Curriculum

The AfPIF Fellowship presents a dynamic platform that fosters collaboration, knowledge sharing, and capacity building within the African Internet ecosystem, deepening their expertise and driving meaningful impact in key areas. Coursework is delivered through a combination of online lectures, tutorials, live interactive seminars, events, and discussion sessions with faculty, experts, and guest speakers.

Content is available in English and French, but the live sessions are only in English.

Module 1: IXP 2.0

This module provides fellows with an understanding of the key aspects of operating an IXP. It covers the basics and introduction of IXP operations, business and strategic aspects, governance, policy, and regulatory and technical aspects.

What are the module objectives?

• Gain a comprehensive understanding of establishing and managing an IXP and the key building blocks that constitute a dynamic peering and interconnection ecosystem.
• Develop a good understanding of what is required to build and scale an IXP, the different governance and operating models, and the key technical aspects of running a resilient and secure platform.
• Understand the different IXP business models and how to build a growth strategy plan to take a new or existing IXP from its current development stage to the advanced stage.

Module 2: Advanced Network Operations 2.0

This module follows the Introduction to Network Operations course and aims to build on fellows’ knowledge of more advanced aspects of core Internet services and new technologies. Topics include advanced DNS and introductions to email secure web, and network monitoring.

What are the module objectives?

• Understand advanced DNS setups in order to deploy an authoritative DNS server.
• Learn more about the workings of email and web services, including how to set up a basic email server and a basic web server with TLS-secured pages.
• Configure a network monitoring service to monitor various network devices and Internet services and understand their importance to network operations.

Module 3: Peering Roadshow

This module outlines the technical specifications, connection policies, and operational

guidelines for IXP participants. It aims to ensure efficient,

secure, and fair member interconnection and support peering ecosystem growth.

What are the module objectives?

• Understand the regional peering landscape and peering coordinators’ ecosystem.
• Learn about infrastructure design and specifications.
• Learn how to develop peering policies and operational policies.
• Do traffic analysis and measurement.