VietNamNet Bridge - If the Vietnam National Internet Exchange (VNIX) is reformed and developed in accordance with the successful model of the Amsterdam Internet Exchange, Vietnam could become an internet center in the region, according to Nguyen Dinh Nam, director of VP9, the founder of VP9 TV project.

 

Nam spoke at a meeting between the Prime Minister and 70 young scientists held by the Ministry of Science and Technology several days ago.

Prime Minister Dung, who showed his special attention to some ideas, including Nam’s, raised many questions to the young scientist.

According to Nam, the new model will be better because it can help speed up Vietnam’s internet infrastructure dozens of times faster than now, thus turning Vietnam into an attractive address for multinational groups to set up servers and provide services to the entire region, especially China.

Many multi-national groups want to provide services to China, a vast market, but they face big barriers set by the strict control scheme applied by the country. 

Google, for example, has quit China after a period of presence there because of the restrictions.

Nam explained that an internet data exchange center is a model which connects neighboring countries to form a global network.

In fact, Vietnam already has an internet exchange center – VNIX – a system of switching points to connect domestic internet capacity exchange among internet service providers (ISP). The center has been operating well, but it only serves domestic exchange, which is a limitation.

The Vietnam Internet Network Information Center (VNNIC) confirmed that VNIX only serves businesses which have domestic service networks and use IPv4/IPv6/ASN addresses under the control of VNNIC.

Nam believes that AMS-IX (The Amsterdam Internet Exchange), considered the most successful model in the world, could be an example for Vietnam to follow. 

The internet exchange point situated in Amsterdam is one of the world’s largest internet exchanges. AMS-IX started in 1994 and is a fast-growing, non-profit, neutral and an independent peering point. 

According to Nam, though called a national exchange, AMS-IX is global and reaches out to Hong Kong as well. This is a very open model which Vietnam should follow.

The young scientist tried to persuade the Prime Minister that such an internet exchange center is completely within Vietnam’s reach. 

“The staff at VNIX is good enough. And VNIX just needs a reasonable mechanism to develop,” Nam said, adding that it is necessary to remove the restriction for domestic service.

Nguyen Dinh Nam is a young scientist in Vietnam well-known for his VP9 TV, a TV service operating via the internet. 

TBKTVN