[ netinfo/nug.doc ] [ UPDATE Feb-93 ]
NIC 60001, February 1993 DDN New User Guide
DDN NEW USER GUIDE
February 1993
Third Edition
Editor:
Barbara Varallo
Prepared by the DDN Network Information Center, Government
Systems Incorporated, 14200 Park Meadow Drive, Chantilly, VA
22021-2219. Hardcopies may be obtained from the Defense
Technical Information Center (DTIC), Cameron Station,
Alexandria, VA 22314.
NIC 60001, February 1993 Page ii
[ NOTE: This document is set up for printing in 12 cpi, 10 point
non-proportional font. Right and left margins are presumed to
be one inch. The top margin is set at .25 with four blank lines
above the header line. Hard page breaks (^L) have been inserted
to provide an approximately 1 inch bottom margin. ]
It is the intent of the DDN Network Information Center (NIC) to
make the DDN New User Guide widely available to DDN users at
minimal cost. It may be obtained in hardcopy or machine-readable
form from several sources. Military users may obtain hardcopy
from the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC); DTIC can
provide the ordering number. For non-military users--such as
contractors, systems personnel, and researchers--who have access
to File Transfer Protocol (FTP), copies are available online.
The file NETINFO/NUG.DOC contains an ASCII sequential text
version. Also, the NIC will make every effort to assist key
military DDN Points of Contact (POCs) in providing copies of this
Guide to their user communities.
UNIX is a registered trademark of AT&T Bell Laboratories. TOPS
20 is a registered trademark of Digital Equipment Corporation.
InfoMail is a trademark of BBN Communications Division. PostScript
is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated. Procomm
is a trademark of Datastorm Technologies, Inc.
DDN New User Guide. Printed and bound in the United States of
America. Published by the DDN Network Information Center,
Government Systems Incorporated, 14200 Park Meadow Drive,
Chantilly, VA 22021-2219.
First Edition: December 1985
Revised: November 1987
Second Edition: February 1991
Third Edition: DRAFT, October 1991
Revised: DRAFT, October 1992
Approved: February 1993
NIC 60001, February 1993 Page iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The current edition of the DDN New User Guide was prepared by the
DDN Network Information Center for the Defense Information
Systems Agency, Defense Network Systems Organization (DISA DNSO)
under contract number DCA 200-91-D-0014.
The NIC wishes to acknowledge the valuable services that the Host
Administrators and Node Site Coordinators have provided to the
network community and to the development of this guide.
NIC 60001, February 1993 Page iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page #
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.......................................................... iii
SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION................................................. 1
1.1 Welcome...................................................... 1
1.2 Using This Guide............................................. 1
1.3 Document Conventions......................................... 3
1.3.1 User Input Display......................................... 3
1.3.2 Machine Output Display..................................... 3
1.3.3 Comment Display............................................ 3
1.3.4 Typing Control Characters.................................. 3
SECTION 2. THE DEFENSE DATA NETWORK...................................... 5
2.1 Network Overview............................................. 6
2.2 Network Access Methods....................................... 6
2.3 Organization of the DDN...................................... 7
2.4 Development of the DDN....................................... 7
2.5 The Defense Information Systems Agency,
Defense Network Systems Organization (DISA DNSO)............. 8
SECTION 3. NETWORK CONNECTION............................................ 10
3.1 Host Access.................................................. 10
3.2 TAC Access................................................... 10
3.3 Gateway Access............................................... 10
3.4 A Word About Personal Computers.............................. 11
SECTION 4. DDN TAC ACCESS................................................ 12
4.1 TAC Card Information......................................... 12
4.1.1 TAC User Registration...................................... 12
4.1.1.1 Users Behind Concentrators............................... 13
4.1.2 TAC Card Example........................................... 13
4.1.2.1 Common TAC Card Userid/Access-Code
Input Errors............................................. 14
4.1.3 Obtaining the TAC Users' Guide............................. 14
4.2 TAC Login Procedures......................................... 15
