As per Relevance of the word services, we have this rfc below:
Network Working Group G.
Request for Comments: 1206 FTP Software, Inc
FYI: 4 A.
Obsoletes: RFC 1177
February 1991
FYI on Questions and
Answers to Commonly asked "New Internet User"
Status of this
This FYI RFC is one of two FYI's called, "Questions and Answers
(Q/A), produced by the User Services Working Group of the
Engineering Task Force (IETF). The goal is to document the
commonly asked questions and answers in the Internet
This memo provides information for the Internet community. It
not specify any standard. Distribution of this memo is unlimited
Table of
1. Introduction................................................. 1
2. Acknowledgements............................................. 2
3. Questions About the Internet................................. 2
4. Questions About TCP/IP....................................... 4
5. Questions About the Domain Name System....................... 4
6. Questions About Internet Documentation....................... 5
7. Questions about Internet Organizations and Contacts.......... 9
8. Questions About Services..................................... 13
9. Mailing Lists................................................ 16
10. Miscellaneous "Internet lore" questions..................... 17
11. Suggested Reading........................................... 18
12. References.................................................. 19
13. Condensed Glossary.......................................... 20
14. Security Considerations..................................... 31
15. Authors' Addresses.......................................... 32
1.
New users joining the Internet community have the same questions
did everyone else who has ever joined. Our quest is to provide
Internet community with up to date, basic Internet knowledge
experience, while moving the redundancies away from the
mailing lists so that the lists' subscribers do not have to read
same queries and answers over and over again
Future updates of this memo will be produced as User Services
User Services Working Group [Page 1]
RFC 1206 FYI Q/A - for New Internet Users February 1991
become aware of additional questions that should be included, and
deficiencies or inaccuracies that should be amended in this document
An additional FYI Q/A will be published which will deal
intermediate and advanced Q/A topics
The Q/A mailing lists are maintained by Gary Malkin at FTP.COM.
are used by a subgroup of the User Services Working Group to
the Q/A FYIs. They include
quail@ftp.com This is a discussion mailing list.
primary use is for pre-release review
the Q/A FYIs
quail-request@ftp.com This is how you join the quail mailing list
quail-box@ftp.com This is a write-only list which serves as
repository for candidate questions and answers
It is not necessary to be on the quail
list to forward to the quail-box
2.
The following people deserve thanks for their help and
to this FYI Q/A: Vint Cerf (CNRI), Ralph Droms (Bucknell),
Tracy LaQuey Parker (UTexas), Craig Partridge (SICS), Jon Postel (ISI),
Joyce K. Reynolds (ISI), Karen Roubicek (BBNST), Marty
(PSI, Inc.), Patricia Smith (Merit), Gene Spafford (Purdue)
James Van Bokkelen (FTP Software, Inc.).
3. Questions About the
What is the Internet
The Internet is a large collection of networks (all of which
the TCP/IP protocols) that are tied together so that users of
of the networks can use the network services provided by TCP/IP
reach users on any of the other networks. The Internet
with the ARPANET, but now includes such networks as NSFNET
NYSERnet, and thousands of others. There are other major
area networks, such as BITNET and DECnet networks, that are
based on the TCP/IP protocols and are thus not part of
Internet. However, it is possible to communicate between them
the Internet via electronic mail because of mail gateways that
as "translators" between the different network protocols involved
Note: You will often see "internet" with a small "i". This
refer to any network built based on TCP/IP, or might refer
networks using other protocol families that are composites
User Services Working Group [Page 2]
RFC 1206 FYI Q/A - for New Internet Users February 1991
of smaller networks
I just got on the Internet. What can I do now
You now have access to all the resources you are authorized to
on your own Internet host, on any other Internet host on which
have an account, and on any other Internet host that
publicly accessible information. The Internet gives you
ability to move information between these hosts via
transfers. Once you are logged into one host, you can use
Internet to open a connection to another, login, and use
services interactively (this is known as remote login
"TELNETTING". In addition, you can send electronic mail to
at any Internet site and to users on many non-Internet sites
are accessible via electronic mail
There are various other services you can use. For example,
hosts provide access to specialized databases or to archives
information. The Internet Resource Guide provides
regarding some of these sites. The Internet Resource Guide
facilities on the Internet that are available to users.
facilities include supercomputer centers, library catalogs
specialized data collections. The guide is published by the
Network Service Center (NNSC) and is continuously being updated
The Resource Guide is distributed free via e-mail (send a note
resource-guide-request@nnsc.nsf.net to join the e-
distribution) and via anonymous FTP (in nnsc.nsf.net:resource
guide/*). Hardcopy is available at a nominal fee (to
reproduction costs) from the NNSC. Call the NNSC at 617-873-3400
for more information
How do I find out if a site has a computer on the Internet
Three good sources to consult are "!%@:: A Directory of
Mail Addressing and Networks" by Donnalyn Frey and Rick Adams
"The User's Directory of Computer Networks", by Tracy LaQuey;
"The Matrix: Computer Networks and Conferencing
Worldwide", by John Quarterman
In addition, it is possible to find some information
Internet sites in the WHOIS database maintained at the DDN NIC
SRI International. The DDN NIC (Defense Data Network,
Information Center) provides an information retrieval interface
the database that is also called WHOIS. To use this interface
TELNET to NIC.DDN.MIL and type "whois" (carriage return).
login is necessary. Type "help" at the whois prompt for
information on using the facility. WHOIS will show many sites
but may not show every site registered with the DDN NIC (
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for reasons having to do with how the program is set up to
the database).
