Date: 31 July to 7 August 2019
Venue: Kolkata, West Bengal, India
The 34th South Asian Network Operators Group (SANOG 34) was held in Kolkata, India, from 31 July to 7 August 2019, bringing together network operators, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), Internet Exchange Points (IXPs), researchers, policymakers, and technical experts from across South Asia. Recognized as one of the region’s leading technical forums, SANOG promotes collaboration, knowledge sharing, and capacity building in Internet infrastructure, routing, security, and operational best practices.
Anupam Agrawal played a key role as the host representative from the Internet Society (ISOC) Kolkata Chapter, welcoming delegates during the opening plenary and delivering a presentation on “Internet Eco-System in Eastern India.” His address highlighted the rapid growth of Internet infrastructure in Eastern India, regional connectivity initiatives, and the importance of strengthening technical collaboration to support the next phase of digital transformation.
The conference opened with keynote sessions featuring David Nishball, Chief Security Officer at Sify Technologies, who discussed the evolution of Internet infrastructure in India. Over the following two days, participants attended technical plenaries covering Internet operations, routing security, disaster recovery, business continuity, network resiliency, container technologies, machine learning for network operations, and updates from the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC).
Routing security remained a central focus of SANOG 34, with experts from Hurricane Electric, APNIC, and the Internet Society presenting on secure Internet routing practices and the Mutually Agreed Norms for Routing Security (MANRS) initiative. Additional sessions explored Internet routing trends, network resiliency using optical transport technologies, and the application of machine learning to improve network operations. The conference also featured updates from regional Network Operator Groups (NOGs), including bdNOG, btNOG, JANOG, NPNOG, and INNOG, highlighting collaborative efforts to strengthen Internet infrastructure across Asia.
Beyond the conference, SANOG 34 offered a comprehensive technical programme comprising tutorials and five-day hands-on workshops. Participants received practical training in DNS and DNSSEC, Linux System Administration and Security, Network Security, Data Centre Facility Design, Segment Routing (SPRING), and Internet Routing, led by experts from organisations including APNIC, ICANN, FreeBSD, Juniper Networks, Packet Clearing House (PCH), and regional Internet operators.
As host representative, Anupam Agrawal contributed to showcasing Eastern India’s growing Internet ecosystem while fostering collaboration among regional and international stakeholders. SANOG 34 reinforced the importance of technical excellence, operational resilience, and cross-border cooperation in developing a secure, stable, and scalable Internet infrastructure for South Asia.