randyd@microsoft.UUCP (05/16/89)
I'm not sure where to ask this, but what is the procedure for obtaining Internet connectivity? Is the procedure ad-hoc? Do you tie in through a regional network? If so, which one? What sort of fees are charged? Thanks for any pointers, Randy Day microsoft!randyd@uw-beaver.cs.washington.edu
kwe@bu-cs.BU.EDU (kwe@bu-it.bu.edu (Kent W. England)) (05/22/89)
In article <8905171944.AA22934@beaver.cs.washington.edu> randyd@microsoft.UUCP writes: >I'm not sure where to ask this, but what is the procedure for obtaining >Internet connectivity? Is the procedure ad-hoc? Do you tie in through >a regional network? If so, which one? What sort of fees are charged? The arpanet is dead. The application specific networks are looking to connect to the NSF sponsored Internet. (The ad hoc voluntary networks like uucp and fidonet are alive and kicking independently and doing just fine.) Then there is BITnet and CSnet. Given that, I would think that folks like you would look to your local NSF-sponsored-regional network. In Wash state, I believe that is Northwestnet. Following is an article I posted to info-nets a while back, telling how to find out which regional is your regional. Of course, you can join any regional you like, it's just that line charges are a killer. :-) What do you pay? That depends on how far your regional has gotten toward self-sufficiency. :-) It will be a mix of dues, service fees tied to bandwidth (approx), and line charges (the killer cost). All regionals are trying to grapple with the complex issues of cost recovery, so you have to ask for a quote, consider options, and be prepared for costs to go up or down in future. ------------------------ To: info-nets@think.com Subject: NSF database update Someone asked for how to join the Internet a while back. I said something about a site.contacts file. Now there is something better. From the latest link letter, a description of new services from the NSF database of backbone and regionals: --------------------------------------------------------------------- Vol. 2 No. 1 15 April 1989 T H E L I N K L E T T E R The Merit/NSFNET Backbone Project UPDATES TO THE NSFNET-IS REMOTE QUERY DATABASE The 19 December 1988 issue of the Link Letter provided information on the NSFNET Information Services remote query database. Recently, NSFNET Information Systems has put in place several enhancements to that system. The CONTACTS command has been expanded and the TOPOLOGY command has been added. An overview of the changes is given below; those who wish to obtain the complete documentation by remote query may do so by sending electronic mail to either: nis-info@nis.nsf.net (Internet/NSFNET) or nis-info@merit (the Bitnet address). The subject field of the message is ignored and the text of the message text should contain only the word HELP. The server will return information on all the commands currently available. The Contacts Command The CONTACTS command retrieves information on administrative, technical, or user contacts for a given site. The syntax for the first line of the message to the server is given below. Note that options which appear in angle brackets (< >) must be supplied. CONTACTS <nettype> <netname/number> Where the five options for nettype are: AS (autonomous system number) IP (IP address of a connected net) NET (name or location of a connected net) NSS (a Nodal Switching Subsystem number or name) Multiple AS, IP, NET, or NSS nettypes (or a combination of any of these) can be included in a single search. For example: contacts net utah or xerox will return contact information for any nets with the name or location of either "utah" or "xerox." Note that commands are not case sensitive. The Topology Command The TOPOLOGY command has been added to the server to supply network topology information. The syntax of this command is: TOPOLOGY <nettype>-<format> <value> Valid choices for nettype and the value expected are: AS = an AS GATE = a gate IP NSS = an NSS number NET = a net IP Valid format choices and their output are: " " (NULL) = full configuration information AS = GATE and NSS information COMP = NET and AS numbers in a computer-readable format. GATE = AS and NET information. NET = NET name, location and AS information for each net. Requests for further information about these upgrades may be sent to userhelp@nis.nsf.net (Internet/NSFNET) or userhelp@merit (Bitnet). ------------------------------------------------------------------ Here is what I got from a request for "contacts net nysernet": ------------------------------------------------------------------ >From NIS-INFO@NIS.NSF.NET Wed May 10 10:12:10 1989 Return-Path: <NIS-INFO@NIS.NSF.NET> Received: from nis.nsf.net by bu-it.BU.EDU (5.58/4.7) id AA23659; Wed, 10 May 89 10:12:08 EDT Message-Id: <8905101412.AA23659@bu-it.BU.EDU> Received: from MERIT.BITNET by NIS.NSF.NET ; Wed, 10 May 89 10:17:45 EDT Received: by MERIT (Mailer X1.25) id 0076; Wed, 10 May 89 10:17:44 EDT Date: Wed, 10 May 89 10:17:44 EDT From: Remote SPIRES <NIS-INFO@MERIT> To: KWE@bu-it.bu.edu Subject: contacts net nysernet Status: R Result: Result 2 Records Database: TOPOLOGY - Merit-NSFNET Information Server NSS CONTACT INFORMATION - NSS #10 -- CNSF/NYSERNet Administrative Contact(s): Callinan, Craig 607/255-5060 craig@devvax.tn.cornell.edu Cornell Theory Center 265 Olin Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853 Brim, Scott 607/255-8686 swb@tcgould.tn.cornell.edu Cornell Theory Center 26 Olin Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853 Schrader, William L. 212/395-4480 NYSERNet, Inc. 1094 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036 Mandelbaum, Richard 716/275-2917 rma@cs.rochester.edu University of Rochester Administration Bldg., Rochester, NY 14627 Technical Contact(s): Honig, Jeffrey C 607/255-8686 jch@tcgould.tn.cornell.edu Cornell Theory Center 265 Olin Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853-5201 Schoffstall, Martin L. 518/283-8860 schoff@nisc.nyser.net NYSERNet NISC Rensselaer Technology Park, Troy, NY 12180 Fedor, Mark 518/283-8860 fedor@nisc.nyser.net NYSERNet NISC Rensselaer Technology Park, Troy, NY 12180 MIDLEVEL CONTACT INFORMATION - 128.145 -- NYSERNET NYSERNET Network Information Center Technical Contact(s): Schoffstall, Martin Lee 518/276-2654 NYSERNET Network Information Center, Troy, NY 12810 MIDLEVEL CONTACT INFORMATION - 130.117 -- NYSER2 NYSERNET Inc., Rensselaer Technology Park, Troy, New York Technical Contact(s): Schoffstall, Martin Lee 518/276-2654 NYSERNET Inc., Troy, NY 12180 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- I think you people ought to find this service useful. It's mail based, so it should work for all of you. Enjoy. :-) Kent England, Boston U