dwells@fits.cx.nrao.edu (Don Wells) (12/08/90)
=-=-= The Research Internet as of 07 December 1990 =-=-= The count is now 26 countries (up from 24): Continents: IP_connected Countries: ---------- ---------------------- Asia: IL, IN, JP, KR Australasia: AU, NZ Europe: AT, BE_[4], CH, DE, DK, ES_[5], FI, FR, GR, IS, IT, NL, NO, SE, UK North_America: CA, MX, US (includes Hawaii and Puerto_Rico) South_America: AR, CL_[6] =-=-= Notes =-=-= [1] I count only those countries whose connectivity I have confirmed with a ping and a TELNET operation. I choose to count only the research portions of the Internet, not the private corporate IP nets or military IP nets. If either of the latter two categories were included the country count would be increased. [2] An item on p.12 of the 26_November issue of COMPUTERWORLD, under the title "Casting a wide-reaching Internet", begins: "Internet is a loosely coupled network of networks --- approximately 5,000 of them in 35 countries serving more than 3 million users." I would like to know who told the magazine the number "35", and which countries are in that list. Also, the numbers "5,000" and "3 million" are somewhat higher than I would have guessed. [3] Inclusion of certain islands (e.g., NZ, IS, Puerto_Rico) in the "continent" lists is somewhat arbitrary. [4] Katholieke Universiteit Leuven is now connected. I have been told that the SOA for the Belgium [BE] domain is likely to be moved to a host in the KULEUVEN.BE domain soon. [5] Spain [ES] is now well connected, and its nameservers advertise subdomains UPM.ES, IRIS-DCP.ES, CIEMAT.ES, US.ES, FUNDESCO.ES, CICA.ES and ARTIX.ES. (NOTE: The SOA for ES is still seismo.css.gov in the US, but mcsun.eu.net says SOA for ES is sun.iris-dcp.es.) [6] The host in question is physically in Chile, but its name is in the EDU domain. =-=-= Anticipated Connectivity =-=-= I have been informed that: * Brazil (BR) already has one IP circuit; another is expected. * Ireland (IE) is expected to connect soon. * Portugal (PT) is expected to connect soon. * Hong Kong (HK) is expected to connect soon. * Antartica (?? :-) ) is expected to connect soon. * South Africa (ZA) is likely to connect within a year. I would appreciate being told of any connected IP address in Brazil. I would appreciate hearing of any other countries that are either IP_connected, or that expect to be IP_connected "soon". -- Donald C. Wells, Assoc. Scientist | dwells@nrao.edu Nat. Radio Astronomy Observatory | 6654::DWELLS Edgemont Road | +1-804-296-0277 38:02.2N Charlottesville, VA 22903-2475 USA | +1-804-296-0278(Fax) 78:31.1W