[705] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
This came via the KIDNET list.I never saw this before that but it looks interesting.
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (David J. Farber)
Thu May 16 13:19:36 1991
Date: Thu, 16 May 91 13:15:51 GMT-0500
From: farber@central.cis.upenn.edu (David J. Farber)
To: interesting_people@dsl.cis.upenn.edu, com-priv@psi.com
>Subject: NIS Mailing 1, Mailgroup 4
>Date: Wed, 15 May 91 17:54:20 EDT
>From: Douglas Gale <dgale@note2.nsf.gov>
>
>The purpose of this letter is to request your comments on
>network information services for the Interim-NREN. You are
>invited to review and comment on the attached Draft Interim-
>NREN Network Information Services Architecture. Comments
>should be sent to dgale@nsf.gov. Please feel free to distribute
>this document to others who might be interested.
>
>BACKGROUND
>
>As many of you know, DCA funding for Internet registration will
>soon end. That, combined with the expiration of NSF's grant to BBN
>for the NSFNET Network Service Center (NNSC) and the growing
>support for a National Research and Education Network (NREN),
>presents us with the opportunity to design a new vehicle for
>providing network information services on the Interim-NREN.
>
>In cooperation with the Internet community, the agencies that are
>part of the Federal Networking Council (FNC) are developing an open
>and competitive solicitation for Network Information Services to
>include Internet Registration Services, Directory Services, and
>Information Services. After a stringent merit review, a multi-year
>cooperative agreement will be awarded. We anticipate the following
>multi-step process.
>
> 1. A draft document describing a network information services
> architecture appropriate for the Interim-NREN will be
> developed and used as the basis for the solicitation. That
> draft document is expected to evolve as it is subject to the
> following review process.
>
> a. In late March and early April, in consultation with the FNC,
> IETF, SIGUCCS, and members of the Internet community, the
> NSF will develop the initial draft document.
>
> b. Beginning in mid-April the versions of this draft document
> will be widely circulated throughout the research,
> education, and networking communities. Comments and
> suggestions from anyone wishing to respond will be
> solicited and encouraged. Requests for the document as
> well as comments should be directed to Doug Gale
> (dgale@nsf.gov), the Program Officer responsible for the
> solicitation. While comments will be accepted at any time
> prior to June 1, they will be most useful if received prior
> to April 27, 1991.
>
> c. A workshop of Internet network service providers and FNC
> agencies was held on April 23 and 24 to review the draft
> document and develop recommendations from their
> perspective. EDUCOM conducted the workshop and
> will submit a summary report in early May.
>
> 2. EDUCOM will conduct in depth interviews of between one and
> two dozen network "end users" and submit a summary report of
> their comments by the end of April. End users who wish to be
> interviewed should send an electronic mail request to Doug
> Gale (dgale@nsf.gov) prior to April 22.
>
> 3. The NSF will develop a draft solicitation for Interim-NREN
> Network Information Services for review by the FNC and it's
> member agencies by mid-May.
>
> 4. The contents of the solicitation will be finalized by the end of
> June and the solicitation itself "on the street" by the end of
> July.
>
> 5. Responses will be due by mid-September. We anticipate that
> an award will be made in early November for a January 1, 1992
> start.
>
>This is a very aggressive schedule and leaves less time for
>comments than we desire. It is, however, necessary if the January
>1992 target date is to met.
>---------------------------------------------------------
>
>DRAFT INTERIM-NREN NETWORK INFORMATION SERVICES
>ARCHITECTURE, VERSION 4/17/91
>
>The NSF recognizes that a well designed system that provides the
>functionality described in this document is preferable to an item by
>item response and encourages responses that provide these
>functions in other formats.
>
>1. Internet Registration Services: The following list of registration
>services is based upon the services currently provided by SRI and
>ISI. Responses will be considered that provide Internet registration
>functions in other formats.