4. Questions About TCP/
What is TCP/IP
TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) [4,5,6]
is the common name for a family of over 100 data-
protocols used to organize computers and data-
equipment into computer networks. TCP/IP was developed
interconnect hosts on ARPANET, PRNET (packet radio), and
(packet satellite). All three of these networks have since
retired; but TCP/IP lives on. It is currently used on a
international network of networks called the Internet,
members include universities, other research institutions
government facilities, and many corporations. TCP/IP is
sometimes used for other networks, particularly local
networks that tie together numerous different kinds of
or tie together engineering workstations
What are the other well-known standard
in the TCP/IP family
Other than TCP and IP, the three main protocols in the TCP/
suite are the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) [8], the
Transfer Protocol (FTP) [3], and the TELNET Protocol [9].
are many other protocols in use on the Internet. The
Activities Board (IAB) regularly publishes an RFC [2]
describes the state of standardization of the various
protocols. This document is the best guide to the current
of Internet protocols and their recommended usage
5. Questions About the Domain Name
What is the Domain Name System
The Domain Name System (DNS) is a hierarchical, distributed
of organizing the name space of the Internet. The
administratively groups hosts into a hierarchy of authority
allows addressing and other information to be widely
and maintained. A big advantage to the DNS is that using
eliminates dependence on a centrally-maintained file that
host names to addresses
What is a Fully Qualified Domain Name
A Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) is a domain name
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includes all higher level domains relevant to the entity named
If you think of the DNS as a tree-structure with each node
its own label, a Fully Qualified Domain Name for a specific
would be its label followed by the labels of all the other
between it and the root of the tree. For example, for a host,
FQDN would include the string that identifies the particular host
plus all domains of which the host is a part up to and
the top-level domain (the root domain is always null).
example, PARIS.NISC.SRI.COM is a Fully Qualified Domain Name
the host at 192.33.33.109. In addition, NISC.SRI.COM is the
for the NISC domain
6. Questions About Internet
What is an RFC
The Request for Comments documents (RFCs) are working notes of
Internet research and development community. A document in
series may be on essentially any topic related to
communication, and may be anything from a meeting report to
specification of a standard. Submissions for Requests
Comments may be sent to the RFC Editor, Jon
(POSTEL@ISI.EDU).
Most RFCs are the descriptions of network protocols or services
often giving detailed procedures and formats for
implementation. Other RFCs report on the results of
studies or summarize the work of technical committees
workshops. All RFCs are considered public domain
explicitly marked otherwise
While RFCs are not refereed publications, they do
technical review from either the task forces, individual
experts, or the RFC Editor, as appropriate. Currently,
standards are published as RFCs, but not all RFCs
standards
Anyone can submit a document for publication as an RFC
Submissions must be made via electronic mail to the RFC Editor
Please consult RFC 1111, "Instructions to RFC Authors" [10],
further information. RFCs are accessible online in public
files, and a short message is sent to a notification
list indicating the availability of the memo. Requests to
added to this distribution list should be sent to RFC
REQUEST@NIC.DDN.MIL
The online files are copied by interested people and printed
displayed at their sites on their equipment. (An RFC may also
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RFC 1206 FYI Q/A - for New Internet Users February 1991
returned via electronic mail in response to an electronic
query.) This means that the format of the online files must
the constraints of a wide variety of printing and
equipment
Once a document is assigned an RFC number and published, that
is never revised or re-issued with the same number. There
never a question of having the most recent version of a
RFC. However, a protocol (such as File Transfer Protocol (FTP))
may be improved and re-documented many times in several
RFCs. It is important to verify that you have the most recent
on a particular protocol. The "IAB Official Protocol Standards
[2] memo is the reference for determining the correct RFC to
to for the current specification of each protocol
How do I obtain RFCs
RFCs can be obtained via FTP from NIC.DDN.MIL, with the
RFC:RFCnnnn.TXT or RFC:RFCnnnn.PS (where "nnnn" refers to
number of the RFC). Login using FTP, username "anonymous"
password "guest". The NIC also provides an automatic mail
for those sites which cannot use FTP. Address the request
SERVICE@NIC.DDN.MIL and in the subject field of the
indicate the RFC number, as in "Subject: RFC nnnn" (or "Subject
RFC nnnn.PS" for PostScript RFCs).
RFCs can also be obtained via FTP from NIS.NSF.NET. Using FTP
login with username "anonymous" and password "guest"; then
to the RFC directory ("cd RFC"). The file name is of the
RFCnnnn.TXT-1 (where "nnnn" refers to the number of the RFC).
