[Starlink] fiber IXPs in space

[David Fernández]

AFAIK, Starlink satellites are Linux machines, so they could be acting
as routers, but they are not routing user data.

I bet they have IP addresses for management purposes in a separate set
of links for satellite platform control.

The decision to make them transparent to user networking is
independent on whether or not the satellites are capable of doing
routing. Clearly, SpaceX does not see any advantage on making the
satellites routers, so they are just link layer data relays. The fact
that they will start having ISLs may not change that, most likely.

Regards,

David

2023-04-18 7:59 GMT+02:00, Chris J. Ruschmann <chris at scsalaska.net>:
> What makes you think each Starlink satellite doesn't have a router on board?
> Just Curious...
>
> I think they are more complex than most people or you think.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Starlink <starlink-bounces at lists.bufferbloat.net> On Behalf Of David
> Fernández via Starlink
> Sent: Sunday, April 16, 2023 9:54 AM
> To: starlink at lists.bufferbloat.net
> Subject: Re: [Starlink] fiber IXPs in space
>
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>
> In case you put a DNS server in the satellite, so that it replies instead of
> a DNS server on ground, the RTT is reduced by half.
>
> The idea would be that the satellite inspects IP packets and when it detects
> a DNS query, instead of forwarding the packet to ground station, it just
> answers back to the sender of the query.
>
> Nowadays, satellites (starlink included) are still transparent and are
> signal repeaters, not routers processing IP packets, so doing this is not
> immediate at all, but it could bring some benefits.
>
> CDNs or even datacenters (Cloud) in GEO or LEO is even more complex.
>
> Regards,
>
> David
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