==Phrack Inc.== Volume Two, Issue 24, File 4 of 13 <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> <> <> <> Frontiers <> <> ~~~~~~~~~ <> <> Chapter Four of The Future Transcendent Saga <> <> <> <> Beyond Bitnet Lies Infinity <> <> <> <> Presented by Knight Lightning <> <> February 12, 1989 <> <> <> <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Welcome to the final chapter of The Future Transcendent Saga... or is it? Can there ever really be a final chapter to the future? In any case, I have collected information on some of the various other networks that you may comes across through your use of Bitnet. These listings are more of a summary than a detail guide (like Utopia was for Bitnet). However, I think you'll make good use of the information presented here. Much of the information in this file is based on examination of research conducted in July, 1987. Any errors due to the advancement in technology and the difference in time are apologized for. The networks indexed in this file include the government agency networks ARPANET, MILNET, MFENET, and NSFnet; and the user-formed networks CSNET, HEANET, SPAN, TEXNET, UUCP, and USENET. This file is not intended to be a hackers guide, but merely a directory of some of the networks. One last thing to mention... the major top level domains on the Internet are: .EDU Educational Institutions .COM Commercial .GOV Government .MIL Military .ORG Miscellaneous Orgainizations (that don't fit elsewhere) _______________________________________________________________________________ GOVERNMENT AGENCY NETWORKS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ARPANET and MILNET In 1969 the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) began a research program to advance computer networking. The experimental packet-switched network that emerged was called ARPANET, and it allowed computers of different types to communicate efficiently. Using ARPANET technology, the Defense Data Network (DDN) was created in 1982 to encompass the existing ARPANET and other Department of Defense (DoD) computer networks. The DDN uses the DoD Internet Protocol Suite, including TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) and associated application protocols. A splitting of the ARPANET was begun in 1983 and completed in 1984. The result was two networks, an experimental research and development network called ARPANET, and a non-classified operational military network called MILNET. Gateways interconnect the two networks. The backbones of each of the networks consist of Packet Switched Nodes (PSNs), most of which are connected with 56 Kb terrestrial lines. As of January 1987, the ARPANET had 46 PSNs, and MILNET had 117 PSNs in the U.S. and 33 in Europe and the Pacific. While ARPANET and MILNET make up part of the DDN, the DDN and other networks works which share the same protocols make up the ARPA Internet. CSNET X25net, which uses the TCP/IP protocols interfaced to the public X.25 network, is an example of a network which is part of the ARPA Internet and is not a part of the DDN. ________________________________________ | +--------------+ | | | CSNET X25net | | | +--------------+ | | +---------------+ | | | DDN | | | | +---------+ | | | | | Arpanet | | | | | +---------+ | | | | | | | | +---------+ | | | | | Milnet | | | | | +---------+ | | | +---------------+ ARPA Internet | |________________________________________| Policy, access control and funding for the ARPANET are provided by DARPA's Information Processing Techniques Office (IPTO). ARPANET and MILNET operation and management are provided by the Defense Communications Agency's DDN Program Management Office (DDN PMO). Use of the ARPANET is limited to users engaged in experimental research for the U.S. government, or government-sponsored research at universities. Because it is not meant to compete with commercial networks, it is not intended for operational communication needs or use by the general public. Services available on ARPANET and MILNET include remote login, file transfer, mail, time, and date. Mail addressing on both of the networks is of the form user@domain, where domain refers to a full qualified domain name composed of a string of one or more subdomains separated by a period, ending with a top-level domain. Examples of top-level domains: edu, com, gov, mil, net, org, jp, au, uk. Examples of fully qualified domain names: kentarus.cc.utexas.edu, relay.cs.net, icot.jp. The DDN funds a Network Information Center (NIC), located at SRI International in Menlo Park, California, which provides user services to DDN users via electronic mail (NIC@SRI-NIC.ARPA), telephone (800-235-3155) and U.S. mail: DDN Network Information Center, SRI International, Room EJ291, 333 Ravenswood Avenue, Menlo Park, CA 94025. The telephone service is available Monday through Friday, 7a.m to 4p.m., Pacific time. Much information is also available on-line on SRI-NIC.ARPA, via telnet or anonymous ftp (login "anonymous", password "guest"). The file NETINFO:NETINFO-INDEX.TXT contains an index of these on-line files. _______________________________________________________________________________ MFENET MFEnet is the Department of Energy's (DOE) magnetic fusion energy research network. It was established in the mid-1970's to support access to the MFE Cray 1 supercomputer at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The network uses 56-kbs satellite links, and is designed to provide terminal access to the Cray time-sharing system (CTSS), also developed at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory. The