This is Tomoki Yoshikawa, a regular member. From August 20 to 22, 2024, Kuwahara and I from our organization participated in the Asia Peering Forum 2024 held in Chiang Mai, Thailand. It was my first time attending a peering event, and although I was nervous, I thoroughly enjoyed the three days and found them to be incredibly fulfilling.
Also, members of our organization also participated in last year’s APF 2023. For an overview of APF and details from last year, please refer to this report: Asia Peering Forum 2023に参加しました (jp only).
APF Schedule
APF 2024 was held over three days.
Day 1
On the first day, after completing registration and welcome, individual photos were taken and posted on a board. This allowed participants to check the face of their meeting counterpart in advance, preventing any confusion. This was especially helpful in a large venue as it made it easier to find meeting partners, and even when meetings weren’t scheduled, it was convenient for making greetings.
From 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, the “Meet your peers” session took place. “Meet your peers” involves pre-scheduled meetings where participants discuss with various operators one-on-one for about 30 minutes. Each meeting is assigned a specific table, and with meetings rotating every 30 minutes, it is an extremely busy event for operators with many appointments.
After the “Meet your peers” session, we were invited to a dinner by Equinix at a Michelin restaurant, where we enjoyed Thai cuisine and deepened our connections, mainly with other operators from Japan. The dinner was more about building relationships rather than negotiations, and I learned a lot about the industry, as well as local tourist attractions, through various conversations. Thank you very much for inviting us to the dinner.
Day 2
The second day was mainly focused on conferences, featuring various sessions on topics such as the future development of the Asia-Pacific region and the design requirements for high-performance data centers to meet the growing demand for AI. The discussion on future hubs in the Asia-Pacific region was particularly impressive. Currently, regions like Singapore, Japan, and Hong Kong serve as hubs, but more hubs will be needed to handle broader and more extensive communications.
In July this year, our organization established a new connection to the Philippines. While countries like the Philippines and Indonesia are currently expected to become future hubs, Thailand, the venue of this event, was also mentioned as a candidate, and we are keen to observe future developments.
In addition to the sessions, there was also a program called “Peering Personal,” where participants briefly introduced their AS in about a minute. Following the Peering Personal session, I had several opportunities to be asked questions about my presentation during subsequent meetings. This was a very significant opportunity for our organization, which aims to expand internationally. Just like last year, I gave the presentation this year. It was my first time participating in Peering Personal, and although I was very nervous, I managed to get through it. Presenting in front of a large audience is nerve-wracking, but it’s also a valuable opportunity to convey one’s thoughts, and I realized once again that I enjoy such opportunities.
On the evening of the second day, a networking event called Peering Social was held, where we enjoyed a buffet-style dinner. Many APF participants attended this event, and I had the opportunity to engage in various discussions with international operators. The presence of participants from various countries allowed us to hear interesting stories about IX and peering situations in different regions.
Day 3
On the third day, just like the first day, “Meet your peers” sessions were held throughout the day. After two days of a demanding schedule, it was physically exhausting, but we managed to complete all our meetings by 4:00 PM and returned to Japan.
Details of Meet your peers
Let me share more details about “Meet your peers,” the main purpose of this event. As mentioned earlier, “Meet your peers” offers a valuable opportunity to have one-on-one discussions with operators. We used this opportunity to negotiate bilateral peering at IXs where we connect to improve reachability and achieve finer route control. Some operators also set up meetings to discuss future business developments beyond peering negotiations.
This time, we held meetings with six operators, and we reached a peering agreement with five of them. Notably, many operators resonated with our organization’s non-profit, experimental operations that provide extensive learning opportunities. Even in cases where we didn’t meet traffic requirements, we had opportunities to establish peering.
Having only experienced requesting peering via email before, I strongly felt the significance of having face-to-face discussions to build good relationships. There was also a lounge where participants could relax between meetings, and through conversations with operators there, we were able to establish new peering relationships. These kinds of spontaneous interactions are unique to offline events.
Furthermore, since participants are taking the time to meet, it is crucial to thoroughly research the counterpart’s information beforehand, understand the traffic flow, and adequately summarize the benefits of peering. After the meetings, I realized that my research skills were still lacking. This meeting provided an excellent opportunity to learn about the criteria operators use for peering and what information they seek, and I aim to strengthen these areas in the future.
Lastly, most of the meetings were conducted in English, and I felt that I wasn’t able to convey my thoughts 100%. There were many industry-specific terms used, and I realized the need for more specialized study.
Conclusion
This was my first time attending a peering event, and contrary to my expectation of a stiff business environment, I found it to be a friendly and relaxed event where everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. I too found it enjoyable to engage with various people and had a very enriching three days. I would like to continue participating actively in the future.
Before attending, I had prepared a complete script and tried to memorize every detail of my presentation. However, once the event started, conversations moved quickly, and I didn’t even use the script. I learned that it is essential to understand what each operator is looking for and build discussions on the spot.
I am a beginner, so I had a lot of opportunities to learn from many people, and I am very grateful for all the help I received. I look forward to participating actively in the future as well.
Bonus: Scenes from the Night Market
We arrived in Chiang Mai the day before the event, so we went to the night market that evening. Various goods were being sold throughout the city, and there was a different kind of energy at night compared to the daytime. Some Thai dishes were very spicy, making it challenging to eat, but I enjoyed a variety of dishes, including those made with Thai rice and seafood.
On the evening of the second day, after Peering Social, we were invited to watch Muay Thai matches, where we witnessed intense bouts up close. It was a very enjoyable city to visit as a tourist.