4.2.1 Connecting to a TAC/Mini-TAC............................... 15
4.2.1.1 Dial-up TACs............................................. 15
4.2.1.2 Using a Terminal with an Acoustic Coupler................ 15
4.2.1.3 Using a Dial-up Modem.................................... 15
4.2.1.4 Using a PC and Communications Software................... 15
4.2.1.5 Hard-Wired TAC Connections............................... 16
4.2.2 TAC Login.................................................. 16
4.2.3 Common TAC Login Problems.................................. 18
4.2.3.1 TAC Login Error Messages................................. 19
4.2.3.2 Host Connection Errors................................... 20
4.2.4 Changing the TAC Intercept Character....................... 20
4.2.5 Using a TAC for File Transfer (FTP)........................ 21
4.2.5.1 Changing the Intercept Character......................... 21
4.2.5.2 Setting Flow Control on the TAC.......................... 21
4.2.5.3 Putting the TAC in Binary Mode........................... 22
4.2.6 A Brief Word About Mini-TACs............................... 22
SECTION 5. NETWORK USE................................................... 24
5.1 Electronic Mail.............................................. 24
5.1.1 UNIX Mail Examples......................................... 25
Sending Mail Via UNIX...................................... 25
Reading UNIX Mail.......................................... 26
Getting Help for UNIX Mail................................. 26
5.1.2 InfoMail Examples.......................................... 27
Sending a Message Via InfoMail............................. 27
NIC 60001, February 1993 Page v
Page #
Reading Mail with InfoMail................................. 27
Getting Help for InfoMail.................................. 28
5.2 File Transfer Protocol (FTP)................................. 28
5.2.1 Transferring a File on a UNIX System....................... 30
5.2.2 How to FTP a Directory Listing............................. 31
5.3 Using TELNET................................................. 32
5.3.1 Invoking TELNET with the Hostname on the
Command Line............................................... 32
5.3.2 TELNET Using Host Address.................................. 33
SECTION 6. DDN NETWORK INFORMATION CENTER (NIC).......................... 35
6.1 Contacting the NIC........................................... 35
6.1.1 NIC User Assistance Help Desk.............................. 35
6.1.2 NIC Host................................................... 35
6.1.3 NIC Online Contacts........................................ 36
6.1.4 NIC U.S. Mail Address...................................... 36
6.2 NIC Services................................................. 36
6.2.1 Network and User Registration Services..................... 36
6.2.2 Usage-Sensitive Billing Service Desk....................... 37
6.2.3 Security Coordination Center (SCC)......................... 38
6.3 NIC User Programs............................................ 38
6.3.1 WHOIS...................................................... 38
6.3.1.1 Accessing WHOIS.......................................... 38
From a TAC............................................... 39
From a DDN Host.......................................... 39
Via Electronic Mail...................................... 39
6.3.1.2 Using WHOIS.............................................. 39
6.3.1.3 WHOIS Search Examples.................................... 40
WHOIS Search by Name..................................... 41
WHOIS Search by Partial Name............................. 41
WHOIS Search by Handle................................... 42
WHOIS Search by Hostname................................. 42
WHOIS Search by TAC Name................................. 43
WHOIS Search by PSN Number............................... 44
WHOIS Search by Network Number........................... 45
WHOIS Search by Domain Name.............................. 46
6.3.2 NIC/QUERY.................................................. 46
6.3.2.1 TACNEWS.................................................. 47
6.3.3 NIC Kermit Server.......................................... 49
6.3.4 NIC Automated Mail Service................................. 49
6.4 Documents Published by the NIC............................... 50
6.5 Online Reference Files at the NIC............................ 51
SECTION 7. SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS AND NETWORK CONDUCT................... 53
7.1 Requirements for Legitimate DDN Access....................... 53
7.2 Security Considerations and Guidelines for
Network Conduct.............................................. 53
7.3 Network Conduct.............................................. 54
7.3.1 Passwords.................................................. 54