network currently supports access to Cray 1, Cray X-MP/2, Cray 2, and Cyber 205 supercomputers. The network uses special-purpose networking software developed at Livermore, and, in addition to terminal access, provides file transfer, remote output queuing, and electronic mail, and includes some specialized application procedures supporting interactive graphics terminals and local personal computer (PC)-based editing. Access to the network is in general restricted to DOE-funded researchers. A couple of years ago, the network was expanded to include the DOE-funded supercomputer at Florida State University. MFEnet is funded by DOE and managed by Livermore. MFEnet has been successful in supporting DOE supercomputer users. However, the specialized nature of the communications protocols is now creating difficulties for researchers who need advanced graphics workstations that use the UNIX BSD 4.2 operating system and the TCP-IP protocols on LAN's. For these and other reasons, DOE is examining how best to migrate MFEnet to the TCP-IP, and later to the OSI, protocols. The combination of the CTSS operating system and the MFEnet protocols creates an effective interactive computing environment for researchers using Cray supercomputers. For this reason, two of the new NSF national supercomputer centers -- San Diego (SDSC) and Illinois -- have chosen the CTSS operating system. In SDSC's case, the MFENET protocols have also been chosen to support the SDSC Consortium network. In Illinois case, a project to implement the TCP-IP protocols for the CTSS operating system has been funded by the NSFnet program, and these developments will be shared with SDSC (and with DOE) to provide a migration path for the SDSC Consortium network. Mail can be sent to people on MFEnet by using this format; user%site.MFENET@NMFEDD.ARPA _______________________________________________________________________________ NSFNET NSFnet began in 1986 as a communications network to facilitate access to NSF-funded national supercomputer centers. It is evolving into a general purpose internet for research and scientific information exchange. The network has a three-level component structure comprised of a backbone, several autonomously administered wide-area networks, and campus networks. The backbone includes the following supercomputer centers: - National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois, Urbana (UIUC) - Cornell National Supercomputer Facility, Cornell University (Cornell) - John von Neumann National Supercomputer Center, Princeton, New Jersey (JVNC) - San Diego Supercomputer Center, University of California, San Diego (SDSC) - Pittsburgh Supercomputer Center (Westinghouse Electric Corp, Carnegie-Mellon University, University of Pittsburgh) - Scientific Computing Division of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado (NCAR) Upper layer protocols in use on the NSFnet backbone are the TCP/IP protocols. The backbone became operational in July of 1986. It was composed of seven 56 kps links between six IP gateways. These gateways are LSI 11/73 systems. An upgrade to T1 links (1.544 Mps) was established in the latter part of 1987. There are plans to adopt the OSI networking protocols as the software becomes available. NSF-funded component networks include: BARRNET - California's Bay Area Regional Research Network MERIT - Michigan Educational Research Network MIDNET - Midwest Network NORTHWESTNET - Northwestern states NYSERNET - New York State Educational and Research Network SESQUINET - Texas Sesquicentennial Network SURANET - Southeastern Universities Research Association Network WESTNET - Southwestern states JVNCNET - consortium network of JVNC SDSCNET - consortium network of SDSC PSCAAnet - consortium network of the Pittsburgh Supercomputer Center Some of the component networks preceded NSFnet, and some of them have just recently been established. Each of the component networks is connected to the backbone. Information about the status of any NSFnet component network is available from the NSFnet Network Service Center (NNSC). Monthly reports on the status of the backbone and component networks are also available on-line through the CSNET Info-Server. Send a message to info-server@sh.cs.net with the following message body: REQUEST: NSFNET TOPIC: NSFNET-HELP REQUEST:END These reports may also be retrieved by anonymous ftp (login "anonymous", password "guest") from sh.cs.net, in the directory "nsfnet." [FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol] Other autonomous networks connected to the NSFnet backbone include ARPANET, BITNET, CSNET, and USAN (the University Satellite Network of the National Center for Atmospheric Research). Interesting projects associated with NSFnet include implementation of the gated routing daemon which handles the RIP, EGP and HELLO routing protocols and runs on 4.3BSD, Ultrix TM, GOULD UTX/32 TM, SunOS and VMS TM (Cornell University Theory Center); implementation of TCP/IP for the CTSS operating system supporting TELNET and FTP (University of Illinois); and a satellite experiment providing 56 kps links between distant ethernets using Vitalink technology (NCAR). Management of the NSFnet is in an interim form with duties shared among The University of Illinois, Cornell University, the University of Southern California Information Sciences Institute, and University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. The NSFnet project is administered by the Division of Network and Communications Research and Infrastructure, which is part of the Computer and Information Science and