fserr@BBN.COM (Frederick E Serr BBNCC 20/666 x2474) (01/15/90)
A few weeks ago several people posted queries regarding apparent problems with MILNET performance, as measured by the throughput observed with FTP. While I cannot comment on their specific complaints (except to say that it normally is possible to get substantially more than 4 kbits/sec through a connection when all links involved are running at 56 kbits/sec and both host and network software is properly tuned), there IS a MILNET Hotline for reporting network difficulties. MILNET users experiencing network connectivity or performance problems should have their host administrator or node site coordinator contact the MILNET trouble ticket desk (1-800-451-7413). We ask that users go through their host administrators, rather than calling the NOC directly, so that each site has a central focal point for coordinating responses and follow-up actions. There is an entire organization devoted to maintaining and improving the performance of the MILNET. While the network is constantly monitored and every attempt made to properly tune the network and proactively provide additional resources where needed, we often will not be aware of problems with specific host-host flows unless they are reported. This is the best way of ensuring that you get the resources needed to determine the bottleneck in your communications: host or network software, line bandwidth, PSN CPU, etc. Frederick Serr Network Analysis Group BBN Communications [My apologies if some receive this message twice. My original send attempt didn't seem to get through.]