7.3.2 File Protection............................................ 55
7.3.3 Plagiarism................................................. 55
7.3.4 Mail....................................................... 55
7.4 Additional Security Information.............................. 56
SECTION 8. NETWORK CONCEPTS OVERVIEW..................................... 57
8.1 Introduction................................................. 57
8.2 Usage Sensitive Billing...................................... 57
8.3 Network Concentrators........................................ 58
8.4 Network Addressing........................................... 59
NIC 60001, February 1993 Page vi
Page #
8.4.1 Finding Network Address Information........................ 61
8.4.2 Obtaining Network Addresses................................ 62
8.4.3 Knowing Your Network Address............................... 62
8.5 The Domain Name System....................................... 62
8.6 Government Open Systems Interconnection
Profile (GOSIP).............................................. 64
SECTION 9. NETWORK SERVICE CENTERS AND CONTACTS.......................... 65
9.1 The DDN Network Information Center (NIC)..................... 65
9.1.1 General Reference Service Provided by the NIC.............. 65
9.1.2 NIC Online Contacts........................................ 66
9.1.3 NIC U.S. Mail Address...................................... 66
9.2 Network Monitoring Centers (NMCs)............................ 66
9.2.1 NMC Services............................................... 66
9.2.2 NMC Contacts............................................... 67
9.2.3 NMC U.S. Mail Addresses.................................... 67
9.3 Host Administrators and Node Site Coordinators............... 67
9.4 Military Communications and Operations
Command Contacts............................................. 68
9.5 Defense Information Systems Agency, Defense
Network Systems Organization (DISA DNSO)..................... 68
9.6 Network Use Problems......................................... 68
SECTION 10. BIBLIOGRAPHY................................................. 69
SECTION 11. GLOSSARY..................................................... 71
APPENDIX A. NETWORK RESOURCES............................................ 77
APPENDIX B. QUESTIONS COMMONLY ASKED BY NETWORK USERS.................... 79
INDEX
NIC 60001, February 1993 Page vii
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 2-1 Methods of Accessing the Network............................ 6
Figure 4-1 TAC Card Illustration....................................... 13
Figure 6-1 User Registration Template.................................. 37
Figure 8-1 Network Address Classes..................................... 61
NIC 60001, February 1993
INTRODUCTION Page 1
SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Welcome
Welcome to the Defense Data Network, or the DDN, as it is more commonly
called. The DDN is a powerful operational military network. It might be
thought of as an "umbrella" network composed of several large segments or
subnetworks. The unclassified portion of the DDN is a subnetwork known as
the MILNET. The MILNET connects the DDN to an even larger network that
includes military contractors, universities, and research centers; this
entire collection of interconnected networks is called the Internet. Its
users number in the millions. It is the MILNET on which this document
focuses.
The DDN New User Guide explains the policies, concepts, and conventions of
the DDN, with major emphasis on the MILNET. The Guide contains an overview
of and a tutorial introduction to the DDN, along with descriptions of its
more interesting network programs and services. It is not intended to be
a highly technical document, and it does not cover the procedures for
attaching hardware, terminals, or other equipment to the network. This
information is provided in other documents [1,2].
Originally, the MILNET was an integral part of the research network known
as the ARPANET (after the Advanced Research Projects Agency, which was the
sponsor). In 1984, the MILNET and the ARPANET were physically separated,
and gateways* were installed to allow traffic to be interchanged between the
MILNET and the research networks sponsored by DARPA (the Defense Advanced
Research Projects Agency). By 1990, the original ARPANET technology had
become obsolete, and the ARPANET was discontinued in June of that year.
The DDN affords its users a wealth of services and resources. Many of your
colleagues already work on the network, and you will be able to communicate
with them quickly and easily even though they may be hundreds of miles away.
The DDN also allows you to participate in discussions about topics of
interest to you and gives you the opportunity to use network programs and
tools to enhance your own capabilities.