Engineering Directorate at NSF. Further information is available from the NSFnet Network Service Center (NNSC), BBN Laboratories Inc., 10 Moulton Street, Cambridge, MA 02238. Assistance can also be obtained by electronic mail to nnsc@nnsc.nsf.net, or by calling 617-497-3400. The NNSC is run by Bolt, Beranek and Newman, and is an NSF-funded project of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. _______________________________________________________________________________ USER-FORMED NETWORKS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CSNET In 1980 a proposal was presented to the National Science Foundation to fund a computer science research network to link any university, commercial or government organizations involved in research or advanced development in computer science and computer engineering. NSF provided funding for the period for 1981 to 1985, and CSNET was established. This single logical network today connects approximately 200 computers on three physical networks. These component physical networks are Phonenet, X25net and a subset of the ARPANET. Phonenet is a store-and-forward network using MMDF software over public telephone lines to provide electronic mail service. X25net utilizes the public X.25 packet switched network Telenet, interfaced with TCP/IP, to provide electronic mail, file transfer and remote login. Some ARPANET hosts are also members of CSNET. The computers linked by CSNET are in the U.S., Europe, Canada, Israel, Korea and Japan. Addressing in CSNET is in the ARPA Internet domain style. In 1981 a contract was arranged with Bolt, Beranek and Newman, Inc. to provide information, user and technical services for CSNET, and the CSNET Coordination and Information Center (CIC) was established. The CIC handles the daily management of the network, and oversight is provided by the CSNET Executive Committee. The network is supported by membership fees. The CIC maintains a User Name Server database, which is accessible through the ns command on CSNET hosts running appropriate software, or by telnet to the CSNET service host, sh.cs.net (login "ns", no password required). There is also much information available via anonymous ftp to sh.cs.net (login "anonymous", password "guest"), particularly in the directory "info." The Info Server also provides a means for retrieving this information. To utilize the Info Server, send mail to infoserver@sh.cs.net with the following lines in the message body: REQUEST: INFO TOPIC: HELP REQUEST: END The on-line information includes software, policy documents, information on other networks, site lists and mailing list archives. CSNET Foreign Affiliates and their gateways are: CDNNET -- Canadian Academic Network, University of British Columbia. SDN -- System Development Network (SDN) is an R&D computer network, consisting of computers of R&D communities in Republic of Korea, with a gateway at KAIST, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul. It has mail connection to CSNET/Internet, USENET/EUNET/UUCP Net and Pacific countries like Australia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan. SUNET -- Swedish University Network, Chambers University of Technology, Gothenburg. CHUNET -- Swiss University Network, ETH-Zentrum, Zurich. Inria -- French University Network, Institute National de Recherce en Informatique, Rocquencourt. DFN -- Deutches Forschungsnetz, GWD-Gesellschaft fuer Mathematick und Datenvararbiten, Schloss Birlinghoven, St. Augustin. JUNET -- Japanese University Network, University of Tokyo. Finnish University Network, Helsinki University, Helsinki. AC.UK -- Academic Community, United Kingdom, University College, London. ACSNET -- A UUCP-based academic network in Australia, University of Melbourne. New Zealand Academic Network, Waikato University, Hamilton. Israeli Academic Network, Hebrew University of Jerusalem. For more information contact CSNET CIC, BBN Laboratories Inc., 10 Moulton Street, Cambridge, MA 02238, or send electronic mail to cic@sh.cs.net (cic@csnet-sh.arpa). A 24-hour hotline is also available, (617) 497-2777. _______________________________________________________________________________ HEANET HEAnet is a network linking the Universities and National Institutes for Higher Education in the Republic of Ireland. The following institutions belong to HEANET: NIHED: National Institute for Higher Education, Dublin NIHEL: National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick MAY: St. Patrick's College, Maynooth TCD: Trinity College, Dublin UCC: University College, Cork UCD: University College, Dublin UCG: University College, Galway The abbreviations on the left are used to form the network addresses for the hosts belonging to each institution. Addresses use the form: host.institution.IE (for example VAX2.NIHED.IE) HEANET is connected to EARN/Bitnet/Netnorth by a gateway at University College, Dublin. Mail for HEANET should be sent as a BSMTP "job" to MAILER at IRLEARN. _______________________________________________________________________________ SPANet The Space Physics Analysis Network (SPAN) became operational in 1981, and was the result of a pilot project at Marshall Space Flight Center funded by NASA (Space Plasma Physics Branch, Office of Space Science). The network is a mission-independent data system testbed, intended to address problems of exchanging data (raw and processed), analysis software, graphic images and correspondence between researchers in several disciplines, including Solar-Terrestrial, Interplanetary and Planetary Physics, Astrophysics, Atmospherics, Oceans, Climate