>
> a. Network Number Assignment
> b. Autonomous System Numbers Assignment
> c. Internet Domain Name Registration
> d. Service Port Assignment Registration
> e. Internet Gateway Registration
> f. Internet User Registration
>
>2. Directory Services: The actual mechanism and format for
>providing these services has not been specified and might range
>from centrally providing primary and secondary databases with
>pointers to other databases to a totally distributed environment
>in which the provider is responsible for maintaining standards
>and setting policies. Mechanisms that charge users for these
>services, as well as those that do not, will be considered.
>
> a. Internet White Pages
> b. Internet Yellow Pages
> c. Database of RFC's and Draft RFC's.
> d. Database of or pointers to resources available on the Internet.
> e. Database of institutions on the Internet and characteristics of
> the connection.
> f. Databases maintained for other groups.
> g. Databases of or pointers to contributed materials.
>
>3. Information Services: The general philosophy is that information
>services should be distributed as much as possible. The function
>of the central NIC is to coordinate, support, and augment as
>necessary, other information service providers.
>
> a. Reference Desk: Provide a single point of contact for all
> telephonic, electronic, and postal queries.
>
> 1.) Answer general questions about the Internet.
> 2.) Distribute general information about the Internet.
> 3.) Route questions to the appropriate information source.
> ("NIC of first resort")
> 4.) Management control and reports: Record and track all
> queries and prepare summary reports.
> 5.) Develop and maintain escalation procedures for queries
> and problems that can not be immediately answered or
> referred elsewhere. ("NIC of last resort")
>
> b. General Information Services
>
> 1). Training and Outreach Services: Responses that charge
> beneficiaries for some of the costs associated with
> providing these services are encouraged. The general
> philosophy is that development costs be funded by the
> government, but that the incremental cost of delivery be
> funded by charges to participants.
>
> a.) Develop and deliver courses, seminars, and
> conferences. These may include:
>
> i.) Topical conferences on topics such as SNMP.
> ii.) Training on how to run a NIC ("Internet
> New-NIC College")
> iii.) Training on how to use resources available
> on the Internet.
> iv.) Training on how to provide end-user support.
>
> b.) Provide instructors for strategic end-user courses.
> c.) Make presentations to strategic affinity groups
> interested in establishing logical networks.
> d.) Develop workshops/seminars/presentations for
> potential Internet users and institutions. Make
> these materials available to other networks.
> Present these materials to selected groups.
> e.) Support the networking requirements of research and
> education conferences as requested.
>
> 2). Documentation Services: Responses that charge
> beneficiaries for some of the costs associated with
> providing these services are encouraged. The general
> philosophy is that development costs be funded by the
> government, but that the incremental cost of duplicating
> and distributing the documents be funded by charges to the
> beneficiaries.
>
> a.) Develop customizable end-user training materials.
> Make these materials available on a variety of media.
> b.) Develop "How To" templates covering the use of the
> Internet.
> c.) Develop/sponsor/collect documents describing
> resources available on the Internet.
> d.) Develop and sponsor a historical archive of Internet
> development.
> e.) Publish a monthly newsletter for general readers or
> run a wire service of materials for use by other
> newsletters.
> f.) Publish a monthly Internet Report for readers of the
> current "Internet Monthly Report."
> g.) Submit regular reports covering NIC operation and
> management to the sponsoring agencies.
> h.) Develop promotional and marketing materials.
> i.) Develop self-evaluation guidelines for mid-level
> NIC's.
>
> 3). Coordination Services.
>
> a.) Sponsor and chair a NIC Liaison Council and a NOC
> Liaison Council to coordinate the activities of
> NIC's and NOC's on the network.
> b.) Develop and implement procedures to provide
> rudimentary end-to-end connectivity services.
> c.) Work with the appropriate agencies to encourage
> international cooperation and coordination of network
> services.
> d.) Represent the NIC to appropriate administrative
> bodies.
> e.) Work with the appropriate groups to develop and
> distribute materials dealing with network security.
> f.) Work with the appropriate groups to integrate K-12
> into the network.
> g.) Distribute and maintain a written procedures and
> policies manual
>
Beverly Hunter
Research in Teaching and Learning
National Science Foundation
1800 G Street NW
Washington DC 20550
(202) 357-7071
FAX 202 357-7009
bhunter@nsf.gov
