Internet Routing Architectures (CISCO):Evolution of the Internet



























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NSF Solicits NIS Managers
In addition to the four main projects relating to architectural aspects of the new Internet, NSF recognized that information services would be a critical component in the even more widespread, freewheeling network. As a result, a solicitation for one or more Network Information Services (NIS) managers for the NSFNET was proposed. This solicitation invites proposals for the following:


•  To extend and coordinate Directory and Database and Information Services.
•  To provide registration services for non-military Internet networks. The Defense Information Systems Agency Network Information Center (DISA NIC) will continue to provide for the registration of military networks.

At the time of the solicitation, the domestic, non-military portion of the Internet included the NSFNET and other federally sponsored networks such as the NASA Science Internet (NSI) and Energy Sciences Network (ESnet). All these networks, as well as some other networks of the Internet, were related to the National Research and Education Network (NREN), which was defined in the President's fiscal 1992 budget. The NSF solicitation for Database Services, Information Services, and Registration services were needed to help the evolution of the NSFNET and the development of the NREN.

Network Information Services
At the time of the proposal, certain network information services were being offered by a variety of providers; some of these services included the following:


•  End-user information services were provided by NSF Network Service Center (NNSC) operated by Bolt, Beranek, and Newman (BBN). Other NSFNET end-user services were provided by campus-level computing and networking organizations.
•  Information services for various federal agency backbone networks were provided by the sponsoring agencies. NSI information services, for example, were provided by NASA.
•  Internet registration services were provided by DISA NIC operated by Government Services, Inc. (GSI).
•  Information services for campus-level providers have been provided by NSFNET mid-level network organizations.
•  Information services for NSFNET mid-level network providers have been provided by Merit, Inc.

Under the new solicitation, NIS managers should provide services to end users and to campus and mid-level network service providers, and should coordinate with mid-level and other network organizations, such as with Merit, Inc.

Creation of the InterNIC
In response to NSF's solicitation for NIS managers, in January 1993 the InterNIC [4] was established as a collaborative project among AT&T, General Atomics, and Network Solutions, Inc. It was to be supported by three five-year cooperative agreements with the NSF. During the second year performance review, funding by the NSF to General Atomics stopped. AT&T was awarded the Database and Directory Services, and Network Solutions was awarded the Registration Services and the NIC Support Services.

Registration Services (RS)
The NIS manager will act in accordance to RFC 1174, which states the following:

The Internet System has employed a central Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) for the allocation and assignment of various numeric identifiers needed for the operation of the Internet. The IANA function is performed by the University of Southern California's Information Sciences Institute. The IANA has the discretionary authority to delegate portions of this responsibility and, with respect to numeric network and autonomous system identifiers, has lodged this responsibility with an Internet Registry (IR).

The NIS manager will either become the IR or a delegate registry authorized by the IR. The Internet registration services to be provided will include:


•  Network number assignment
•  Autonomous system number assignment
•  Domain name registration
•  Domain name server registration

Today, NSI is providing assistance in registering networks, domains, AS numbers, and other entities to the Internet community via telephone, electronic mail, and U.S. postal mail. RS will work closely with domain administrators, network coordinators, ISPs, and other various users to register Internet domains, Autonomous System numbers, and networks.

The RS will provide databases and information servers such as WHOIS registry for domains, networks, AS numbers, and their associated Point Of Contacts (POCs). The RS also offers Gopher and Wide Area Information Server (WAIS) interfaces for retrieving information.
The documents distributed by the InterNIC registration services include templates, network information, and policies to request network numbers and register domain name servers.



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