[comp.os.vms] BITNET/INTERNET Gateway

CADS_COLE@GALLUA.BITNET.UUCP (11/29/87)

>Since the gateway at Wiscvm will go away in december (just a few days
>away), does anyone know how (if) mail will be sent between the Internet
>and BITNET?  In the message we recently received regarding WISCVM being
>down, it was indicated that WISC would be a ''regional'' gateway.  Can
>anyone give me more info on that? and what it means?  Thanks.  -tom

The following may help you:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From:   BITNET%"BOARD@BITNIC" 20-NOV-1987 16:25
Subj:   BITNET-Internet Gateway
Reply-To:     BITNIC FUTURE-L List <FUTURE-L@BITNIC>
Sender:       BITNIC FUTURE-L List <FUTURE-L@BITNIC>
From:         BITNET Board of Trustees <BOARD@BITNIC>
Subject:      BITNET-Internet Gateway

The City University of New York, Princeton University, Cornell University, and
Massachusetts Institute of Technology have each committed to provide gateway
service for electronic mail between the BITNET network and the Internet.

Current gateway services provided by the University of Wisconsin (WISCVM) will
end on December 15, 1987.  Prior to that date, at least two of the above
announced gateways will be in operation in parallel with WISCVM - there will
be no interruption in gateway services.

Prior to a regionalization plan and significant coordination with the
Internet, the most expeditious approach is to name the first few gateways the
same, namely, INTERBIT.  That would mean that any gateway-destined mail that
landed at any INTERBIT node would be appropriately handled.  This change will
be reflected in the December DOMAIN NAMES file which is used for MAILER
generation; users need not do anything - mail will go automatically to the
closest gateway.  This is a transition measure necessitated by the time frame,
by the complexity of more desirable solutions, and by the need to coordinate
more with the Internet.

Plans are to regionalize gateway service between the networks in order to
balance traffic flow and increase reliability.  Several other institutions are
seriously considering functioning as gateways.  An analysis of topologically
best locations for such gateways will be conducted under the auspices of the
BITNET Board of Trustees' Technical Committee; and the BITNET Network
Information Center will coordinate regionalization plans and associated
software modifications.

(Please note reference to Internet, rather than ARPANet, and Internet's
inclusion of ARPANet, NSFNet, NYSERNET and the other regional networks.)


BITNET Board of Trustees

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kevin Cole      <Flatline>              BITNET: KJCOLE@GALLUA.BITNET
Center for Assessment and                               or
Demographic Studies  (CADS)                     CADS_COLE@GALLUA.BITNET
Gallaudet Research Institute  (GRI)     UUCP: ...!psuvax!gallua.bitnet!kjcole
Gallaudet University                    CompuServe: 76167,1406
Washington, D.C.  20002
(202) 651-5575

             "Hey Rocky!  Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat!"