[comp.protocols.tcp-ip] DDN NETWORK INFORMATION CENTER

briand@infmx.UUCP (brian donat) (04/06/90)

To summarize Mr. McDaniel's helpful posting, 

	the following is noted:

		NIC services are for registered DDN users and if
	    you should not fall into this category, you have no
	    access to the services and hence, no access to RFCs. 

	    So, whatever text or other references pointed you in
	    your persuit of net.knowledge to RFCs, the road ends
	    here if you're not a DDN user.   (Apparently)


I only have one question.   Are RFCs classified? 

BRIAND

steve@wattres.UUCP (Steve Watt) (04/08/90)

In article <3814@infmx.UUCP> briand@infmx.UUCP (brian donat) writes:
>		NIC services are for registered DDN users and if
>	    you should not fall into this category, you have no
>	    access to the services and hence, no access to RFCs. 
>
>	    So, whatever text or other references pointed you in
>	    your persuit of net.knowledge to RFCs, the road ends
>	    here if you're not a DDN user.   (Apparently)
>
>I only have one question.   Are RFCs classified? 

  If the RFCs were classified, they would be of no use to ANYBODY in the
real world.

  Also, the mail address (service@nic.ddn.mil) works for anybody...  I've
used it.

  It does mention several times that the ARPANet and MILNet are for companies
(or other organizations) that have some relationship with the US government, or
are educational institutions (I guess they have _some_ relationship with the
government, though... -- Something about educational funding... :)

  On a more general note, having re-read the article several times, I think
the above conclusions came from a paragraph that read something like:

| Military personnel or DoD contractors with proper authorization may obtain
| protocol-related documents such as circulars, directives, or memoranda from
| the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC).
 [ DTIC's address removed ]

I think you missed the next line completely:

| Contractors and researchers without access to DTIC can obtain these
| documents from the NIC.

  Since the NIC also hands out internet numbers, it would not be very useful
for the general net.population if they only gave them out to ARPANet sites.
Handling mail forwarding for sites not connected (like all of the ones I use/
talk to) would not work well.

  Also:  Why do you think there's a section on "Publications Available from
the DDN Network Information Center (NIC)" if they weren't publicly available?
I STRONGLY recommend the DDN Protocol Handbook for anybody who's implementing
TCP on anything, since it is *THE* definitive spec.  (It's only $190.00, not
bad when you consider that it is 4 volumes, and well over 2000 pages.)

  Sorry if this sounded like a flame, but I've had several dealings with the
NIC, and they have been very helpful (if not particularly quick).

-- 
Steve Watt
...!claris!wattres!steve		wattres!steve@claris.com also works
If you torture your data long enough, it'll eventually confess.

ggw@wolves.uucp (Gregory G. Woodbury) (04/08/90)

In article <3814@infmx.UUCP> briand@infmx.UUCP (brian donat) writes:
>To summarize Mr. McDaniel's helpful posting, 
>	the following is noted:
>		NIC services are for registered DDN users and if
>	    you should not fall into this category, you have no
>	    access to the services and hence, no access to RFCs. 
>
>	    So, whatever text or other references pointed you in
>	    your persuit of net.knowledge to RFCs, the road ends
>	    here if you're not a DDN user.   (Apparently)
>
>I only have one question.   Are RFCs classified? 

	The NIC.DDN.MIL supports "anonymous ftp" for access to the
RFC's and other documents.  Additionally, there are (I believe) RFC
archives on the uunet.uu.net site as well where there is anonymous
ftp and a 900 telephone number for uucp access.
-- 
Gregory G. Woodbury
Sysop/owner Wolves Den UNIX BBS, Durham NC
UUCP: ...dukcds!wolves!ggw   ...dukeac!wolves!ggw           [use the maps!]
Domain: ggw@cds.duke.edu  ggw@ac.duke.edu  ggw%wolves@ac.duke.edu
Phone: +1 919 493 1998 (Home)  +1 919 684 6126 (Work)
[The line eater is a boojum snark! ]           <standard disclaimers apply>

randy@m2xenix.psg.com (Randy Bush) (04/09/90)

RFCs are available via FTP, mail server, and just about anything else.  If you
are really desperate, you can get them from a FidoNet BBS at +1-503-297-9145.
-- 
..!{uunet,qiclab,intelhf}!m2xenix!randy   randy@psg.com   randy@m2xenix.uucp

solensky@interlan.interlan.COM (Frank Solensky) (04/10/90)

>I STRONGLY recommend the DDN Protocol Handbook for anybody who's implementing
>TCP on anything, since it is *THE* definitive spec.

... plus RFC 1122 and 1123 -- the Host Requirements RFCs (Communications Layer
and Applications & Support, respectively).  These contain explicit directions
on many of the points that the Protocol Handbook RFCs either leave open to
interpretation, misstate, etc.  Getting this before claiming interconnectivity
will save yourself a tremendous amount of aggrivation later on.

			Frank Solensky
			Racal InterLan

postel@VENERA.ISI.EDU (04/10/90)

brian donat:

RFCs are not classified.  The intent is to make the information publicly
available.

I would like to hear about any case of someone being denied access to an
RFC as a matter of distribution policy.

--jon.

mcdaniel%hqeis.decnet@HQAFSC-VAX.AF.MIL ("HQEIS::MCDANIEL") (04/10/90)

Andrews AFB

                  I N T E R O F F I C E   M E M O R A N D U M

                                        Date:     10-Apr-1990 08:58am EST
                                        From:     Mr Rodney McDaniel
                                                  MCDANIEL
                                        Dept:     HQ AFSC/SCXP
                                        Tel No:   AV 858-7909 COMM 981-7909
                                        Owner:    Mr Rodney McDaniel

TO:  _MAILER!                             ( _DDN[TCP-IP@NIC.DDN.MIL] )


Subject: RE:  DDN NETWORK INFORMATION CENTER

"FLAME ON"


The Requests for Comments (RFCs) listed by the DDN Network 
Information Center are not repeat are not classified.

Also, for all the users who asked that question, instead of 
addressing this question over the TCP-IP mailer listing, why not
call the 1-800-235-3155 DDN NIC and ask them, they don't bite, 
growl, or grumble when you call and ask for assistance.  They were 
established for user assistance, also they interface daily with
INTERNET users and have a listing for a majority of the INTERNET 
DOMAINS.  So, save your money on sending E-Mail and spend a "dime" 
and call the DDN NIC and get the latest information, if you have 
any further questions.

"You lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink."


The same goes for posting information, someone always focuses on a 
small issue, when the answer is already available, all it takes is
initiative. 

That's what you get for trying to be helpful.


RODNEY A. MCDANIEL, DAFC
Information Systems Manager
Andrews AFB MD
Email Adress:  MCDANIEL@HQAFSC-VAX.AF.MIL

"FLAME OFF"

perry@MCL.UNISYS.COM (Dennis Perry) (04/12/90)

Rodney,

"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink" you said,
but you can feed him salt!

dennis