NIS also provides an automatic mail service for those sites
cannot use FTP. Address the request to NIS-INFO@NIS.NSF.NET
leave the subject field of the message blank. The first line
the text of the message must be "SEND RFCnnnn.TXT-1", where
is replaced by the RFC number
Requests for special distribution should be addressed to
the author of the RFC in question, or to NIC@NIC.DDN.MIL.
International operates NIC.DDN.MIL and has a hardcopy
service for RFCs as well as several publications which
a selection of RFCs defining Internet standards.
specifically noted otherwise on the RFC itself, all RFCs are
unlimited distribution
How do I obtain a list of RFCs
The NIC maintains a file that is an index of the RFCs. It
each RFC, starting with the most recent, and for each RFC
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the number, title, author(s), issue date, and number of
pages. In addition, it lists the online formats (PostScript
ASCII text) for each RFC and the number of bytes each such
is online on the NIC.DDN.MIL host. If an RFC is also an FYI,
fact is noted, with the corresponding FYI number. (There is
parallel FYI Index available). Finally, the Index notes
or not an RFC is obsoleted or updated by another RFC, and
the number of that RFC, or if an RFC itself obsoletes or
another RFC, and gives that RFC number. The index is
online each time an RFC is issued
This RFC Index is available online from the NIC.DDN.MIL host
RFC:RFC-INDEX.TXT. The FYI Index is online as FYI:FYI-INDEX.TXT
It is also available from the NIC in hardcopy for $10, as
individual RFCs. Call the NIC at 1-800-235-3155 for help
obtaining the file
Which RFCs are Standards
See "IAB Official Protocol Standards" (currently, RFC 1140) [2].
What is an Internet Draft? Are there any guidelines available
writing one
Internet Drafts (I-D's) are the current working documents of
IETF. Internet Drafts are generally in the format of an RFC
some key differences
- The Internet Drafts are not RFC's and are not a
document series
- The words INTERNET-DRAFT appear in place of RFC
in the upper left-hand corner
- The document does not refer to itself as an RFC or as
Draft RFC
- An Internet Draft does not state nor imply that it is
proposed standard. To do so conflicts with the role
the IAB, the RFC Editor, and the Internet
Steering Group (IESG).
An Internet Drafts Directory has been installed to make available
for review and comment by the IETF members, draft documents
will be submitted ultimately to the IAB and the RFC Editor to
considered for publishing as an RFC. The Internet
Directories are maintained primarily at the NSFNET Network
Center (NNSC). There are several "shadow" machines which
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the IETF and Internet Drafts Directories. They are
NSF Network Service Center: nnsc.nsf.
DDN NIC: nic.ddn.
Pacific Rim: munnari.oz.
Europe: nic.nordu.net (192.36.148.17)
To access these directories, use anonymous FTP. Login
username, "anonymous", password, "guest". Once logged in,
to the directory, "cd internet-drafts". Internet Draft files
then be retrieved
For further information on the Internet Drafts of the IETF, or
you have problems with retrieving Internet Draft documents
contact Megan Davies (mdavies@nri.reston.va.us) or Greg
(gvaudre@nri.reston.va.us) for assistance
How do I obtain OSI Standards documents
OSI Standards documents are NOT available from the Internet
anonymous FTP due to copyright restrictions. These are
from
Omnicom Information
501 Church Street
Suite 304
Vienna, VA 22180
Telephone: (800) 666-4266 or (703) 281-1135
Fax: (703) 281-1505
However, the GOSIP specification which covers the use of
protocols within the U.S. Government is available from the NIC
from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
The final text of GOSIP Version 2 is now available from
sites. Version 2 is expected to become a Federal
Processing Standard (FIPS) in early 1991.
Online sources
Available through anonymous ftp from osi.ncsl.nist.
(129.6.48.100) as
./pub/gosip/gosip_v2.txt --
./pub/gosip/gosip_v2.txt.Z -- ascii
./pub/gosip/gosip_v2.ps --
./pub/gosip/gosip_v2.ps.Z -- PostScript
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Available through anonymous ftp from nic.ddn.mil (192.67.67.20)
as
PROTOCOLS:GOSIP-V2.TXT --
PROTOCOLS:GOSIP-V2.PS --
Hardcopy sources
Standards Processing Coordinator (ADP
National Institute of Standards and
Technology Building, Room B-64
Gaithersburg, MD 20899
(301) 975-2816
Network Information Systems
SRI International, Room EJ291
333 Ravenswood Ave
Menlo Park, CA 94025
1-800-235-3155
7. Questions about Internet Organizations and
What is the IAB
The Internet Activities Board (IAB) is the coordinating
for Internet design, engineering and management [7]. IAB
are deeply committed to making the Internet function
and evolve to meet a large scale, high speed future. The
serves a term of two years and is elected by the members of
IAB. The current Chair of the IAB is Vint Cerf. The IAB
on the TCP/IP protocol suite, and extensions to the
system to support multiple protocol suites
The IAB performs the following functions
1) Sets Internet Standards
2) Manages the RFC publication process
3) Reviews the operation of the IETF and IRTF
4) Performs strategic planning for the Internet,
long-range problems and opportunities
5) Acts as an international technical policy liaison
representative for the Internet community,
6) Resolves technical issues which cannot be treated
the IETF or IRTF frameworks
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The IAB has two principal subsidiary task forces
1) Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF
2) Internet Research Task Force (IRTF
Each of these Task Forces is led by a chairman and guided by
Steering Group which reports to the IAB through its chairman.
the most part, a collection of Research or Working Groups
out the work program of each Task Force
All decisions of the IAB are made public. The principal
by which IAB decisions are propagated to the parties interested
the Internet and its TCP/IP protocol suite is the Request
Comments (RFC) note series and the Internet Monthly Report
What is the IANA
The task of coordinating the assignment of values to
parameters of protocols is delegated by the Internet
Board (IAB) to the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA).
