View source for Bay Area Backbone

[[File:Bay Area Backbone, Goal 2023.png|thumb]]
The goal of the Bay Area Backbone Project is to provide a fast, IP microwave based networking between amateur high sites in the Bay Area. The backbone provides IP connectivity within the network and can provide public IPv4 address for full Internet connectivity when required.

The network is available to any amateur operator needing connectivity to, from or between supported sites.

== Management ==

* [https://ispdesign.ui.com/#p=1a8969d6466a43cca23e8b6f34c65af8 Map]
* [https://sfbackbone.xojs.org/#Bay%20Area%20Backbone Monitor]
* [https://bayareamesh.uisp.com/ Management]
* [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MVoJiYzehNbI-EUjRsuLvgLdL4KG4JUeKGtlqk4JruM/edit?usp=sharing Configuration]

== Sites ==
* [[Black Mountain (Site 4)]] - Palo Alto
* [[4CCCC|CCCC]] - Richmond
* [[Fire Station 8]] - Palo Alto
* [[Fish Ranch]] - Oakland/Orinda
* [[Mount Allison]] - Fremont (pending)
* [[ORCA]] - Oakland/Orinda
* [[Oxford]] - Berkeley
* Palo Alto PBS (pending)
* [[San Bruno Mountain (Building 4)]] - Brisbane
* [[San Bruno Mountain (Building 7)]] - Brisbane
* [[Sunol Ridge]] - Sunol
* [[Wolfback]] - Sausalito

Want to become part of the network? We'll provide everything you need to get connected.

== ARIN ==
[https://arin.net American Registry for Internet Numbers]

=== Organizations ===

* [https://whois.arin.net/rest/org/SFWEM.html SFWEM]
* [https://whois.arin.net/rest/org/BAM-80.html BAM-80]

=== Points of Contact ===

* [https://whois.arin.net/rest/poc/TECH1410-ARIN TECH1410-ARIN] - Tech
* [https://whois.arin.net/rest/poc/WILKI322-ARIN WILKI322-ARIN] - General

=== Networks ===

* [https://whois.arin.net/rest/net/NET-206-197-44-0-1 NET-206-197-44-0-1] - 206.197.44.0/24
* [https://whois.arin.net/rest/net/NET-44-0-0-0-1 NET-44-0-0-0-1] - 44.31.228.0/24
* [https://whois.arin.net/rest/net/NET6-2620-B8-A000-1 NET6-2620-B8-A000-1] - 2620:B8:A000::/48

=== Autonomous System Numbers ===

* [https://whois.arin.net/rest/asn/AS32681 AS32681]

== FCC ==
[https://www.fcc.gov Federal Communications Commision]

* FRN:  0031037245

=== Experimental Licenses ===
A number of the backbone links operate with experimental 6GHz licenses in the [[wikipedia:Unlicensed_National_Information_Infrastructure|U-NII-5 band]].

https://apps.fcc.gov/els

* [[Fish Ranch]] to [[San Bruno Mountain (Building 7)|San Bruno Mtn 7]] & [[San Bruno Mountain (Building 4)|San Bruno Mtn 4]] - [https://apps.fcc.gov/els/GetAtt.html?id=325016 WN2XRO]
* [[San Bruno Mountain (Building 7)|San Bruno Mtn 7]] to [[San Carlos]], Swallow, [[Fire Station 8]] & [[Black Mountain (Site 4)|Black Mountain]] - [https://apps.fcc.gov/els/GetAtt.html?id=327676 WN2XUD]
* [[Wolfback]] to [[ORCA]], [[Oxford]], [[4CCCC|CCCC]] - [https://apps.fcc.gov/els/GetAtt.html?id=327671 WN2XTR]
* [[San Carlos]] to [[Sunol Ridge]] - [https://apps.fcc.gov/els/GetAtt.html?id=333165 WO2XAS]

== Network Structure ==

=== Radios ===
A minimal backbone endpoint consists of two radios providing a point-to-point link between two sites. Ideally a site provides at least two links so the network can be extended from that point. In some places we use point-to-multipoint radios to provide additional shared links from a single site. We currently deploy the following:

* [https://dl.ubnt.com/datasheets/airfiber/airFiber_5XHD_DS.pdf Ubiquiti airFiber 5XHD]
* [https://dl.ui.com/ds/ltu-rocket Ubiquiti Rocket LTU]
* [https://mimosa.co/uploads/datasheets/Mimosa-by-Airspan-B11-Datasheet_DS-0007-04.pdf Mimosa B11]

=== Routers ===
Any router capable of supporting OSPF can be used to support the radios. We currently deploy the following:

