The APNIC Development Program

Introducing “A global, open, stable, and secure that serves The Internet in the Asia Pacific For more than a billion people across the Asia Pacific, the the entire Asia Pacific Internet is an essential fact of life, supporting employment, business, health, education and much more. This includes millions of 1 people who can take the Internet for granted: it is available when needed, community” it is dependable, and it is affordable.

But there are millions of others who are still unconnected; and millions more who have only limited, slow and unreliable access to the Internet. If these millions are to be better educated, healthier, and more productive members of society, it is essential they can access Internet services of a quality and standard that is taken for granted by so many others.

Across the region, we know the availability, stability, speed, and security of Internet services vary widely from place to place. Users in many developing economies in the Asia Pacific tolerate conditions that are unacceptable in the developed world, and which seriously limit the benefits the Internet can deliver.

This represents a “digital divide”, not only between the “haves” and the “have-nots”, but between those who enjoy dependable, secure services, and those who do not. As our dependency on the Internet increases, it is essential to reduce these gaps if we are to achieve sustainable social and economic development.

“74.89 per cent of total fixed broadband subscriptions in Asia and the Pacific are concentrated in East and North-East Asia, followed by South and South- West Asia (9.77 per cent), North and Central Asia (7.68 per cent), South-East Asia (5.74 per cent) and the Pacific (1.93 per cent).”

“State of ICT in Asia and the Pacific 2016: Uncovering the Widening Broadband Divide” 2016 report by ESCAP

(1) APNIC’s Vision Statement, http://www.apnic.net/about

1 The Solution

The Internet industry in most At the same time, the Internet While providing reliable services, developed economies has matured, boom in the Asia Pacific will which are “always on”, businesses with rapidly developing services, continue – with strong growth must plan and manage rapid technologies, applications, and in traffic, devices and users – for growth, deal with growing security regulation. In these environments, many years to come. By 2019, the challenges, and adapt to new Internet businesses can offer high- region will have the most Internet technologies such as IPv6 – while quality services to their customers traffic from mobile devices in the often operating in a competitive at competitive prices, but only if world.1 Another report2 on Pacific environment. they have the technical skills and Island nations shows how recent capacities to properly plan and submarine cable installations have A report3 from technology analysts, The Technical Challenge implement and maintain these resulted in an explosion of capacity. IDC, warns of a shortage of such network services. Across the Pacific, international technical skills saying: “The Asia At the same time, the region is 3. Efficiency and cost: The unique regulatory challenges, often Internet bandwidth jumped more Pacific trends show an increasing facing a growing list of technical efficient operation of Internet dominated by new technologies However, the Asia Pacific than 1,500% between 2007 and need for people with network skills and regulatory challenges which services directly impacts the and technical factors. The region, and its least 2014. in emerging technologies and for together represent a huge barrier competitiveness of Internet resolution of these challenges developed economies well-trained teams that focus on to the growth of a stable, secure services, and costs to the end is dependent on the unique has a crucial shortage The Human higher value-added activities”. and efficient Internet. These users. For a community to enjoy multistakeholder processes of of the properly trained Factor include: the benefits of the Internet which global . and experienced Internet The IDC report estimated that are experienced globally, it must engineers, technicians and The single biggest factor affecting at the end of 2012 there was 1. Security and stability: From be able to access services at a 7. Information: With the Internet’s managers needed to deliver such the Internet’s success is the a shortage of over 250,000 Denial of Service (DoS) attacks comparable cost. rapid growth and improving services. Just as we all need well- capacity of service providers to professionals with networking skills to hacking, malware and data technologies, we need more trained doctors to help keep us fit properly build and manage their in the region (excluding Greater breaches; security remains the 4. Localization: Networks need targeted research that will help us and healthy, the Internet will need networks. For a secure, reliable and and ). It predicts this top priority of network engineers to localize traffic and content understand where the problems well-trained professionals to keep it efficient Internet infrastructure, shortage will grow to more than and managers around the wherever possible. Internet are; where they will be in the stable, secure, reliable and efficient. the businesses, managers and 450,000 networking professionals region. Likewise, governments Exchange Points (IXPs) and data future; and what we need to do to engineers responsible must all have by the end of 2016 and from there, are increasingly concerned with centres allow local traffic and fix them. the skills – the human capacity – to continue to worsen. Internet security issues, which content to stay local, lowering run and manage their networks to critically affect social and business network costs, and increasing Across the Internet, and in a recognised global standard. confidence in the Internet. speed and efficiency. every society, dependent upon it, if these technical and 2. The transition to IPv6: The 5. Managing growth: Internet regulatory challenges are to “The difference between a network which is stable, secure, reliable Internet addressing capacity which service providers are under be overcome it will require and efficient, and a network which is none of these things, can be is currently provided by IPv4 is all constant growth pressure, having new and specific skills and solely a question of the expertise of those people who are building but exhausted globally, and IPv6 to plan and implement almost expertise. The success of our and operating those services”. is the only viable option for the continuous service expansion and region in meeting these challenges Internet’s future growth in the improvement, while at the same will depend on our building the Paul Wilson Asia Pacific. This is a significant time dealing with the many other human capacities to do so. Director General, APNIC operational challenge for everyone technical challenges listed here. involved in providing Internet products and services. 6. Regulation and governance: The Internet has produced new and