These protocol parameters include op-codes, type fields,
types, system names, object identifiers, and so on. The "
Numbers" Request for Comments (RFC) [1] documents the
assigned values from several series of numbers used in
protocol implementations. Internet addresses and
System numbers are assigned by the Network Information Center
SRI International. This responsibility has been delegated by
IANA to the DDN NIC which serves as the Internet Registry.
IANA is located at USC/Information Sciences Institute
Current types of assignments listed in Assigned Numbers
maintained by the IANA are
Address Resolution Protocol
ARPANET and MILNET X.25 Address
ARPANET and MILNET Logical
ARPANET and MILNET Link
BOOTP Parameters and BOOTP Extension
Domain System
IANA Ethernet Address
Ethernet Numbers of
IEEE 802 Numbers of
Internet Protocol
Internet Version
IP Time to Live
IP TOS
Machine
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Mail Encryption
Multicast
Network Management
Point-to-Point Protocol Field
PRONET 80 Type
Port
Protocol and Service
Protocol/Type Field
Public Data Network
Reverse Address Resolution Protocol Operation
TELNET
Terminal Type
Unix
X.25 Type
For more information on number assignments, contact IANA@ISI.EDU
What is a NIC? What is a NOC
"NIC" stands for Network Information Center. It is
organization which provides network users with information
services provided by the network
"NOC" stands Network Operations Center. It is an
that is responsible for maintaining a network
For many networks, especially smaller, local networks,
functions of the NIC and NOC are combined. For larger networks
such as mid-level and backbone networks, the NIC and
organizations are separate, yet they do need to interact to
perform their functions
What is "The NIC"?
"The NIC" is the Defense Data Network, Network Information
(DDN NIC) at SRI International, which is a network
center which holds a primary repository for RFCs and
Drafts. The host name is NIC.DDN.MIL. Shadow copies of the
and the Internet Drafts are maintained by the NSFNET
NIS.NSF.NET
The DDN NIC also provides various user assistance services for
users; contact NIC@NIC.DDN.MIL or call 1-800-235-3155 for
information. In addition, the DDN NIC is the
registration authority for the root domain and several top
second level domains; maintains the official DoD Internet
Table; is the site of the Internet Registry (IR); and
the WHOIS database of network users, hosts, domains, networks,
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Points of Contact
What is the IR
The Internet Registry (IR) is the organization that is
for assigning identifiers, such as IP network numbers
autonomous system numbers, to networks. The IR also gathers
registers such assigned information. The IR may, in the future
allocate the authority to assign network identifiers to
organizations; however, it will continue to gather data
such assignments. At present, the DDN NIC at SRI
serves as the IR
What is the IETF
The Internet has grown to encompass a large number of
geographically dispersed networks in academic and
communities. It now provides an infrastructure for a
community with various interests. Moreover, the family
Internet protocols and system components has moved
experimental to commercial development. To help coordinate
operation, management and evolution of the Internet, the
established the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).
The IETF is chaired by Phill Gross and managed by its
Engineering Steering Group (IESG). The IETF is a large
community of network designers, operators, vendors,
researchers concerned with the Internet and the Internet
suite. It is organized around a set of several technical areas
each managed by a technical area director. In addition to
IETF Chairman, the area directors make up the IESG membership
The IAB has delegated to the IESG the general responsibility
making the Internet work and for the resolution of all short-
mid-range protocol and architectural issues required to make
Internet function effectively
What is the IRTF
To promote research in networking and the development of
technology, the IAB established the Internet Research Task
(IRTF).
In the area of network protocols, the distinction between
and engineering is not always clear, so there will sometimes
overlap between activities of the IETF and the IRTF. There is,
fact, considerable overlap in membership between the two groups
This overlap is regarded as vital for cross-fertilization
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technology transfer
The IRTF is a community of network researchers, generally with
Internet focus. The work of the IRTF is governed by its
Research Steering Group (IRSG). The chairman of the IRTF and
is David Clark
8. Questions About
How do I find someone's electronic mail address
There are a number of directories on the Internet; however, all
them are far from complete. The largest directories are the
database at the DDN NIC, the PSInet White Pages, and KNOWBOT
Generally, it is still necessary to ask the person for his or
email address
How do I use the WHOIS program at the DDN NIC
To use the WHOIS program to search the WHOIS database at the
NIC, TELNET to the NIC host, NIC.DDN.MIL. There is no need
login. Type "whois" to call up the information retrieval program
Next, type the name of the person, host, domain, network,
mailbox for which you need information. If you are only
part of the name, end your search string with a period.