* [https://dl.ubnt.com/datasheets/edgemax/EdgeRouter_X_DS.pdf Ubiquiti EdgeRouterX]
* [https://dl.ubnt.com/datasheets/edgemax/EdgeRouter_X_DS.pdf Ubiquiti EdgeRouterX SFP]
* [https://mikrotik.com/product/crs112_8p_4s_in Mikrotik CRS112-8P-4S]
* [https://help.mikrotik.com/docs/display/ROS/Cloud+Hosted+Router%2C+CHR Mikrotik CHR]

=== Software ===
The backbone network runs [[wikipedia:Open_Shortest_Path_First|OSPF]]

== Services ==
A typical backbone node provide the following services:

* '''Private IPv4 address''': A subnet of ''100.100.X.X/24'' is assigned to the router. Addresses from this range can be automatically or statically allocated to devices connected to the router. All addresses can be routed to the Internet (but not from the Internet). The subnet is allocated to VLAN 1100 internally. A router may choose to restrict this using a firewall.
* '''Public IPv4 address''': Specific public IP address from the subnet ''206.197.44.0/24'' or ''44.31.228.0/24'' can be allocated to specific routers and/or ports. Traffic to these addresses can be routed to and from the Internet. Addresses are managed using policy based routing. No traffic is routed into the network for an address which is not allocated.
* '''Public IPv6 address''': A subnet of ''2620:B8:A000::/64'' is assigned to the router. Addresses are allocated to a device using [[wikipedia:IPv6_address#Stateless_address_autoconfiguration|SLAAC]]. Traffic to these addresses can be routed to and from the Internet. A router may choose to restrict this using a firewall or choose to not participate in IPv6 routing at all.

== Links ==
=== Active ===

* [[Black Mountain (Site 4)]]
** [[San Bruno Mountain (Building 7)]]
* [[4CCCC|CCCC]]
** [[Mount Diablo]]
** [[Richmond Field Station]]
** [[Wolfback]]
* [[Fire Station 8]]
** [[Mount Allison]]
** [[San Bruno Mountain (Building 7)]]
* [[Fish Ranch]]
** [[ORCA]]
** [[San Bruno Mountain (Building 7)]]
** [[San Bruno Mountain (Building 4)]]
* [[Mount Diablo]]
** [[4CCCC|CCCC]]
* [[ORCA]]
** [[Fish Ranch]]
** [[Wolfback]]
* [[Oxford]]
** [[Wolfback]]
* [[Richmond Field Station]]
** [[4CCCC|CCCC]]
* [[San Bruno Mountain (Building 4)]]
** [[Fish Ranch]]
* [[San Bruno Mountain (Building 7)]]
** [[Black Mountain (Site 4)]]
** [[Fire Station 8]]
** [[Fish Ranch]]
** [[San Carlos]]
** Swallow
* [[San Carlos]]
** [[San Bruno Mountain (Building 7)]]
** [[Sunol Ridge]]
* [[Sunol Ridge]]
** [[San Carlos]]
** [[Mount Allison]]
* Swallow
** [[San Bruno Mountain (Building 7)]]
* [[Wolfback]]
** [[4CCCC|CCCC]]
** [[ORCA]]
** [[Oxford]]

=== Planned ===

* [[Mount Allison]]
** [[Fire Station 8]]
** [[Sunol Ridge]]
* [[Mt Vaca East]]
** [[Carpenter Hill]]

=== Proposed ===

* [[San Bruno Mountain (Building 7)]]
** [[Mount Allison]]
* [[4CCCC|CCCC]]
** [[San Pedro]]
*[[Fire Station 8|FS8]]
**[[Palo Alto PSB]]
* [[Twitchell Tower]]
** [[Mt Vaca East]]
* [[San Bruno Mountain (Building 4)]]
** [[San Pedro]]
* [[Mount Diablo|Mt Diablo]]
** [[Twitchell Tower]]
** [[ORCA]]

== Peering and IP Transit ==
The backbone network uses three IP Transit points to facilitate access to and from the public Internet using BGP.

* [https://freerangecloud.com FreeRangeCloud] BGP Tunnel (Fremont) [primary]
* [https://bgp.co August Internet] Transit (Kansas City) [backup]
Connections to these transit points are via Wireguard tunnels from the Oxford site. The Oxford site uses fiber as the primary with Starlink as the backup.

=== Peering Information ===

* https://bgp.tools/as/32681

== History ==
The first backbone link, between [[Fish Ranch]] and [[San Bruno Mountain (Building 7)|San Bruno Mountain]], was installed on the 23rd November, 2021 and became operational on 3rd September, 2022. The goal was to provide a solid connection across the Bay which the AREDN network could use. It had been observed by the AREDN network builders in Southern California, that a better quality and more stable network could be constructed by creating a solid, well engineered backbone, to which local community AREDN networks could connect.

