rcj@burl.UUCP (R. Curtis Jackson) (10/03/83)
This is re my proposal that all systems registered with Network Action Central be allowed to call any other system in the registry directly, since that called system would have the caller's L.sys entry as well. This ain't true. Although Action will accept uucp info from anyone, their stuff is apparently only distributed to Bell System SA's. This means that universities and the like might be on the registry but not be getting the L.sys distributions from Action; which means that it would be unfair for my computer to call them because they could not reciprocate. Also, some computers have sensitive material on them or do extensive accounting, and would like to have separate logins for each system that calls them. If every system on the registry could call at will, this would be impossible. Thanks to spanky!ka and others who helped to set me straight on this matter. I have also had several requests for info on Network Action Central -- mail to ihnp4!action or a phone call to Dave Miller at (312) 979-5624 should do the trick. Here is a quote from the cover page of the letter that comes out every month from them: "The NETWORK ACTION CENTRAL organization of Department 45262 will provide the following services to the UNIX SA's on a subscriber basis: (1) a registry of UNIX System/Site Administrators (SA's), (2) collection, update, and distribution of network administrative information (udest, L.sys, L-dialcodes files), and (3) a means of distributing useful information on UNIX networking." DON'T CALL A SYSTEM DIRECTLY UNTIL YOU HAVE VERIFIED WITH THAT SYSTEM'S SA THAT IT IS OK!!!!! I had a couple of people tell me that anyone who called THEIR system without prior agreement would be treated as a system cracker..... -- The MAD Programmer -- 919-228-3814 (Cornet 291) alias: Curtis Jackson ...![ floyd clyde ihnp4 mhuxv ]!burl!rcj
gjm@ihnp4.UUCP (10/03/83)
To clarify the service offered by Network Action Central (ihnp4!action): (1) the service is available to Bell --1/1/84--> AT&T sites (2) external sites are included by permission (3) the subnetwork of registered sites is identifiable (4) external sites can gateway through ihnp4 All external sites in the database agreed to the release of the information provided that they be contacted in turn. The established etiquette is to exchange greetings and information so that all active links are known, approved, and bi-directional. With the explicit uucp routing, the problem will continue to be a stumbling block, but smarter routing and RFC822 addressing could be possible solution for the future. Gary Murakami Bell Labs - IH ihnp4!gjm