"help" for a more in-depth explanation of what you can search
and how you can search. If you have trouble, send a message
NIC@NIC.DDN.MIL or call 1-800-235-3155. Bug reports can be
to BUG-WHOIS@NIC.DDN.MIL and suggestions for improvements to
program can be sent to SUGGESTIONS@NIC.DDN.MIL
How do I become registered in the DDN NIC's WHOIS database
If you would like to be listed in the WHOIS database, you
have an electronic mailbox accessible from the Internet.
obtain the file NETINFO:USER-TEMPLATE.TXT. You can
retrieve this file via anonymous FTP from NIC.DDN.MIL or get
through electronic mail. To obtain the file via electronic mail
send a message to SERVICE@NIC.DDN.MIL and put the file name in
subject line of the message; that is, "Subject: NETINFO USER
TEMPLATE.TXT". The file will be returned to you overnight
Fill out the name and address information requested in the
and return it to REGISTRAR@NIC.DDN.MIL. Your application will
processed and you will be added to the database. Unless you
an official Point of Contact for a network entity registered
the DDN NIC, the DDN NIC will not regularly poll you for updates
so you should remember to send corrections to your information
User Services Working Group [Page 13]
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your contact data changes
How do I use the White Pages at PSI
Performance Systems International, Inc. (PSI), sponsors a
Pages Pilot Project that collects personnel information
member organizations into a database and provides online access
that data. This effort is based on the OSI X.500
standard
To access the data, TELNET to WP.PSI.COM and login as "fred" (
password is necessary). You may now look up information
participating organizations. The program provides help on usage
For example, typing "help" will show you a list of commands
"manual" will give detailed documentation, and "whois"
provide information regarding how to find references to people
For a list of the organizations that are participating in
pilot project by providing information regarding their members
type "whois -org *".
For more information, send a message to WP-INFO@PSI.COM
How do I use the Knowbot Information Service
The Knowbot Information Service is a white pages "meta-service
that provides a uniform interface to heterogeneous white
services in the Internet. Using the Knowbot Information Service
you can form a single query that can search for white
information from the NIC WHOIS service, the CSNET WHOIS service
the PSI White Pages Pilot Project, and MCI Mail, among others,
have the responses displayed in a single, uniform format
Currently, the Knowbot Information Service can be accessed
TELNET to port 185 on hosts nri.reston.va.us and sol.bucknell.edu
From a UNIX host, use "telnet nri.reston.va.us 185". There
also an electronic mail interface avaliable by sending mail
netaddress at either nri.reston.va.us or sol.bucknell.edu
The commands "help" and "man" summarize the command interface
Simply entering a user name at the prompt searches a default
of Internet directory services for the requested information
Organization and country information can be included thorgh
syntax: "userid@organization.country". For example, the
"droms@bucknell" and "kille@ucl.gb" are both valid. Note
these are not Domain Names, but rather a syntax to specify
organization and a country for the search
The default list of directory services currently includes
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whois services at the SRI NIC and the CSNET NIC and the
pages service for MCIMail. If an organization is specified,
PSI X.500 service is also searched. Other services can
requested explicitly
What is Usenet? What is Netnews
Usenet and Netnews are common names of a distributed
bulletin board system that some computers on the
participate in. It is not strictly an Internet service:
computers not on the Internet also participate. Netnews can be
valuable tool to economize what might otherwise be a large
of traffic from electronic mailing lists
How do I get on Usenet? How do I get Netnews on my computer
To get on Usenet, you must acquire the software, which
available for some computers at no cost from some anonymous
sites across the Internet, and you must find an existing
site that is willing to support a connection to your computer.
many cases, this "connection" merely represents additional
over existing Internet access channels
What is anonymous FTP
Anonymous FTP is a conventional way of allowing you to sign on
a computer on the Internet and copy specified public files from
[3]. Some sites offer anonymous FTP to distribute software
various kinds of information. You use it like any FTP, but
username is "anonymous". Many systems will allow any password
request that the password you choose is your userid. If
fails, the generic password is usually "guest".
What is "TELNET"?
The term "TELNET" refers to the remote login that's possible
the Internet because of the TELNET Protocol [9]. The use of
term as a verb, as in "telnet to a host" means to establish
connection across the Internet from one host to another. Usually
you must have an account on the remote host to be able to login
it once you've made a connection. However, some hosts, such
those offering white pages directories, provide public
that do not require a personal account
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9. Mailing
What is a mailing list
A mailing list is really nothing more than an alias that
multiple destinations. Mailing lists are usually created
discuss specific topics. Anybody interested in that topic,
(usually) join that list. Some mailing lists have
restrictions, others have message content restrictions, and
others are moderated. Most large, "public" mailing lists, such
IETF and TCP-IP, have an additional mail address to which
to be added or deleted may be sent. Usually, these are of
form listname-request
There is a "list-of-lists" file available on the
ftp.nisc.sri.com that lists most of the major mailing lists
describes their primary topics, and explains how to subscribe
them. The file is available for anonymous ftp in the
directory as interest-groups (that is, the path is
netinfo/interest-groups). It can also be obtained via
mail. Send a message to mail-server@nisc.sri.com with the body
the message reading, "Send netinfo/interest-groups" and the
will be returned in moderate size pieces via electronic mail
How do I contact the administrator of a mailing list rather
posting to the entire list
For every mailing list mentioned in the "interest-groups" file,
is a description of how to join the list or send other
administrative messages to the person in charge of the list.