== Projects ==

=== Bay Area Mesh on the Backbone ===
Using the Bay Area Backbone to support the Bay Area Mesh has a number of advantages for the Mesh:

* It easier to connect high sites to other high sites, especially when we're trying to connect different neighborhoods while avoiding mountain ridges.
* High sites are often backed up with generator power. We provide battery backup ourselves, but that will only last so long.
* High sites will be there when the Ham moves on. Because these are generally commercial sites with long histories of ham involvement, we are not a the whims of someones current housing situation or - in some cases - employment situation.
* It's often easier for a neighborhood to connect up to a high site (or more than one) as they're less obstructed.

==== Status ====
The current health of the backbone is monitored [http://kn6plv-grafana.local.mesh here] ([https://sfbackbone.xojs.org/ internet])

==== Hardware ====
The mesh operates on the Backbone by creating point-to-point connections between mesh sites (these are called '''xlinks''' - see below). Mikrotik hAP ac2 nodes provide the the mesh endpoint hardware. The traffic is routed between the specified IP addresses of the xlink. The underlying network may encapsulate this traffic if desired. We often use VLANs.

==== XLINKS ====
XLINKS are custom connections between sites which feed directly into the AREDN router. Think of them as DtD links, but only point-to-point. By default we use VLAN 1100 for all XLINKs.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Link
!VLAN
!A
!B
!Notes
|-
|[[San Bruno Mountain (Building 7)|San Bruno Mountain]] to Swallow
|
|100.101.12.101
|100.101.12.103
|
|-
|[[ORCA]] to [[Wolfback]]
|
|100.101.18.102
|100.101.18.101
|
|-
|[[ORCA]] to [[Fish Ranch]]
|
|100.101.13.101
|100.101.13.102
|Dues to an intermediate Switch, uses VLAN 1101
|-
|[[Fish Ranch]] to [[San Bruno Mountain (Building 7)|San Bruno Mountain (7)]]
|
|100.101.14.101
|100.101.14.103
|
|-
|[[San Carlos]] to [[Sunol Ridge]]
|
|100.101.17.101
|100.101.17.102
|
|-
|[[San Bruno Mountain (Building 7)|San Bruno Mountain (7)]] to [[San Carlos]]
|
|100.101.12.101
|100.101.12.102
|
|-
|[[San Bruno Mountain (Building 7)|San Bruno Mountain (7)]] to [[Fire Station 8]]
|
|100.101.12.101
|100.101.12.104
|
|-
|[[Fire Station 8]] to [[Mount Allison]]
|
| -
| -
|
|-
|[[Oxford]] to [[Wolfback]]
|
|100.101.18.101
|100.101.18.103
|
|-
|[[Fish Ranch]] to [[San Bruno Mountain (Building 4)|San Bruno Mountain (4)]]
|
|100.101.14.101
|100.101.14.102
|
|-
|[[San Bruno Mountain (Building 7)|San Bruno Mountain (7)]] to [[Black Mountain|Black Mountain (4)]]
|20
|100.101.12.101
|100.101.12.105
|
|-
|[[Sunol Ridge]] to [[Mount Allison]]
|
| -
| -
|
|-
|[[4CCCC|CCCC]] to [[Wolfback]]
|
|100.101.18.104
|100.101.18.101
|
|}
Backbone links appear in the mesh labeled as '''xlink''' but are no different from any other link in the network from AREDN's perspective.

=== WB6ECE Repeater Group Interconnect ===
[[WB6ECE Repeater Group]] operates a network on about a dozen sites south of the Bay Area. The interconnect project aims to share networks to provide greater redundancy and reduce duplicated effort.

The ultimate goal of the Interconnect project is to provide a BGP connection between the two. For the moment the networks are interconnected by each providing the other with IP addresses on their respective networks.

==== Interconnect Points ====
There are three interconnect points.

===== [[San Bruno Mountain (Building 7)]] =====
Routers at San Bruno Mountain are connected via a 1 Gbps link.

====== Forward Link ======
* BAB IP: 44.31.128.190
* WB6ECE IP: 44.31.128.189
* Subnet: 44.31.128.188/30
* Routes: 44.31.128.0/22

====== Reverse Link ======

* WB6ECE IP: 206.197.44.37
* Subnet: 206.197.44.0/24
* Routes: 206.197.44.1/24

===== [[Black Mountain (Site 4)]] =====
Router at Black Mountain is connected to [[Black Mountain (Site 5)|Site 5]] via a 60 GHz link.

====== Forward Link ======
* BAB IP: 44.31.128.222
* WB6ECE IP: 44.31.128.221
* Subnet: 44.31.128.220/30
* Routes: 44.31.128.0/22

====== Reverse Link ======

* WB6ECE IP: 206.197.44.38
* Subnet: 206.197.44.0/24
* Routes: 206.197.44.1/24

===== [[Mount Allison]] =====
Not currently active

==== Interconnect Links ====

* [[San Bruno Mountain (Building 7)]] to [[Black Mountain (Site 4)]] - a VXLAN connection between these two sites provides a backup link.

== Contacts ==

* Tim Wilkinson - KN6PLV - tim@sfwem.net