by Dennis Burgess

Simplify FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC) with TowerCoverage

Broadband Data Collection (BDC) has become a critical responsibility for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to accurately represent their coverage data to the FCC. Ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timely submission can be a challenging and time-consuming task for many ISPs. Fortunately, TowerCoverage provides a streamlined and cost-effective solution, including their "File on Behalf Of" (FOBO) service, to simplify your BDC process.

How TowerCoverage Makes BDC Easy for ISPs

TowerCoverage offers specialized tools and services, including FOBO, that simplify the entire BDC reporting and submission process:

Accurate BDC Data Collection

TowerCoverage enables ISPs to effortlessly generate accurate, comprehensive BDC coverage data:

• Quickly generate precise Broadband Data Collection maps.

• Effortlessly manage multi-map submissions, including fiber and wireless coverage.

Learn more: BDC Coverage Data Collection

Simplified FCC Uploads with FOBO

TowerCoverage’s FOBO (File on Behalf Of) service makes uploading to the FCC even easier:

• Automatically format and prepare your coverage data for FCC submission.

• TowerCoverage can upload and file your BDC data directly to the FCC portal on your behalf, saving time and ensuring accuracy.

Learn more: FOBO - Filing on Behalf Of

Certification and Professional Engineer (PE) Certification

Ensuring your data meets FCC compliance standards is essential. TowerCoverage offers straightforward certification services:

• Standard certification: $250 per multi-map.

• Optional certification with a Professional Engineer (PE): $500. -- Note the FCC DOES NOT REQUIRE THIS ANYMORE!

Learn more: BDC Certification and PE Certification

Affordable Pricing

TowerCoverage provides cost-effective BDC solutions tailored specifically for ISPs:

• $250 per multi-map (can include fiber coverage).

• Certification (standard): $250.

• Certification (with PE): $500.

• FOBO (File on Behalf Of) Services: $400

By offering these services at competitive rates, TowerCoverage ensures compliance without breaking your budget.

Why Choose TowerCoverage?

• Cost-Effective: Competitive pricing makes compliance affordable.

• Efficient: Reduce time spent preparing and submitting BDC data through FOBO.

• Reliable: Accurate and FCC-compliant submissions to ensure peace of mind.

Simplify your Broadband Data Collection process today by leveraging the specialized FOBO tools and services provided by TowerCoverage.

For detailed instructions, visit: TowerCoverage Wiki

by Dennis Burgess

Bridging the Gap: VXLAN's Point-to-Multipoint Advantage for ISPs

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) continuously strive to deliver faster, more reliable, and scalable networks to meet growing customer demands. One significant challenge is navigating the space between traditional Layer 2 bridging and advanced Layer 3 routing, commonly referred to as "Layer 2.5." VXLAN (Virtual Extensible LAN), standardized in RFC 7348, offers an innovative solution that bridges this critical gap, particularly due to its powerful point-to-multipoint nature.

Why VXLAN Matters to ISPs

Historically, ISPs have wrestled with extending Layer 2 segments across geographically dispersed sites without facing the scalability limitations of traditional Ethernet bridging. While Layer 3 solutions such as MPLS offer robust scalability, they often come with increased complexity and cost. VXLAN, however, strikes an optimal balance by encapsulating Layer 2 frames within Layer 3 packets, thus delivering the simplicity of Ethernet alongside the reachability and scalability of Layer 3 IP networks.

VXLAN inherently operates in a point-to-multipoint fashion, meaning a single VXLAN Tunnel Endpoint (VTEP) can communicate efficiently with multiple remote VTEPs without the cumbersome configuration typically required in fully meshed Layer 2 networks. This makes VXLAN exceptionally suitable for ISPs needing flexible, scalable network designs.

VXLAN and MikroTik: A Winning Combination

MikroTik has embraced VXLAN technology, integrating robust VXLAN support directly into RouterOS since version 7.x. MikroTik routers provide ISPs with straightforward, cost-effective solutions to deploy VXLAN across their networks, combining high performance with affordability.

Several reasons make MikroTik's implementation appealing to ISPs:

• Easy Configuration: RouterOS simplifies VXLAN deployment, making it accessible to network operators without extensive training or expensive equipment.

