NETWORK WORKING GROUP                                E. FORMAN
REQUEST FOR COMMENTS # 274                           MITRE
NIC # 7901                                           1 November 1971
CATEGORIES  F, G
UPDATES:    NONE
OBSOLETES:  NONE


              ESTABLISHING A LOCAL GUIDE FOR NETWORK USAGE
	

     Actual experiences and experimentation with network systems and
subsystems will be an important supplement to existing NIC
documentation.  For this reason, MITRE, to facilitate local user
access to network resources, is planning to establish a local GUIDE TO
NETWORK USAGE to supplement the Resources Notebook and other NIC
documentation.  The Guide will be tailored to the needs of MITRE users
and will contain information on network systems and subsystems.  (We
cannot precisely define systems and subsystems at this time but as an
example of what we have in mind, TENNEX at SRI is a system and NLS is
a subsystem.)

     The Guide will be implemented under NLS in much the same fashion
as the NIC LOCATOR SYSTEM.  Information gathered that is appropriate
for the NIC but not yet included will be submitted for inclusion in
the NIC.

     Attached is an outline of the proposed NLS files for the Guide
System.  The information included in the Guide will be sufficiently
detailed to enable local users who are unfamiliar with the network,
its terminology, and stores of reference material to utilize resources
at foreign hosts via the network.

     Sites will be included in the Guide as local users gain
experience with systems and subsystems located at the remote sites.
Therefore, the sites most likely to be in the Guide will be those that
can be used to support MITRE projects.

     We are planning to coordinate our efforts in this undertaking
with a similar effort at the National Bureau of Standards.  We believe
that such endeavors will result in valuable contributions to the NIC,

particularly to the Network Resources Notebook.  Although the Guide
will be tailored for MITRE users, it will contain information of
general interest to other network users and will be made accessible to
them through NLS.

     The Guide should become operational during December 1971.  Any
comments on proposed contents of the Guide are welcome.  Anyone
wishing to cooperate in this effort should contact E. Forman at MITRE.



       [ This RFC was put into machine readable form for entry ]
       [ into the online RFC archives by BBN Corp. under the   ]
       [ direction of Alex McKenzie.                   12/96   ]

ATTACHMENT


     An NLS "Site File" will be built for each site at which a
resource is presently available to network users at MITRE.  Initial
files will be for those sites that offer resources that are of
specific interest to the local community.  A RESOURCE LOCATOR FILE
will contain a table of contents of the SITE FILES and a list of the
subsystems surveyed for each of these sites.  The headings in the
table of contents will contain links to the corresponding online site
file documents.



<MITRE> RESOURCE-LOCATOR

  O         Output processor directives

  1         Text indicating how to use this file

  2         Site identification
               (Link)
     2A     Subsystem list (with links)

  3         Next site

  4         Next site

    ...

<MITRE> SITE-FILE (one for each site)

  O         Output processor directives

  1         Text indicating how to use this file

  2         Subsystem list (with links)

  3         Periods of system availability
  4         Accounts
  4         Accounts
     4A        List of accounts at site established by MITRE personnel
       4A1     For each account indicate:
               -  users
               -  who is allowed to use this account
               -  restrictions on use of system or subsystem with
                  with this account
               -  who to ask for password and ID (if the account
                  is open to use by all, list password and allowable
                  ID's)
       4A2     Next account
     4B        How to establish a new account

  5         System charges (special subsystem charges--if any--
            will be listed with subsystem entry)

  6         System Documentation
     6A        Title
               -  Brief description
               -  NIC reference number
               -  link
               -  on hand at local station
               -  local users who have copy
               -  where to order

  7         Log in procedures (special log in procedures for sub-
            systems (if any) will be listed with the subsystem entry)

  8         Special considerations when used with the following
            local (network user) equipment:
     8A        With devices -----, -----
               -  NIC reference numbers
               -  links
               -  list of special considerations when used with this
                  system (e.g., special characteristics, half or
                  full duplex)
     8B        With devices
    ...

<MITRE> SITE-FILE (continued)

  9         Comments on system usage and performance such as
            reliability, availability, recent user experience,
            bugs, differences from documentation (similar to NIC
            Journal Folklore)

 10         Subsystem " "
    10A       Brief capability description
              References and links
    10B       Subsystem documentation
     10B1       Title
                -  brief description
                NIC reference number
                -  link
                -  on hand at local station?
                -  local users who have copy
                -  where to order
     10B2       Next document

    10C       Periods of availability--same as system or list
              special subsystem availability times
    10D       Special subsystem charges if any
    10E       Log in procedures-if special log in procedure needed
              for subsystem
    10F       Special considerations when used with the following
              local (network user) equipment:
     10F1       With devices -----, -----
                  -  NIC reference numbers
                  -  links
                  -  list of special considerations when used with
                     this subsystem (e.g., special characteristics,
                     half or full duplex)
     10F2       With devices -----, -----
    ...

    10G       Comments on subsystem usage and performance such as
              reliability, availability, recent user experience, bugs,
              differences from documentation (similar to NIC
              Journal Folklore)

 11           Subsystem " "
    ...