general, however, it is usually safe to assume that you can send
message to an address in the format of ListName-request@domain.
convention of having a parallel mailbox conforming to
"-request" format is very widely followed. All
messages regarding using, joining, or quitting the list should
sent to that mailbox instead of to the whole list so that the
of the list don't have to read them
What are some good mailing lists or news groups
The TCP-IP, IETF, and RFC Distribution lists are primary lists for
Internet users who desire further information about current
emerging developments in the Internet. The first two lists
unmoderated discussion lists, and the latter is an
service used by the RFC Editor
User Services Working Group [Page 16]
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How do I subscribe to the TCP-IP mailing list
To be added to the TCP-IP mailing list, send a message to
TCP-IP-REQUEST@NIC.DDN.
How do I subscribe to the IETF mailing list
To be added to the IETF mailing list, send a message to
IETF-REQUEST@ISI.
How do I subscribe to the RFC Distribution list
To be added to the RFC Distribution list, send a message to
RFC-REQUEST@NIC.DDN.
10. Miscellaneous "Internet lore"
What does :-) mean
In many electronic mail messages, it is sometimes useful
indicate that part of a message is meant in jest. It is
sometimes useful to communicate emotion which simple words do
readily convey. To provide these nuances, a collection of "
faces" has evolved. If you turn your head sideways to the left
:-) appears as a smiling face. Some of the more common faces are
:-)
:) also a
:-D
:-}
:-]
:-(
;-)
8-) wide-
:-X close
:-o oh, no
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What do "btw", "fyi", "imho", "wrt", and "rtfm" mean
Often commmon expressions are abbreviated in informal
postings. These abbreviations stand for "by the way", "for
information", "in my humble [or honest] opinion", "with
to", and "read the f*ing manual" (with the "f" word
according to the vehemence of the reader).
What is the "FAQ" list
This list provides answers to "Frequently Asked Questions"
often appear on various Usenet newsgroups. The list is
every four to six weeks to the news.announce.newusers group.
is intended to provide a background for new users learning how
use the news. As the FAQ list provide new users with the
to such questions, it helps keep the newsgroups
comparatively free of repetition. Often specific newsgroups
have and frequently post versions of a FAQ list that are
to their topics
Other information is also routinely posted. Here are the
lines of several general information postings provided on Usenet
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (the "FAQ" list
Introduction to news.
Rules for posting to
How to Create a New
How to Create a New Trial
A Primer on How to Work With the Usenet
Emily Postnews Answers Your Questions on
Hints on writing style for
USENET Software: History and
List of Active
Alternative Newsgroup
How to Construct the Mailpaths
Regional Newsgroup
List of
Publicly Accessible Mailing
List of Periodic Informational
How to Get Information about
A Guide to Social Newsgroups and Mailing
11. Suggested
For further information about the Internet and its protocols
general, you may choose to obtain copies of the following works
User Services Working Group [Page 18]
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Bowers, K., T. LaQuey, J. Reynolds, K. Roubicek, M. Stahl, and A
Yuan, "Where to Start - A Bibliography of General
Information", RFC 1175, FYI 3, CNRI, U Texas, ISI, BBN, SRI
Mitre, August 1990.
Comer, D., "Internetworking with TCP/IP: Principles, Protocols
and Architecture", Prentice Hall, New Jersey, 1989.
Krol, E., "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Internet", RFC 1118,
University of Illinois Urbana, September 1989.
12.
[1] Reynolds, J., and J. Postel, "Assigned Numbers", RFC 1060,
USC/Information Sciences Institute, March 1990.
[2] Postel, J., Editor, "IAB Official Protocol Standards", RFC 1140,
Internet Activities Board, May 1990.
[3] Postel, J., and J. Reynolds, "File Transfer Protocol (FTP),
959, USC/Information Sciences Institute, October 1985.
[4] Postel, J., "Internet Protocol - DARPA Internet Program
Specification", RFC 791, DARPA, September 1981.
[5] Postel, J., "Transmission Control Protocol - DARPA
Program Protocol Specification", RFC 793, DARPA, September 1981.
[6] Leiner, B., R. Cole, J. Postel, and D. Mills, "The DARPA
Protocol Suite", IEEE INFOCOM85, Washington D.C., March 1985.
Also in IEEE Communications Magazine, March 1985. Also
ISI/RS-85-153.
[7] Cerf, V., "The Internet Activities Board" RFC 1160, CNRI,
1990.
[8] Postel, J., "Simple Mail Transport Protocol", RFC 788,
USC/Information Sciences Institute, November 1981.
[9] Postel, J., and J. Reynolds, "TELNET Protocol Specification",
854, USC/Information Sciences Institute, May 1983.
[10] Postel, J., "Request for Comments on Request for Comments -
Instructions to RFC Authors", RFC 1111, USC/Information
Institute, August 1989.
