A big thank you to all those members who responded to our survey on where our next IX should go. The survey is still open, and we are still keen to hear from you. We’re seeing good growth across all the exchanges, so it is definitely time to expand the footprint some more. Even if you aren’t likely to join us in Darwin or Hobart, please let us know which additional content or data centres on existing IXes you’d like to see. Our aggregate traffic is creeping closer and closer to daily heights of 800Gbps, so if there’s anything we can get on board that will boost us even further, let me know. VIC-IX participants have already noticed the recent increase in Google availability! 

More thanks also go to the members connected to NSW-IX that suffered through the rolling firmware upgrade we put through last weekend. Our technical team are most certainly glad to see the last of that bug (touch wood!) as it was darned inconvenient. It will be progressively rolled out across the rest of the exchanges as need, resourcing and notice allows. 

Over the last month, we’ve managed to hit our advocacy targets and coordinated a joint letter to the Minister for Home Affairs on the review of electronic surveillance legislation. With the upcoming election likely to have national security as a major theme, we thought it important to make sure industry took a united stance, so we teamed up with Communications Alliance, AIIA, Internet Australia, IoTAA, Digital Rights Watch and EFA. Other organisations were also approached who couldn’t make the short time frame for the letter, but as in the case of the ACS took an even stronger stance in their own submission. There are a number of issues with the proposal, from definitional problems with the meaning of ‘communications’ to the approaches to granting access to content and metadata. I’m sure we all agree the current regimen is fragmented, out of date and ridiculously complex, with holes the size of the last big pwnage. It’s a topic I’m sure we’ll hear more about over the coming months, so expect more FUD and noise. 

We’re also expanding the team some more to make sure we can deliver on the software development we have planned with the Member Portal. Check our careers page if you are looking for a coding job or know someone good to refer. This is a truly great place to work and makes a genuine contribution to the internet! 

Speaking of appointments, I have just joined the Advisory Board of the Electrical Engineering School at the University of NSW where I will contribute to the training program for telecommunications engineering and related disciplines. Apparently the number of students in this area has been going backwards (and not just for UNSW) for some time, despite the growth in industry need. It’s a discipline that has given me great joy and genuine career satisfaction, so how do we make it more attractive to students? 

Don’t forget to nominate for the Public Policy Advisory Panel, too. It’s a great way to give back to the association and the industry more broadly. Nominations are still open. 

Drop me a line if you want to follow up on anything. Or why not drop by our North Sydney office if you’re in the area? 

All the best
Narelle