and Earth Science. A perception that multidisciplinary correlative research in solar-terrestrial physics would increase in the 1980's, that standards were lacking in scientific databases, and that support was required for the display of device independent graphic images, all motivated the establishment of SPAN. SPAN has therefore developed to facilitate space data analysis and address significant unresolved problems of scientific data exchange and correlation. The Data Systems Users Working Group, formed in 1980, provides guidance and policy recommendations to SPAN. Daily operation of the network is performed by a network and project manager, a project scientist, routing center managers, and managers at the local nodes. SPAN nodes communicate using a variety of transmission media (fiber optics, coax, leased telephone lines) and lower layer protocols (ethernet, X.25, DDCMP), and nearly all SPAN hosts use the DECnetTM upper layer protocols. There are plans to migrate to the emerging OSI protocols as software becomes available. Currently SPAN connects over 1200 computers throughout the United States, Europe, Canada, and Japan (leading to all of the hacker related trouble on the network, such as the Mathias Speer incident). The network backbone in the United States consists of redundant 56 kps links between 5 DECnet routing centers: 1. NASA's Johnson Space Center (Houston, Texas) 2. NASA and Cal Tech's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Pasadena, California) 3. NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (Huntsville, Alabama) 4. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (Greenbelt, Maryland) 5. NASA's Ames Research Center (Moffett Field, California) Tail circuits connect SPAN member institutions to the closest routing center, in most cases with leased lines at a minimum of 9.6 kps. SPAN is gatewayed to CSNET, ARPANET, BITNET, GTE Telenet, JANET and the NASA Packet Switched System (NPSS). SPAN is joined to TEXNET, HEPnet and other DECnetTM wide area networks. Services available to SPAN nodes include electronic mail, remote file transfer and remote login. Additional information is available from the SPAN Network Information Center (SPAN-NIC) located at the National Space Science Data Center, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771. Assistance is also available by electronic mail at NSSDCA::SPAN_NIC_MGR. _______________________________________________________________________________ TEXNET Most of TEXNET became operational in 1986, although pieces of this network existed earlier. The purpose of the network is to link computers at Texas universities which run the DECnetTM upper layer protocols. Lower layer protocols in use on the network are ethernet (IEEE 802.3) and DDCMP (Digital Data Communication Message Protocol). TEXNET currently connects over 450 machines in 14 cities. The network backbone consists of DECnetTM routers, and some synchronous links, connected via leased lines. 9600 bps and 56 Kbps lines are used. Gateways exist from TEXNET to SPAN, BITNET and the ARPA Internet. Services provided include electronic mail, file transfer and remote login. Operational and policy management of the network is by consensus of an informal management group composed of managers from each member institution. The following institutions are TEXNET members: Baylor University Houston Area Research Center Pan American University Sam Houston State University Southwest Texas State University Texas A & M University University of Houston University of Texas at Arlington University of Texas at Austin University of Texas at El Paso University of Texas at Dallas University of Texas at Permian Basin University of Texas at San Antonio University of Texas at Tyler University of Texas Health Center at Tyler University of Texas Health Science Center at Dallas University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston University of Texas System Cancer Center University of Texas System Center for High Performance Computing University of Texas Office of Land Management _______________________________________________________________________________ UUCP and USEnet The UUCP network was started in the 1970's to provide electronic mail and file transfer between UNIX systems. The network is a host-based store-and-forward network using dialup telephone circuits and operates by having each member site dialup the next UUCP host computer and send and receive files and electronic mail messages. The network uses addresses based on the physical path established by this sequence of dialups connections. UUCP is open to any UNIX system which chooses to participate. There are "informal" electronic mail gateways between UUCP and ARPANET, BITNET, or CSNET, so that users of any of these networks can exchange electronic mail. USENET is a UNIX news facility based on the UUCP network that provides a news bulletin board service. USEnet has both academic and commercial members and affiliates in Europe, Asia, and South America. Neither UUCP nor USENET has a central management; volunteers maintain and distribute the routing tables for the network. Each member site pays its own costs and agrees to carry traffic. Despite this reliance on mutual cooperation and anarchic management style, the network operates and provides a useful, if somewhat unreliable, and low-cost service to its members. Over the years the network has grown into a world-wide network with thousands of computers participating. "The Future Is Now" ______________________________________________________________________________