Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!cmcl2!brl-adm!adm!steve@note.nsf.GOV From: steve@note.nsf.GOV Newsgroups: comp.unix.questions Subject: Re: NSFNET Message-ID: <10354@brl-adm.ARPA> Date: Mon, 16-Nov-87 08:52:23 EST Article-I.D.: brl-adm.10354 Posted: Mon Nov 16 08:52:23 1987 Date-Received: Tue, 17-Nov-87 07:31:44 EST Sender: news@brl-adm.ARPA Lines: 59 The purpose of NSFNET is to support research and scholarly pursuits in general, and specifically to provide access to supercomputers and other unique national scientific assets. NSFNET is an internet. It consists of: * a 56 kb/s terrestrial transcontinental backbone that interconnects * a number (currently 15) of "mid-level" networks, each of which in turn interconnects * a dozen or more campus-area networks. The NSFNET program began as part of the NSF's supercomputer initiative; for that reason (and others) the backbone nodes are located at NSF-funded supercomputer sites: Princeton, Ithaca, Pittsburgh, Urbana, Boulder, and San Diego. Additional backbone nodes are planned for the near future, as is an upgrade to T1 (1.5 mb/s). Management and operation of the backbone is fully funded by the NSF. "Mid-level" networks include regional nets such as NYSERNET in New YorK State and NorthWestNet which covers the tier of states in the northwest, supercomputer consortium networks such as those of the San Diego Supercomputer Center and the John von Neumann National Supercomputer Center, and other affiliated nets such as CSNET and BITNET. Although NSF has provided start-up funding for many of the mid-level networks, they are administratively autonomous, and they differ among themselves in the types and degree of service offered to the connected campus nets and their users. Campus nets are organized by the mid-level nets (mostly by the regionals); NSF does not fund the construction of campus nets. The standard NSFNET protocols are those based on DARPA IP; a staged transition to the ISO stack is planned. Under a growing number of formal agreements, NSF shares networking facilities and bandwidth with other Federal agencies who run networks to support scientific research, such as DARPA, NASA, and the Department of Energy; there are gateways among these nets, and the long-term goal is a National Research Internet, or Interagency Research Internet. There are also gateways and links to other countries to facilitate communication within the international community of scholars. A formal "appropriate use" document is in final draft, but in broad terms uses are confined to those consistent with the purpose of NSFNET. Campuses receiving NSF funding to connect are obligated to make access available campus-wide. Further information may be obtained from the Program Director for NSFNET or from the NSF Network Service Center ; research campuses and/or facilities wishing to connect should send their postal address to the Program Office (we don't do everything electronically [yet]).