[2024] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Re: Dialog -Who has Powre to Change Its Status?
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Sean Donelan)
Sat Jan 18 16:13:32 1992
Date: Sat, 18 Jan 1992 15:11:05 CST
From: SEAN@SDG.DRA.COM (Sean Donelan)
To: com-priv@psi.com
X-Vmsmail-To: SMTP%"com-priv@psi.com"
Its been a couple of years since I had to work my way through this.
I had forgotten the FRICC was now the FNC. And now that the NREN bill
passed, there is a new set of federal agencies involved (I don't know what
to call them). My understanding is this (I'm sure I'll be corrected if
I've got it wrong).
ANS is just a contractor as far as NSFNET, and has no authority to allow
Dialog access to the NSFNET without a sponsor's approval. CO and RE types
are terms that ANS dreamed up, they don't mean much of anything as far as
access to the NSFNET goes. ANS can switch Dialog to the status of an
RE site, but that doesn't mean they can have access to the Internet. The
"real" terms for access to the Internet involve things like "Sponsoring
Agency Approval." This is the same for any of the IP network providers
whether national (e.g. Alternet, PSI, ANS) or otherwise (doesn't BARRNET
have customers near Dialog?).
I didn't mean that the entire committee had to be involved as some sort
of appeals court. Rather, until Dialog finds a sponsor (any of one of
them will do, NSF, DOE, DCA, etc), and meets that sponsor's requirements
for the use of the net, they are stuck with the routing restrictions. Dialog
purchased access to ANS's network, and that's what they got. I've sat through
meetings with ANS and will admit that they left my head spinning, but they've
never said anything that couldn't be true.
Of course, if someone like Dialog could make this mistake, you've got to
wonder just how clear is ANS being about what they are selling. But I
wouldn't go as far as hold ANS responsible for Dialog's marketing department
sending out something like "Internet users, just telnet dialog.com", instead
of "ANSnet users, just telnet dialog.com".
Why is this taking so long? Well, there have been quite a few holidays in
the last 30 days, and Government in general seems to move slowly. Or maybe
Dialog hasn't completed all the necessary paperwork. I had to prepare
a proposal on how DRA was going to use the network, and of course sign
various policies on acceptable use including some pretty scary language
about following any future requirements announced by MIDNET, NSF, or
Merit (Yes, Merit, why do you think I go ballistic every time press release
about ANS is signed NSFNET/Merit).
More cynical reasons. From a contractual point of view, I don't think ANS
is obligated to do anything. I'm sure they are fulfilling the written
contract (otherwise I'm sure that Dialog has competent counsel, and would
be taking action). ANS has signed up a big customer, and any problems now
are being caused those networks that won't allow the traffic. Maybe if they
wait long enough, maybe enough end-users will pressure the mid-level networks
to sign connectivity agreements.
Perhaps now is the time for the mid-levels to see if they can actually get
a promise out of ANS to pay them in money, rather than consideration. The
current agreement reads like one of those sweepstakes ticket. You may have
already won money from the national infrastructure pool, but unless you sign
this agreement we will have to give it to someone else. Of course even if
you do sign, all we promise is to "consider" giving you some money.
--
Sean Donelan, Data Research Associates, Inc, St. Louis, MO
Domain: sean@sdg.dra.com, Voice: (Work) +1 314-432-1100
