Internet Host: nic.cerf.net Directory: farnet Subdirectory: farnet_docs Filename: gaz-sep91.txt Last Updated: Nov 11, 1991 WELCOME TO THE PREMIER EDITION OF THE FARNET MONTHLY GAZETTE! (From the French "gazette", a small newspaper, from the Italian "gazeta", the coin used to pay for such a paper) Published by FARNET, Inc. To submit info, mail to gazette@farnet.org. To request to be added to the electronic distribution list, mail to gazette-request@farnet.org. Issues will be available for ftp from a public directory soon. FARNET, 100 Fifth Avenue, Waltham, MA 02154. Telephone (617) 890-5120. Email breeden@farnet.org. Copyright 1991 FARNET, Inc. Permission to quote from this newsletter with attribution is hereby granted. September 20, 1991 This Month's News at a Glance FARNET To Deliver Recommendations to NSF in October Next FARNET Meeting in November with IETF FARNET Opens Discussions with RONDAC (OCLC Network Directors) Committee News Executive Director's Message Recommended Reading (CHE Almanac, Scientific American, Joel Maloff, White House Conference on Libraries and Information Services) --> FARNET RECOMMENDATIONS TO NSF... In early October, FARNET will deliver to the National Science Foundation its recommendations about the best way to provide inter- regional connectivity after November 1992, when the current agreement with MERIT, Inc. expires. The recommendations will be based on a workshop held in August for FARNET members and other NREN stakeholders and on an electronic conference that is now going on. The workshop uncovered many important issues (managing the pace of change, leveraging private investment, moving toward a market-driven environment for Internet services, etc.) and brought out divergent points of view on those issues. The conference is expected to help expand the range of issues discussed and provide more details about their pros and cons. The final report will become public when it is delivered to NSF. --> FARNET MEETING IN NOVEMBER... FARNET will meet in Santa Fe, NM on Monday and Tuesday, November 18-19, while the IETF is also in session there. Final schedules and agenda topics are being worked out this week. "Hardening the regionals" -- defining and implementing improved operations metrics and procedures for the midlevel networks -- is expected to be a major theme. NSF has expressed interest in funding projects that will contribute to the "hardening" process, such as the development of software tools and systems for network analysis -- stay tuned. --> FARNET MEETS RONDAC... Executive Director Laura Breeden spoke to the Regional OCLC Network Directors' Advisory Committee (RONDAC) in August in Dublin, OH. OCLC is a major provider of bibliographic information to libraries internationally, with over 23 million records on line at its Dublin headquarters. The 19 regional OCLC networks deliver OCLC services and information to public, educational, special, and other libraries and provide training and other support for their members. RONDAC and FARNET will look for synergistic effects between their member networks. --> COMMITTEE NEWS... FARNET has established seven committees to work in areas of critical interest to the organization. The committees, and their chairpeople, are: K-12 Jim Luckett, NYSERNet luckett@nysernet.org Nominating Glenn Ricart, SURAnet gricart@umdc.umd.edu External Affairs Richard Mandelbaum, NYSERNet rma@cc.rochester.edu Membership & Bylaws Jim Williams, NevadaNet greyfox@nevada.edu User Services Martyne Hallgren, Cornell U. martyne@theory.tn.cornell.edu Technical Gene Hastings, Pittsburgh Supercomputer Center hastings@psc.edu Program Paul Love, SDSCnet loveep@sdsc.edu Committee charters are now being drafted and will be available on line this fall. Watch this space for additional news from the committees. --> FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR... After almost four months on the job I can report that there is plenty to do. With the unanimous passage of the NREN bill in the Senate this month and the September issue of Scientific American devoted to "communications, computers and networks", networking is very high-profile these days. Along with visibility come rising expectations: what will the "data superhighways" mean to public schools, libraries, adult learners, or medical staff in remote locations? The midlevel networks are uniquely positioned to extend service to new communities and to build productive relationships among telcos, state and local governments, education, and business. The challenge for FARNET is to help its members meet the rising expectations of network users without losing focus or sacrificing quality. As a national organization of service providers, FARNET has a special window into the evolution of networking services and can have a noticeable impact on their improvement. I hope that, by working together, we will do just that. Our newly established professional staff and blossoming committee structure are steps in the right direction. All indicators are that the time is right for an expanded FARNET. --> RECOMMENDED READING... Would you like to know the total Federal spending on higher-education based research and development in your state or region? The Chronicle of Higher Education has published its annual Almanac, which is chock-full of facts like this about each of the 50 states and DC: demographic information, political leadership, colleges and universities, and more. For a copy, send $2.75 to Almanac, Chronicle of Higher Education, P.O. Box 1955, Marion, OH 43302. Include your name, address, and ZIP code. The September 1991 issue of Scientific American magazine is devoted to communications, computers and networks. At $3.95, it's a bargain. There are articles by Vint Cerf, Al Gore, Alan Kay, Mitch Kapor, and a host of others, on a cross- section of topics from civil liberties to ubiquitous computing. Joel Maloff of ANS submitted an interesting and provocative 3-page paper at the FARNET meeting in August, comparing the current environment for IP networking services and the long distance resale market of the early 80s; send a message to maloff@nis.ans.net if you did not get a copy and would like one. The White House Conference on Libraries and Information Services convened in Washington in July. The 700 delegates considered a series of resolutions submitted by state conferences and other entities, narrowing the initial submissions down to about 120 final resolutions. Each delegate was then given the opportunity to vote for the top 15, in his or her opinion. The winners? Number One: The "Children and Youth Literacy through Libraries Act", an omnibus resolution covering the literacy and information needs of children, youth and young adults. Number Two: Funding the National Research and Education Network. For an interesting summary of the conference by George Brett of the Communications Center of North Carolina, send mail to breeden@farnet.org.