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Applications are now closed for our IAASysters 2023 program.
This year’s theme, Future Heroes of the Internet, continues our crusade to support and enable women within the Internet industry. We’re offering 10 successful applicants free attendance, including flights and accommodation (if necessary).
The third running of our IAASysters program is set to be our best one yet! Not only is it taking place on the beautiful Gold Coast in line with the AusNOG Conference, but we’re excited to announce that we’re bringing back a Systers favourite, Cheryl Alderman, who’ll be running her high-energy career coaching session during the workshop.
IAASysters was launched to support and encourage ALL women in the Internet space. Whether you’re an inspiring student, intern, re-entering the workforce after a break or have been working in your role for some time, it’s your passion for the Internet and the Internet industry that really counts. Applicants demonstrating the most potential for personal growth and passion for the Internet are rated highest.
Applications are open to ALL types of job roles within the Internet industry (network operations, engineering, IT, marketing, regulation, customer support or studying towards a relevant degree or diploma).
We’re offering 10 successful applicants the opportunity to attend:
• the one-day IAASysters Workshop – Wednesday 6 September
• the IAASysters lunch – Wednesday 6 September
• the two-day AusNOG Conference – Thursday 7-8 September
• the networking and social events that run in conjunction with the conference.
All flights and accommodation costs are covered, so all you have to do is fill out your application. Applications to become a Syster closed on Friday 28 April 2023 at 5:00pm AEST.
Our hugely popular IAASysters program is back for the third time. IAA launched Systers in 2021 after we noticed consistently low participation rates of certain sectors in our industry. We wanted to do something about it, so we did!
In 2023, the program will offer 10 sponsored attendees the opportunity to attend a one-day workshop that provides expert career advice and builds soft career-advancement skills, followed by attendance at the 2-day AusNOG Conference, being held on the beautiful Gold Coast this year.
If your organisation would like to sponsor this great initiative or you would like to express your interest in applying to become a sponsored attendee, then navigate to the Systers page on our website to find out more.
IAA has just embarked on a project to add alt text to images across our entire website. With over 700 images in our media library, it’s going to be quite the task!
But a very worthy one. We aim to improve accessibility and the user experience for our readers, including those who are visually impaired. We want everyone to be able to access our content, gleaning its full context and meaning – something often reinforced through images.
For those of you who aren’t aware, alt text – also called alt tags and alt descriptions – is the text that appears in place of an image on a webpage when the image fails to load on a user’s screen. It describes the function and appearance of images, conveying critical information. Not only does this descriptive and specific text help screen-reading tools describe images to readers with visual impairment, but it also allows search engines to better crawl and rank your website.
If you haven’t already done so, please consider adding alt text to your images too. Let’s work together to create a better Internet.
Data Privacy Day is recognised and celebrated worldwide on January 28. It spotlights the importance of respecting and protecting the privacy of individuals.
How good is your knowledge of data privacy? In the age of data breaches, hacking, phishing and identity theft, it really is vital to respect individual privacy by safeguarding their data. If you, or your team, need a refresher on how to do just that, complete the free eLearning course ‘Privacy in Practice’ from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
Privacy in Practice provides practical advice and guidance on good privacy management practices. The content is delivered in a way that’s interesting and engaging. We promise! IAA staff have all recently completed the course, because we know just how important privacy is.
As part of our continuous site evaluation and optimisation, IAA has taken the decision to cease SA-IX services from ADAM DC in South Australia. While we are sad to see any site go, with multi-year stagnant growth and improvements to core paths and costs increasing significantly, it is definitely time to bid this one farewell. We would like to assure members that we have consulted with the members at the site, as well as others and our Board, and are giving the longest notice possible to all affected members.
Adam DC’s final service date is Monday 31 July. After this date, our hardware will be powered down and IX Australia services delivered via this site will be decommissioned. We apologise for any inconvenience caused by this decision, but rest assured IAA is committed to providing excellent service via SA-IX into the future.
Members who wish to retain their services can migrate their connection to another SA-IX point of presence. Available locations are:
- Colocity DC3 – 172 Morphett Street ADELAIDE
- Vocus DC – Level 1, 132 Franklin St ADELAIDE
- YourDC Edinburgh Parks – 23–27 Woomera Ave EDINBURGH
- YourDC Hawthorn – 60 Belair Rd HAWTHORN
To proceed with the migration of your services, please login to the IAA member portal and submit a port order for any other location you prefer, and we will work with you to migrate your services. If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact the team on peering@internet.asn.au or call us on 1300 653 132.
Euro-IX, the association of European Internet Exchange Points, expressed their concerns about the ‘Sending Party Network Pays’ model and its potential impact on IXPs. In a letter sent to the EU in early January 2023, Euro-IX opposed the ‘fair share’ argument that proposes Big Tech should pay network costs to telcos to help fund network maintenance and upkeep.
This has been a complex issue that has continued to trouble policymakers and industry. Euro-IX recognised the need of some form of regulatory adjustment to address the issue of great network costs that operators face, but raised concerns about the SPNP model, including:
- Increased costs of concluding interconnection agreements.
- Inhibiting networks’ choice to peer.
- Reduced interconnection density and quality of service for end users.
- Replacement of the current market-based model for interconnection with a highly regulated market wherein administrative rules rather than technical considerations become the primary determinant of interconnection decisions.
- Accidental creation of new systemic weaknesses in critical infrastructure.
Pointing to the recent case of South Korea, where mandatory termination charges have resulted in reduced service quality and security, Euro-IX warned that regulation as proposed by SPNP would ‘… be detrimental to the correct functioning of the Internet connectivity and peering market and distort competition therein’.
As this continues to be a live debate, we will have to keep an eye out for developments in Europe to see how the policy landscape may change in Australia.