• Cost Efficiency: MikroTik hardware delivers robust VXLAN capabilities without the hefty price tag associated with larger enterprise-grade hardware vendors.

• Flexibility and Scalability: MikroTik’s VXLAN implementation supports extensive network expansion with minimal complexity, leveraging RouterOS’s intuitive management and scripting capabilities.

Closing the Gap between Layer 2.5 and Layer 3

By implementing VXLAN, ISPs can achieve:

1. Scalable Layer 2 Segments: Efficiently extend broadcast domains over Layer 3 networks without facing traditional spanning-tree limitations.

2. Simplified Network Management: Reduce complexity by minimizing manual configurations typically associated with maintaining large-scale Layer 2 networks.

3. Improved Customer Offerings: Rapidly provision segmented services such as VLANs, improving customer isolation and service flexibility.

What's Next for VXLAN on MikroTik?

MikroTik continues to enhance its VXLAN support, understanding the growing needs of ISPs. Several exciting features are anticipated in upcoming RouterOS releases:

• Enhanced EVPN Integration: Expect deeper integration of Ethernet VPN (EVPN), providing dynamic, robust control-plane capabilities alongside VXLAN.

• Improved Hardware Acceleration: MikroTik plans to expand VXLAN hardware offloading capabilities to even more router models, significantly boosting throughput and reducing latency.

• Advanced Multicast Handling: Enhanced support for multicast over VXLAN, critical for efficient, large-scale distribution of IPTV and similar multicast-dependent services.

Standardization and Reliability

VXLAN's strength lies in its standardized nature. Adhering to RFC 7348 ensures interoperability, vendor neutrality, and consistent performance. ISPs implementing MikroTik’s VXLAN solutions benefit directly from ongoing community input and globally recognized standards.

Conclusion

The evolution of VXLAN on MikroTik’s RouterOS represents a significant leap forward for ISPs seeking to blend the simplicity of Layer 2 with the scalability of Layer 3. As MikroTik expands its feature set and continues to embrace standardized protocols, ISPs have a valuable tool for modernizing their network infrastructure—delivering the agility, scalability, and reliability demanded in today's highly competitive market.

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Link Technologies, Inc. offers hardware and consluting services to help you with virtually any MiroTik or RouterOS configuration.  Contact sales@linktechs.net or call 314-735-0270 to find out more information.

by Dennis Burgess

On July 14, 2025, Cloudflare experienced a significant outage impacting its widely-used global DNS resolver, 1.1.1.1. This incident underscores a critical vulnerability faced by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) relying exclusively on global DNS resolvers.

Global DNS resolvers like Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1, Google’s 8.8.8.8, and Quad9's 9.9.9.9 have become popular choices due to their speed, security, and ease of configuration. However, the Cloudflare incident highlights the substantial risks involved in basing critical infrastructure entirely on external services beyond the direct influence of the ISP.

When ISPs depend solely on these global resolvers, they relinquish control over their DNS infrastructure to third parties. During the Cloudflare outage, ISPs using 1.1.1.1 had no power to expedite resolution or even receive timely communication about the ongoing issues. This lack of direct influence not only left ISPs in the dark but also prevented them from proactively communicating clear information to their customers.

Running a local DNS resolver provides ISPs with critical autonomy and influence. Local resolvers enable ISPs to:

1. Quickly identify and mitigate issues internally, providing real-time solutions rather than awaiting third-party responses.

2. Directly communicate with customers regarding outages, improving transparency and reducing confusion.

3. Implement customized DNS policies tailored to their network performance, security, and customer needs.

4. Reduce dependency on a single point of failure inherent in global DNS resolvers.

The July 14 Cloudflare incident is a powerful lesson: while global resolvers offer benefits, exclusive reliance exposes ISPs to unnecessary risk and reduced operational control. ISPs committed to robust service availability and customer satisfaction must seriously consider operating their own DNS infrastructure to maintain independence and reliability. This proactive approach not only improves service resilience but also enhances customer trust and satisfaction in the face of unforeseen global outages.

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Link Technologies, Inc offers Servers and the know-how to implement DNS servers correctly, redundantly, quickly, and cost effectively.  Contact sales@linktechs.net for more information about the services and hardware we offer! 

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https://blog.cloudflare.com/cloudflare-1-1-1-1-incident-on-july-14-2025/