Today’s Internet achieves end-to-end connectivity through
bilateral contracts between neighboring networks; unfortunately,
this “one size fits all” connectivity results in less efficient
paths, unsold capacity and unmet demand, and sometimes
catastrophic market failures that result in global disconnectivity.
This paper presents the design and evaluation
of MINT, a Market for Internet Transit. MINT is a connectivity
market and corresponding set of protocols that allows
ISPs to offer path segments on an open market. Edge networks
bid for end-to-end paths, and a mediator matches bids
for paths to collections of path segments that form end-to-end
paths. MINT can be deployed using protocols that are
present in today’s routers, and it operates in parallel with the
existing routing infrastructure and connectivity market. We
present MINT’s market model and protocol design; evaluate
how MINT improves efficiency, the utility of edge networks,
and the profits of transit networks; and how MINT can operate
at Internet scale