1 “Global Internet Report 2015: Mobile Evolution and Development of the Internet” ISOC July 2015 2 “Economic and Social Impact of ICT in the Pacific” Pacific Region Infrastructure Facility 2015 3 “The Evolution of the Networking Skills Gap in the Asia/Pacific”. William Lee PhD. June, 2013 2 3 China - CNNOG Pacific - PacNOG Regional NOG including: Japan - JANOG American - btNOG Federated States of Micronesia - TWNOG - HKNOG - MyanmarING (Myanmar Internet and Networking Group) Marshall Island - PHNOG - PKNOG - NPNOG - SGNOG - BdNOG - MyNOG Samoa - IDNOG

South Asia – SANOG - AusNOG Regional NOG including: Bangladesh - NZNOG Bhutan Nepal Pakistan

The Community Response The APNIC Response

In the Asia Pacific, Internet associations of Internet Service As the Regional Internet address APNIC serves 56 economies community capacity. APNIC engineers are doing their best Providers (ISPAs) for industry Registry (RIR) for the Asia Pacific, in the Asia Pacific that believes that to keep up with, to profitably build and manage coordination. APNIC has been dedicated for together account for more to master, and to fully exploit networks that are robust, over 20 years to the healthy than half of the world’s the Internet, we need to build resilient, and efficient. In many These groups play a vital development of the Internet in our population, and where regional capacities in certain countries, professional networks role in the development and region. most of global Internet critical ways. To support this and community organizations maintenance of the networks development activity will belief, APNIC has spent many are increasingly important that make up the Internet. A non-government, not-for-profit, occur in the years ahead. years building a respected and mechanisms used by engineers They also make ideal development membership-based organization, APNIC support over 12,000 ISPs successful Development Program for knowledge sharing and partners, for the delivery of training it is one of five RIRs worldwide and other network operators, that provides the range of services professional development. and capacity building directly to charged with the responsible who together are building and overleaf. local communities. management of the critical number maintaining the region’s Internet These include so-called Network and addressing resources that are infrastructure. Operator Groups (NOGs) essential to the operation of the for technical and operational Internet (IPv4 and IPv6). APNIC’s activities can all be development; Computer Security regarded, in one way or another, Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs as “capacity building” whether or CERTs) for security issues; and it be human, infrastructure or

4 5 “82% of respondents report a shortage of cybersecurity skills. 71% of respondents report the shortage in cybersecurity skills does direct and measurable damage” Training customized technical mentoring root servers, and devices used to on core APNIC competencies and monitor and measure the Internet “Hacking the Skills Shortage: A study of the international shortage in The aim of APNIC’s technical services; improve the technical and its traffic. Starting in 2000, Community cybersecurity skills” Center for Strategic and International Studies 2016 training is to improve the knowledge and expertise of understanding of Internet APNIC installed the first new DNS Development Internet professionals, ensuring technologies in practical ways; and root server installations in the Asia they adopt and use best current provide technical support for the Pacific. APNIC also actively supports the Grants and Research practices. This helps them make deployment of root servers and Asia Pacific’s growing community full and efficient use of their IXPs. To ensure the efficient operation of Network Operator Groups Awards APNIC undertakes world-class, Internet resources and effectively of this vital infrastructure, APNIC (NOGs), Peering Forums and research and development apply new technologies and techniques to their networks. Security also provides technical training professional technical organisations APNIC manages a successful initiatives looking at routing, and assistance in the installation and events. Many of these are grants and awards program called security, DNS, IPv6, policy and IP To support this important Internet security is a fundamental and management of IXPs with a voluntary groups that play a the Information Society Innovation addressing issues. This research work, APNIC has established a concern for all businesses, particular focus on communities in key role in the operation of the Fund (ISIF Asia) that supports is designed to inform APNIC’s Community Trainer program. governments and Internet users. developing nations. Internet, by facilitating training and national and regional projects that operational and policy activities Community Trainers are subject It is also an increasing burden on information exchange among local use the Internet to achieve social and to assist community members matter experts who work closely Internet companies and network Fellowships technical communities. and economic development in the to better understand the operation with the APNIC in-house training engineers. The key challenge is region. of the global Internet. team to contribute awareness one of expertise: to recognise Every year, APNIC provides In addition to sponsoring these of local operational issues and that cybersecurity starts with fellowships to members of the events, APNIC provides technical An established and respected It also helps the APNIC community facilitate interactive discussion the engineers who are building Asia Pacific Internet community presentations and training to program that has supported to better understand and identify among participants during and operating the Internet’s to attend technical training and ensure they become established numerous important initiatives, technical problems and suggest trainings and workshops. infrastructure. conferences, to engage and learn as important, recognised activities ISIF Asia has invested in Internet possible solutions and strategies. from recognized international at the national and sub-regional infrastructure and services that Technical A critical component of the experts. The APNIC fellowship levels. are affordable and efficient, security of the Internet ecosystem program places special emphasis innovative Internet applications Assistance is Computer Emergency Response on supporting diversity in Internet that are successful and sustainable Teams (CERTs). APNIC supports the community, ensuring the models for the provision of Internet APNIC’s Technical Assistance CERT development and training participation of women, young governance services. supports the region’s Internet in the region, and specific CERT people and those from less community in the deployment projects in certain countries. developed economies. The multi-stakeholder community and maintenance of scalable that helps manage and govern the and resilient networks using Infrastructure APNIC and the Asia Pacific Internet globally is a fundamental internationally-recognized, best Internet Association co-organise part of its success. APNIC works current practices. APNIC supports and sponsors the annual Asia Pacific Regional with, and supports, partners the deployment of important Internet Conference on Operational around the region to provide APNIC works with recognized infrastructure such as Internet Technologies (APRICOT). Along training in Internet governance to Internet specialists to provide Exchange Points (IXPs), DNS with a second annual APNIC ensure the careful coordination conference, these are the region’s of its addressing resources and two most important Internet domain names. APNIC support “Our most important cybersecurity professionals are those engineering events, both run on a efforts by the Internet community engineers who are building and running our networks. Without neutral non-profit basis. to maintain a close dialogue high-quality training, these people cannot be expected to with government agencies produce high-quality Internet services”. and regulators, and for them to participate actively in the Paul Wilson development of the community’s Director General, APNIC policies.

