and jitter
Segregation from their existing internal network services
IPv4 addressing clashes, specifically with the tunnel underlay address space
Uptime and availability
CAPEX and OPEX considerations

Layer 1 Bandwidth

Layer 1 bandwidth, more formally described as wavelength services, may see dedicated capacity provisioned on an existing optical infrastructure, such as DWDM, CWDM or via optical multiplexers (MUX). In figure 5, the DZDs use a colored optic that is cabled to an L1 MUX, which interleaves the DZD wavelength on to an existing dark fiber.

This solution has numerous benefits, including nominal CAPEX and OPEX increases within a contributor’s core network, as well as iterative operational changes to an existing network with existing investments in such technology. This option is particularly robust in offering performance guarantees and segregation from the network contributor’s network services.

Packet Switched Bandwidth

Packet switched networks can be considered your typical enterprise network, running standard routing and switching protocols supporting business applications. There are numerous networking technologies that achieve connectivity, two options that we highlight are layer 2 (L2) extensions using VLAN tags and layer 3 virtual private networks (L3VPN).

L2 Extension

An L2 extension as shown in Figure 6 can be facilitated through VLAN tagging. A DZD’s port can be cabled to a contributor’s internal network switch, with the switch port being set as an access port in, for example, VLAN 10. Through 802.1q tagging, this VLAN can be carried over multiple switch-hops on the contributor’s network, terminating at the switch interfacing with the remote DZD.

This solution benefits from being widely supported and relatively easy to implement while creating segmentation between DoubleZero and internal layer 3 services. Bandwidth can be controlled based on the interface speed of the contributor’s internal switch or router. Careful consideration must be given to performance across the shared internal L2 network through technologies such as Quality of Service (QoS) or other traffic management policies. However, additional CAPEX and OPEX investments should be nominal if existing capacity is available within the contributor’s core network.

L3VPN

More advanced network contributors may be able to deploy DoubleZero bandwidth as a L3VPN service within an MPLS network (figure 7). Through the use of virtual routing and forwarding (VRF) instances and label switching, DoubleZero packets would be delivered across an existing MPLS backbone. Network contributor internal bandwidth could be shared between multiple DZ devices while being controlled based on the interface speed of the contributor’s internal switch or router. This design assumes existing segmentation within the contributor’s network and as such DoubleZero looks like another L3 service. Careful consideration must be given to performance across the shared internal L3VPN network through technologies such as Quality of Service (QoS) or other traffic management policies. However, additional CAPEX and OPEX investments should be nominal if existing capacity is available.

Dedicated 3rd Party Bandwidth

While reusing available capacity will be attractive to many network contributors, it is possible that new bandwidth is purchased from a 3rd party to be dedicated to DoubleZero. In such a scenario, the DZD would connect directly to the 3rd party carrier without any internal devices of the contributor sitting inline (figure 8).

This option is attractive as it ensures dedicated bandwidth for DoubleZero, is simple operationally and ensures complete segmentation from any other network services. This option will have the highest OPEX increase and new service contracts with 3rd party carriers.

Install Guide

Indicative Hardware Requirements - 100Gbps Bandwidth Contribution

Note that quantities reflect two data centers' equipment, i.e. the total required hardware necessary to deploy 1 bandwidth contribution.

*All FPGAs are subject to final testing. 10G contributions can be supported using Arista 7130LBR switches with inbuilt dual Virtex® UltraScale+™ FPGAs.

Function & Port Requirements

Function	Port Speed	DZ Requirement	QTY	Note
Private Bandwidth	100G	Yes	1
Direct Internet Access (DIA)	10G	Yes	2
DoubleZero eXchange (DZX)	100G	Yes*	1	Must be supported once more than 3 providers operate in the same metro area, preceding this, cross-connects or other peering arrangements can be used to interconnect to other providers.
Management		No	1	Determined by contributor's own internal management policies.
Console		No	1	Determined by contributor's own internal management policies.

DZD Network Hardware

Make	Model	Part Number	DZ Requirement	QTY	Note
AMD*	C1100*	V-C1100-P00G-PQ-G*	Yes	4
LDA*	Unity*	Unity*	Yes	2	Chassis for FPGA card (provides power only)
Arista	7280CR3A	DCS-7280CR3A-32S	Yes	2	Alternatives may be possible if lead times are challenging.

Optics - 100G

Make	Model	Part Number	DZ Requirement	QTY	Note
Arista	100GBASE-LR	QSFP-100G-LR	No	16	Cabling and optic choice available at contributor's discretion. 100G required to connect FPGAs.

Optics - 10G

Make	Model	Part Number	DZ Requirement	QTY	Note
Arista	10GBASE-LR	SFP-10G-LR	No	2	Cabling and optic choice available at contributor's discretion.
Finisar	DynamiX QSA™	MAM1Q00A-QSA	No	2	Cabling and optic choice available at contributor's discretion.

IP Addressing

IP Addressing	Minimum Subnet Size	DZ Requirement	Note
Public IPv4	/29	Yes	Must be routable via DIA. We may eliminate the need for this over time.

Indicative Hardware Requirements - 10Gbps Bandwidth Contribution

Note that quantities reflect two data centers' equipment i.e. the total required hardware necessary to deploy 1 bandwidth contribution.

Function & Port Requirements

Function	Port Speed	DZ Requirement	QTY	Note
Private Bandwidth	10G	Yes	1
Direct Internet Access (DIA)	10G	Yes	2
DoubleZero eXchange (DZX)	100G	Yes*	1	Must be supported once more than 3 providers operate in the same metro area; preceding this, cross-connects or other peering arrangements can be used to interconnect to other providers.
Management		No	1	Determined by contributor's own internal management policies.
Console		No	1	Determined by contributor's own internal management policies.

Hardware

Make	Model	Part Number	DZ Requirement	QTY	Note
AMD*	C1100*	V-C1100-P00G-PQ-G*	Yes	4
LDA*	Unity*	Unity*	Yes	2	Chassis for FPGA card (provides power only)
Arista	7280CR3A	DCS-7280CR3A-32S	Yes	2	Alternatives may be possible if lead times are challenging.

Optics - 100G

Make	Model	Part Number	DZ Requirement	QTY	Note
Arista	100GBASE-LR	QSFP-100G-LR	No	14	Cabling and optic choice available at contributor's discretion. 100G required to connect FPGAs.

Optics - 10G

Make	Model	Part Number	DZ Requirement	QTY	Note
Arista	10GBASE-LR	SFP-10G-LR	No	4	Cabling and optic choice available at contributor's discretion.
Finisar	DynamiX QSA™	MAM1Q00A-QSA	No	4	Cabling and optic choice available at contributor's discretion.
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IP Addressing

IP Addressing	Minimum Subnet Size	DZ Requirement	Note
Public IPv4	/29	Yes	Must be routable via DIA. We may eliminate the need for this over time.

Data Center Requirements

Rack & Power Requirements

Requirement	Specification
Rack Space	4U
Power	4KW (recommended)