NIC
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... the user services they provide. This document is also a move toward
standardizing NIC services, which will aid in the development of an
overall information infrastructure that will allow NICs to easily and
...
... restrict the scope of their efforts to campus computing activities.
Therefore, an Internet NIC must have policies, procedures, and
delivery mechanisms in place to serve not only end-users, but to
...
... DEFINITION OF A NIC AND OF A NOC ...
... oversee and maintain the daily operations of a network. Although
sometimes one organization may fulfill the duties of both a NIC and a
NOC, this document assumes NIC functions to be separate from NOC
...
... sometimes one organization may fulfill the duties of both a NIC and a
NOC, this document assumes NIC functions to be separate from NOC
functions and addresses NIC ...
... NIC functions to be separate from NOC
functions and addresses NIC functions only. Obviously, however, a
NIC must work closely with its NOC to ensure users get the best
...
... addresses NIC functions only. Obviously, however, a
NIC must work closely with its NOC to ensure users get the best
service possible.
...
... role as a central
information repository in these ways, SRI became the natural place
for users to call with questions, and the first NIC was born.
...
... and the MILNET. The ARPANET was laid to rest in 1990, and the
original NIC became the Defense Data Network NIC ...
... Network NIC (DDN-NIC). This NIC
was sometimes referred to as the "SRI-NIC" or sometimes simply as
...
... NIC). This NIC
was sometimes referred to as the "SRI-NIC" or sometimes simply as
"the NIC". Today this NIC ...
... was sometimes referred to as the "SRI-NIC" or sometimes simply as
"the NIC". Today this NIC is maintained by Government Systems, Inc.,
and provides information services ...
... NIC" or sometimes simply as
"the NIC". Today this NIC is maintained by Government Systems, Inc.,
and provides information services to the MILNET portion of the DDN,
...
... electronic mail. Its administrative organization, the Corporation
for Research and Educational Networking (CREN), supports NIC services
for BITNET users.
...
... Many networks in countries other than the United States also provide
NIC services. For example, such services exist for NORDUnet, which
...
... ESSENTIAL NIC FUNCTIONS ...
...
To help meet this goal, four essential NIC functions have been
identified as those that every Internet NIC ...
... NIC functions have been
identified as those that every Internet NIC should perform. These
are the basic functions that define the minimum level of Internet
...
... Collect and maintain NIC referral information. ...
... Support the NIC infrastructure. ...
... network user
community. Funding, staffing, and implementation issues related to
these functions are left up to individual NIC organizations.
...
... services are
provided is described more fully in the section on, "Examples of
Present NIC Services".
...
...
The last two functions, collecting information about other NICs and
supporting the NIC infrastructure, are new roles that have evolved as
the Internet community ...
... Obtain information online from other sites and store
it at the local NIC where users may access it.
...
... around the Internet. This option requires that each
NIC maintain up-to-date information regarding such
Internet resources.
...
... information, tutorial files or documents, and make
it available to users. In this case, the "creating
NIC" is solely responsible for the content and
accuracy of the information provided.
...
... In all of the cases above, users need a way to verify the
authenticity and currentness of the information. Accordingly, each
NIC should provide the following information for everything it makes
available to its users and the Internet community: 1) a time stamp ...
... Internet community: 1) a time stamp,
2) a revision number, and 3) the name of the NIC that produced the
document. The NIC should also maintain contact information regarding
...
... 2) a revision number, and 3) the name of the NIC that produced the
document. The NIC should also maintain contact information regarding
the source of a file, but does not necessarily have to include such a
contact in the online file.
...
...
A NIC serves as the principle source of network information for its
end users. NICs field a variety of user inquiries, such as requests
...
... network, how to determine an e-mail
address, and how to solve operational problems. Each NIC must take a
best effort approach to responding to these inquiries and take
responsibility for a user inquiry until it is resolved in some way.
...
... will increase the chance that users will know where
to ask for help. In addition, a user inquiry to a
NIC e-mail address should either produce a human
response or an up-to-date machine response that
...
... performs a triage function by advising the user
where to go for particular categories of problems.
For example, a message to NIC@NSF.NET could return a
message alerting the user to the NNSC@NNSC.NSF.NET
and the NSFNET ...
... Collect and Maintain NIC Referral Information ...
... and applications accessible via the Internet, it is impossible for
any one NIC to maintain comprehensive, up-to-date information of all
the services and information available. Because such information is
...
... the services and information available. Because such information is
distributed among many NICs, it is essential for each NIC to be aware
of other NICs and their areas of expertise. Such shared information
among NICs ensures that Internet ...
...
In an effort to gather data about NICs and their resources,
information will be solicited from each NIC and placed in a database
called "nic-profiles ...
... Support the NIC Infrastructure ...
... NIC take an active part in supporting the
NIC/Internet infrastructure. Two means of providing such support are
suggested here.
...
... Participate in nic-forum. An electronic mailing
list, "nic-forum", will provide NIC personnel with a
means of soliciting information from other NICs,
offering solutions to common problems, and posting
...
... means of soliciting information from other NICs,
offering solutions to common problems, and posting
information of general interest. A NIC can register
in the nic-forum, as well as provide information for
...
... There are a variety of ways through which existing NICs fulfill the
basic requirements previously indicated under "Essential NIC
Functions".
...
... services. The types and levels of services vary for any
particular NIC depending on a number of issues such as funding,
audience served, available resources, and mission of the network
...
... network users. Often this is done through conferencing
or electronic mail. For example, a NIC can set up a computer
conference dealing with a specific discipline or perhaps a
specific topic so that users can share ideas and information
...
... Technical experts are available at NIC
locations or elsewhere to trouble shoot user problems. The range
...
... importance of keeping such data as accurate as
possible. In addition, it is important to allow people some control
over personal information about them that may reside in a NIC
database, especially if the information will be available publicly.
...
... It is recommended that, as part of the process of collecting
information for a database, a NIC should disclose the following
information to those supplying data:
...
... How and how often the NIC will solicit for data updates. ...
...
A NIC should actively seek updates to its data at least once a year.
The date publicly available data was last updated should be part of
the public information available about that data. In general, users
...