6 7 In September 2016, The APNIC Foundation was The primary focus of the APNIC Foundation will be APNIC – A Respected and formally incorporated in Hong Kong. Under its charter, human capacity building; to advance professional the Foundation will “advance education, on a non- development among APNIC’s core community, the Recognized Partner profit making basis, in technical, operational and policy network operators who are building and running matters relating to Internet infrastructure, through the Internet in our region. Along with training and With more than 5,000 Members in almost every nation of the Asia undertaking or funding activities in Hong Kong and education, the Foundation will also support direct Pacific, APNIC has spent 20 years supporting the Internet to serve the elsewhere in the Asia and the Pacific region”. technical assistance which is required in many specific region’s 3 billion citizens. Many of its 70-plus staff travel regularly to circumstances. events and activities around the region to support the needs of Members, The incorporation followed an important decision in provide training and technical assistance, or share expertise and 2014 by the APNIC Executive Council (EC) to explore Priority topics for this work will include: security information. APNIC also partners with many organizations through MoUs, a Foundation mechanism to support and expand of Internet and DNS infrastructure, promotion and sponsorships and informally to support the continuing development of the the APNIC Development Program by raising funds, deployment of IPv6, development of exchange points Internet. independently from APNIC membership contributions, and related infrastructure, and promotion of best to build our regional Internet development efforts into operational practices. APNIC’s success in partnering The APNIC Foundation will build the future. and seeking financial support for on these strengths and APNIC’s The APNIC Foundation seeks support its activities is founded on five strong history of success in training Projects and activities funded by the Foundation will from development agencies and those important assets: and community development. be designed and managed by APNIC, in collaboration organisations and industries most dependent with funding partners interested in Internet upon the Internet to enhance its technical 1) A strong technical focus Existing development partners development. Activities will be implemented by APNIC development and maximize the benefits of the and regional recognition as include Canada’s International and our partners, which include a growing group of Internet for the Asia Pacific. a source of best practice Development Research Centre community trainers and technical advisors, and other and expertise (IDRC); the Swedish International like-minded organizations. A priority will be to support For more information about the Foundation, see: Development Cooperation and build the capacity of these partners, and to spend 2) Neutrality and Agency (Sida); the Japan Foundation funds in the region. http://apnic.foundation independence from International Cooperation Agency any particular vendors, (JICA); the World Bank; and the services, or technologies United Nations’ International Telecommunications Union (ITU), 3) A non-profit organisation ICANN, DotAsia and ISOC with financial strength and transparency

4) Robust regional networks and relationships

5) Long track record of successful management and implementation

8 Get in touch!

APNIC welcomes support for its Development Program and the APNIC Foundation, especially for its work in less developed economies. If you are interested in learning more about APNIC’s activities or would like to provide support, please contact: [email protected] http://apnic.foundation

www.apnic.net

Nov 2016