Best Practices for ISP Core Networks: Doing Better and Smarter
In an era where networks underpin every part of the digital economy, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) must constantly balance resilience, efficiency, and cost. At BalticNOG 2025, Alfredo Giordano, CEO of WARIAN, shared a technical blueprint for building more intelligent ISP core networks — combining lessons from over two decades in telecom management with hands-on experience running a managed infrastructure provider.
Building Networks for Growth and Resilience
A strong core network starts with redundancy and resilience. Alfredo emphasized the need for multiple paths between critical nodes, diverse routing protocols (BGP, OSPF, IS-IS, MPLS, SRv6), and backup connections to upstream providers. Future-ready design also means deploying IPv6 alongside IPv4 and strategically distributing Points of Presence (PoPs) to reduce latency while supporting edge strategies.
Security and Traffic at Scale
Security is no longer a layer — it’s the foundation. Alfredo outlined a multi-layered defense framework: DDoS protection, intrusion detection, ACLs, RPKI, MANRS compliance, and network segmentation to isolate critical systems. On the traffic side, proper quality of service (QoS) and quality of experience (QoE) ensure bandwidth efficiency, low latency, and predictable service delivery. Load balancing strategies, both local and global, prevent congestion and improve customer satisfaction.
Monitoring, Costs, and the Human Factor
Reliability depends on continuous monitoring. From proactive maintenance windows to automated alerting, visibility into traffic quality and AS path analysis is essential. Alfredo also broke down an ISP’s cost structure into CAPEX (equipment lifecycles, capacity expansion, IPv6/5G migration) and OPEX (personnel, transit, facilities, and support). Managing costs means innovative outsourcing where possible and constantly focusing on service-level excellence.
Alfredo’s conclusion was clear: today’s best practices are not just technical checklists but daily commitments. Every day, ISPs that “do better and smarter” can ensure reliability, security, and scalability while supporting business growth and keeping customers satisfied.
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