[12219] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
ANS MCI IBM NSF
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Joseph W. Stroup)
Tue May 10 02:34:31 1994
Date: Mon, 9 May 1994 21:10:59 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Joseph W. Stroup" <nettech@crl.com>
To: com-priv@psi.com
Cc: "Joseph W. Stroup" <nettech@crl.com>
I have done alot of research into the technical portion of the current
backbone. I have talked to IBM engineers as well as many others connected
with the MCI-IBM-ANS group. Other than the U.S. military I can find no
T-3 network that would even come close in meeting the spec's set down by
the NSF. Sprint does not have a T-3 network that can duplicate even the
current backbone. Yes, they have announced ATM and T-3 with the Cisco
7000 routers. The 7000 series does NOT pass data at 45 meg-a-bittys. It
will however work at just a shade under 50 percent of that. Even ANS has
not seen huge levels of traffic on their network and certainly nothing
even close to T-3. I want to caution people. I am only talking about
technical issues here nothing else. This is a very complex situation and
the technical issues are only a part of the global picture.
I do not think that Sprint could get a network up and running at true T-3
speeds in any short order. I do not think that any other company would be
able to do what the current group has done. At least not in any short
amount of time. When it comes to 155 meg-a-bitty data IBM is in the
unique position to use the information gathered from its past work. IBM
should be able to construct the necessary hardware/software interface to
allow an NT switch to operate at high speed over the MCI network. If they
engineers are allowed the freedom to design without the management
getting in their hair - We might all see a unique and creative approach
to solving engineering problems and that would produce and excellent end
product.
I have serious concerns over management, direction and motive when it
comes to the NSF idea of the way to solve problems but, as far as the
ability of IBM to make things work... I no longer think thats an issue.
For me its case closed.
Joseph Stroup
