PITCH: What does the internet look like?
Good Afternoon,
Have you ever thought about how the internet works? Or better yet, how it looks on a map?
The brains at PEER 1 Hosting did. So they created something so geeky, it’s cool – The Map of the Internet! http://www.peer1.com/map-of-the-internet
So what exactly is the Map of the Internet and what does it show?
It’s a layout of all the networks that are interconnected to form the internet. Some are run by small and large ISPs, university networks, and customer networks - such as Facebook and Google. It’s visual representation of all those networks interconnecting with one another, forming the internet as we know it. Based on the size of the nodes and the thickness of the lines, it speaks to the size of those particular providers and the connections.
In technical speak, you’re looking at all the autonomous systems that make up the internet. Each autonomous system is a network operated by a single organization, and has routing connections to some number of neighbouring autonomous systems. The image depicts a graph of 19,869 autonomous system nodes, joined by 44,344 connections. The sizing and layout of the autonomous systems is based on their eigenvector centrality, which is a measure of how central to the network each autonomous system is: an autonomous system is central if it is connected to other autonomous systems that are central.
PEER 1 Hosting is on the map (Grid position N10). It runs its own super network across North America and Europe.
PEER 1 Hosting will be handing out 24" x 36" limited-edition posters of the map at the ServerBeach/PEER 1 Hosting at South By Southwest (SXSW) March 14 to 17th or internet lovers can download theirs online. http://www.peer1.com/blog/2011/03/map-of-the-internet-2011/.
If you would like to receive a physical copy of the map (or give some away to your readers), please let me know and I’d be happy to mail them to you.
In addition, if you’d like more information, I can put you in touch with a PEER 1 spokesperson who can speak to how this idea came about and how it works.
Best,
Shobhita
Shobhita Sharma
Account Coordinator | MAVERICK Public Relations
(416) 640-5525 x 228 | 37 Madison Avenue | Toronto | M5R 2S2
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