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13. Condensed
As with any profession, computers have a particular terminology
their own. Below is a condensed glossary to assist in making
sense of the Internet world
ACM Association for Computer
A group established in 1947 to promote
development and research on computers
address There are two separate uses of this term in
networking: "electronic mail address" and "
address". An electronic mail address is the
of characters that you must give an electronic
program to direct a message to a particular person
See "internet address" for its definition
AI Artificial
The branch of computer science which deals with
simulation of human intelligence by computer systems
AIX Advanced Interactive
IBM's version of Unix
ANSI American National Standards
A group that certifies organizations which develop U.S
standards for the information processing industry.
accredited groups participate in defining network
standards
ARP Address Resolution
An Internet protocol which runs on Ethernet and all
802.X LANs which maps internet addresses to MAC addresses
ARPA Advanced Research Projects
The former name of what is now called DARPA
ARPANET Advanced Research Projects Agency
A pioneering long haul network funded by ARPA.
served as the basis for early networking research
well as a central backbone during the development
the Internet. The ARPANET consisted of
packet switching computers interconnected by leased lines
AS Autonomous
A collection of gateways (routers) under a
administrative authority using a common Interior
Protocol for routing packets
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ASCII American Standard Code for Information
B
One character of information, usually eight bits wide
b bit - binary
The smallest amount of information which may be
in a computer
BBN Bolt Beranek and Newman, Inc
The Cambridge, MA company responsible for development
operation and monitoring of the ARPANET, and later
the Internet core gateway system, the CSNET
and Information Center (CIC), and NSFNET
Service Center (NNSC).
BITNET Because It's Time
BITNET has about 2,500 host computers, primarily
universities, in many countries. It is managed
EDUCOM, which provides administrative support
information services. There are
main constituents of the network: BITNET in the
States and Mexico, NETNORTH in Canada, and EARN
Europe. There are also AsiaNet, in Japan,
connections in South America. See CREN
bps bits per
A measure of data transmission speed
BSD Berkeley Software
Term used when describing different
of the Berkeley UNIX software, as in "4.3
UNIX".
catenet A network in which hosts are connected to
with varying characteristics, and the
are interconnected by gateways (routers).
Internet is an example of a catenet
CCITT International Telegraph and
Consultative
core
Historically, one of a set of gateways (routers
operated by the Internet Network Operations
at BBN. The core gateway system forms a central
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of Internet routing in that all groups had to
paths to their networks from a core gateway
CREN The Corporation for Research and Educational
BITNET and CSNET have recently merged to form CREN
CSNET Computer + Science
A large data communications network for institutions
research in computer science. It uses several
protocols including some of its own. CSNET sites
universities, research laboratories, and
companies. See CREN
DARPA U.S. Department of Defense Advanced Research Projects
The government agency that funded the ARPANET and
started the Internet
The unit transmitted between a pair of internet modules
The Internet Protocol provides for transmitting blocks
data, called datagrams, from sources to destinations
The Internet Protocol does not provide a
communication facility. There are no
either end-to-end or hop-by-hop. There is no
control for data, only a header checksum. There
no retransmissions. There is no flow control. See IP
DCA Defense Communications
The government agency responsible for installation
the Defense Data Network (DDN), including the
and MILNET lines and PSNs. Currently, DCA
the DDN, and supports the user assistance and
registration services of the DDN NIC
DDN Defense Data
Comprises the MILNET and several other DoD networks
DDN NIC The network information center at SRI International
It is the primary repository for RFCs and Internet Drafts
as well as providing other services
DEC Digital Equipment
DECnet Digital Equipment Corporation
A networking protocol for DEC computers and network devices
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default
A routing table entry which is used to direct any
addressed to any network numbers not explicitly
in the routing table
DNS The Domain Name System is a mechanism used
the Internet for translating names of host
into addresses. The DNS also allows host
not directly on the Internet to have
names in the same style, but returns the
mail gateway which accesses the non-Internet
instead of an IP address
DOD U.S. Department of
DOE U.S. Department of
dot address (dotted address notation
Dot address refers to the common notation for
addresses of the form A.B.C.D; where each letter represents
in decimal, one byte of the four byte IP address
EARN European Academic Research
One of three main constituents of BITNET
EBCDIC Extended Binary-coded Decimal Interchange
EGP Exterior Gateway
A protocol which distributes routing information to
gateways (routers) which connect autonomous systems
A network standard for the hardware and data link levels
There are two types of Ethernet: Digital/Intel/Xerox (DIX
and IEEE 802.3.
FDDI Fiber Distributed Data
FDDI is a high-speed (100Mb) token ring LAN
FIPS Federal Information Processing
FTP File Transfer
The Internet standard high-level protocol
transferring files from one computer to another
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gateway See
GB
A unit of data storage size which represents 2^30 (
1 billion) characters of information
Gb
2^30 bits of information (usually used to express
data transfer rate; as in, 1 gigabit/second = 1Gbps).