Using a computer network is not difficult. However, as with any new tool,
using it proficiently requires learning some procedures and guidelines and
practicing your new skills. The DDN New User Guide will provide the
background information necessary to get you started. We hope you find it a
useful introduction to the DDN.
1.2 Using This Guide
The DDN New User Guide is written for the beginning user and should be
supplemented with reading from other sources. Network-specific terms are
defined both in context and in the Glossary (Section 11). Throughout the
text, references appear in the form "[n]". The bracketed numbers refer to
citations in the Bibliography (Section 10), which lists documents containing
additional explanatory or background information. Also, check online help
______________
* Gateways are special computers with the capability of interconnecting
networks. Gateways are necessary when routing messages through more
than one network.
NIC 60001, February 1993
INTRODUCTION Page 2
systems and the documentation that usually accompanies the network programs
you use. (Watch for pointers to online help files when you first access a
program or service.) We encourage you to expand your knowledge of the
network by consulting these and other information sources whenever you can.
The Guide is divided into sections and subsections, each covering topics of
interest to a new user. A summary of the contents of each section follows.
* Section 1 (this section) is a brief introduction to the Guide.
* Section 2, The Defense Data Network, describes the structure of the
DDN and its administration. It also describes the MILNET and the
role of the Defense Network System Organization (DNSO). It provides
a brief historical sketch of the evolution of the DDN from the
original ARPANET.
* Section 3, Network Connection, describes the ways in which various
machines access the network.
* Section 4, DDN TAC Access, describes the procedures for obtaining and
using a TAC Access Card and provides detailed procedures for
accessing the network through a Terminal Access Controller (TAC) or a
Mini-TAC. Also included is background information that will be
helpful to TAC and Mini-TAC users, such as common error messages,
TAC commands, and instructions for performing file transfers.
* Section 5, Network Use, provides "how-to" instructions for some of
the DDN's most useful services, such as electronic mail programs,
FTP, and TELNET.
* Section 6, The DDN Network Information Center (NIC), describes in
detail the databases, programs, files, documents, and services
offered by the NIC.
* Section 7, Security Considerations and Network Conduct, explains the
legal and courtesy standards of the network. The importance of host
and network security is discussed, and in Section 7.1, the
requirements for legitimate access to the DDN are defined. Be sure
to read the etiquette section (Section 7.3). Adhering to the
guidelines given there will decrease your chances of unwittingly
offending other users during your first days on the net.
* Section 8, Network Concepts Overview, provides some background
information on terms and concepts that a new user might hear but not
understand. This section includes discussions on topics such as the
Domain Name System (DNS), network addressing, Government Open Systems
Interconnection Profile (GOSIP), and gateway concentrators.
* Section 9, Network Service Centers and Contacts, describes network
service providers and how to reach them. The DDN Network Information
Center (NIC) is logically the first place to look for information
unavailable at the local level. The NIC can help you solve network
use problems, locate documents and resources, or identify appropriate
points of contact (POCs) for further assistance.
* Sections 10 and 11 are a Bibliography and a Glossary of terms used
in this guide.
NIC 60001, February 1993
INTRODUCTION Page 3
* The appendices contain information about resources available to
network users and answers to some of the questions most often asked
by new users.
* A feedback form is located at the back of the Guide. We encourage
our readers to use the form to make suggestions or point out errors.
We value your comments and suggestions and will consider them for
future versions of the DDN New User Guide. You may also send
suggestions online to NIC@NIC.DDN.MIL.
NOTE: Typographical conventions cannot be reproduced in the on-line version
of this guide. See title page for information on ordering a text-
enhanced and illustrated copy of the DDN New User Guide.
1.3 Document Conventions
This document uses several printing conventions to identify the difference
between characters you type (input) and those that a computer prints to your
screen (output). These conventions are described below.
Unless otherwise indicated, all user input is terminated by pressing the
carriage return or Enter key on your keyboard. (Pressing this key does not
cause a visible character to be printed.) In this document, the carriage
return or Enter key is represented as <Return>. Both input and output
are characterized by a typewriter-like font to further differentiate them
from the surrounding text.
