Steve Gibbard is an expert on network architecture to support globally distributed systems. Much of his recent work has been on topology for critical DNS services. He has designed three of the leading anycast DNS networks, which support more than 40 top level domains. He has also worked on network architecture to support cloud computing services, and done extensive work on Internet peering and exchange points.

At Steve Gibbard consulting, we look for consulting projects that can take advantage of this experience, while ideally also doing something useful for the world (whether that’s connecting an underserved region or simply making it easier to watch movies at home). Whether you're building scalable datacenter environments, doing a global network expansion, increasing network performance, reducing network costs, or migrating to IPv6, we can help.

Expertise for the Internet's Critical Infrastructure
slideshow 2

Globally Distributed Networks

Internet services can be only as fast and reliable as the networks between their servers and their users. Services with global user bases need global deployments, or their performance and reliability will suffer. If you want to serve users far from your home base, you need servers in the regions where your users are, connected to those regions' leading networks.

We specialize in global network deployments. Whether you're serving users in the Americas, Europe, Asia, Austalia, Africa, or elsewhere, we know where to put your servers for the best performance, and who to talk to to put them there. We know how to do scalable, easily replicable, architectures, to make deployment in any region of the world quick and easy.

Scalable Architecture

Building a small network, but need it to be able to grow? Have a network that's reached its scaling limits?

A successful web business needs to do four things. It needs to start with an idea customers will want. It needs to make it work on a small scale. It needs to get customers to sign up in droves. And then it needs to not collapse under the load. Making it through the first three steps is a major accomplishment. Don't fail at step number four.

We understand scalable, mission critical, network operations. We can start you off with an architecture that won't cost you a fortune when you're just starting out, but will grow with you as you expand.

IPv6 transition strategies

As we reach the end of the supply of IPv4 addresses, networks need a strategy to deal with the coming changes. Part of that involves adapting network architectures to support IPv6. But there's more.

IPv4 isn't going away completely any time soon. It's best to plan now, while addresses are still available, for IPv4 support into the future. IPv6 networks are not yet at IPv4 levels of reliability. An IPv6 plan needs to ensure that it improves services for users, rather than making service worse. Full support for IPv6 is still missing in some network equipment, so planning needs to include work arounds and purchasing strategies.

We've already been through this many times, and can help with all areas of your IPv6 strategy.

Cloud Computing/Content Delivery

Often building new infrastructure doesn't make sense. While those needing to increase hosting capacity or get content closer to users would once have had little choice but to build infrastructure themselves, there are now a plethora of "cloud hosting" and "content delivery" options. We can help you make sense of these offerings, and be up and running quickly.

Papers and Articles

Theme by Danetsoft and Danang Probo Sayekti inspired by Maksimer