GNU Gnu's Not
A UNIX-compatible operating system developed by
Free Software Foundation
header The portion of a packet, preceding the actual data
containing source and destination addresses
error-checking fields
host
The part of an internet address that designates
node on the (sub)network is being addressed
HP Hewlett-
High-speed communications link
I/O Input/
IAB Internet Activities
The IAB is the coordinating committee for
design, engineering and management
IBM International Business Machines
ICMP Internet Control Message
ICMP is an extension to the Internet Protocol.
allows for the generation of error messages
test packets and informational messages related to IP
IEEE Institute for Electrical and Electronics
IETF Internet Engineering Task
The IETF is a large open community of network designers
operators, vendors, and researchers whose purpose is
coordinate the operation, management and evolution
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the Internet, and to resolve short- and mid-
protocol and architectural issues. It is a major
of proposed protocol standards which are submitted to
Internet Activities Board for final approval. The
meets three times a year and extensive minutes of
plenary proceedings are issued
Any connection of two or more local or wide-area networks
The global collection of interconnected local, mid-level
wide-area networks which use IP as the network
protocol
internet
An assigned number which identifies a host in an internet
It has two or three parts: network number, optional
number, and host number
IP Internet
The network layer protocol for the Internet. It is a
switching, datagram protocol defined in RFC 791.
IRTF Internet Research Task
The IRTF is a community of network researchers
generally with an Internet focus. The work of the
is governed by its Internet Research Steering Group (IRSG).
ISO International Organization for
KB
A unit of data storage size which represents 2^10
(1024) characters of information
Kb
2^10 bits of information (usually used to express
data transfer rate; as in, 1 kilobit/second = 1Kbps = 1Kb).
LAN Local Area
A network that takes advantage of the proximity of
to offer relatively efficient, higher speed
than long-haul or wide-area networks
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LISP List Processing
A high-level computer language invented by Professor
McCarthy in 1961 to support research into computer
logic, logical reasoning, and artificial intelligence.
was the first symbolic (as opposed to numeric)
processing language
MAC Medium Access
For broadcast networks, it is the method which devices
to determine which device has line access at any
time
Mac Apple Macintosh computer
MAN Metropolitan Area
MB
A unit of data storage size which represents
2^20 (one million) characters of information
Mb
2^20 bits of information (usually used to express
data transfer rate; as in, 1 megabit/second = 1Mbps).
MILNET Military
A network used for unclassified military
applications. It is part of the DDN and the Internet
MIT Massachusetts Institute of
MTTF Mean Time to
The average time between hardware breakdown or loss
service. This may be an empirical measurement or
calculation based on the MTTF of component parts
MTTR Mean Time to Recovery (or Repair
The average time it takes to restore service after
breakdown or loss. This is usually an empirical measurement
MVS Multiple Virtual
An IBM operating system based on OS/1.
NASA National Aeronautics and Space
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NBS National Bureau of
Now called NIST
network
The part of an internet address which designates
network to which the addressed node belongs
NFS Network File
A network service that lets a program running on
computer to use data stored on a different computer
the same internet as if it were on its own disk
NIC Network Information
An organization which provides network users
information about services provided by the network
NOC Network Operations
An organization that is responsible for
a network
NIST National Institute of Standards and
Formerly NBS
NSF National Science
NSFNET National Science Foundation
The NSFNET is a highspeed "network of networks" which
hierarchical in nature. At the highest level is a
that spans the continental United States. Attached to
are mid-level networks and attached to the mid-levels
campus and local networks. NSFNET also has connections
of the U.S. to Canada, Mexico, Europe, and the Pacific Rim
The NSFNET is part of the Internet
NSFNET Mid-level Level
A network connected to the highest level of the NSFNET
covers a region of the United States. It is to mid-
networks that local sites connect. The mid-level
were once called "regionals".
OSI Open Systems
A set of protocols designed to be an international
method for connecting unlike computers and networks.
has done most of the work developing OSI and will
use it as soon as possible
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OSI Reference
An "outline" of OSI which defines its seven layers
their functions. Sometimes used to help describe
networks
OSPF Open Shortest-Path First Interior Gateway
A proposed replacement for RIP. It addresses
problems of RIP and is based upon principles that
been well-tested in non-internet protocols.
acronymed as OSPFIGP
packet The unit of data sent across a packet switching network
The term is used loosely. While some
literature uses it to refer specifically to data
across a physical network, other literature
the Internet as a packet switching
and describes IP datagrams as packets
PC Personal
PCNFS Personal Computer Network File
POSIX Portable Operating System
Operating system based on UNIX
PPP Point-to-Point
The Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) provides a method
transmitting datagrams over serial point-to-point links
A formal description of message formats and the
two computers must follow to exchange those messages
Protocols can describe low-level details
machine-to-machine interfaces (e.g., the order
which bits and bytes are sent across a wire
or high-level exchanges between
programs (e.g., the way in which two
transfer a file across the Internet).
RFC The Internet's Request for Comments documents
The RFCs are working notes of the Internet research
development community. A document in this series may be
essentially any topic related to computer communication,
may be anything from a meeting report to the specification
a standard
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RIP Routing Interchange
One protocol which may be used on internets simply to
routing information between gateways. It is used on
LANs and on some of the NSFNET intermediate level networks
RJE Remote Job