1.3.1 User Input Display
Your input (i.e., the characters you type) is represented in bold typeface:
Your input looks like this.
1.3.2 Machine Output Display
A non-bold, non-proportional font represents machine prompts, messages, and
other output.
Machine text looks like this.
1.3.3 Comment Display
In examples or instructions, Italics indicate comments we have inserted
for further clarification.
Our comments look like this.
1.3.4 Typing Control Characters
In using the network, it may sometimes be necessary for you to type special
characters known as control characters. These characters are often
represented in documentation by a letter prefixed with the circumflex
character "^"--e.g., ^y. When entering these control characters, you must
press the control key simultaneously with the desired letter.
NIC 60001, February 1993
INTRODUCTION Page 4
For example, if you see a "^y" in input instructions, this indicates a
control-y, and it means that you should press the control key while you type
the letter "y". Throughout this Guide, the control key is represented by the
circumflex, unless otherwise stated.
NIC 60001, February 1993
THE DEFENSE DATA NETWORK Page 5
SECTION 2. THE DEFENSE DATA NETWORK
2.1 Network Overview
When you access a local computer, you are largely unaware of what kind of
link connects your terminal to the computer you wish to use. The terminal
seems to be the computer, since it prints or displays what is happening.
As you progress in your work, you may need to move data from your local
computer onto another computer, or you may wish to send a message to a
colleague working on a computer at a distant location. At this point, the
usefulness of a communication network becomes apparent.
A communication network is a group of computers joined by data-carrying
links. A network may be as small as two or three personal computers tied
together by local telephone lines and located in the same building, or it
may be a vast complex of computers spread over the world, whose data links
include long-haul telephone lines, satellite relays, fiber-optic cables, or
radio links. It is also possible for several different networks to be
interconnected to form an "internetwork" or "internet."
Everyone is familiar with telephones. Phone sets inside the house connect
to outside lines that lead into nearby local or regional telephone exchanges.
These exchanges are connected to make up one or more national telephone
systems. The national telephone systems communicate with each other to make
up an international telephone network. There are also private telephone
systems that have their own equipment and are totally separate from the
public telephone system.
Computer networks follow a similar pattern. Local area networks (called
LANs) may connect computers within a building or in different buildings.
A LAN may remain separate, or it may interconnect to regional, national, or
worldwide commercial or government networks. Many of these large and small
networks are gradually interconnecting through gateways to form a worldwide
system of data networks similar to the telephone system. Indeed, since many
computer networks use telephone communication lines to carry data from one
computer to the next, the two systems are closely interwoven.
You do not need detailed knowledge of this technology to use a network, but
you do need to understand the concept of going through layers of equipment
and interconnections. Effective network use also requires knowing the
online addresses of people or machines with which you wish to communicate
and knowing your own network address as well.
The DDN is a special kind of data network known as a packet-switched network.
On this network, a terminal or a source host computer (generally just called
a host) passes a message along with its destination address to the local
Packet Switching Node (PSN)* computer. The PSN breaks the message into
packets, or smaller chunks of data. Each of these packets has the same
destination address and source address as the original message, plus a
sequence number indicating which piece of the original message it represents.
The packets are passed from PSN to PSN until they reach the destination PSN,
where they are reassembled in their original order and delivered to the
destination host.
A packet switched network differs from a circuit-switched network in that no
predetermined dedicated path exists for delivery of the data. Each packet
takes the best route that it can find at the time, and all the packets in a
_____________
* PSNs were originally called Interface Message Processors, or IMPs.
NIC 60001, February 1993
THE DEFENSE DATA NETWORK Page 6
message do not necessarily take the same route. Once the packets arrive at
the destination PSN, they are reassembled in the correct sequence and
delivered to the destination host as a complete message.
2.2 Network Access Methods
The Defense Data Network (DDN) is made up of a variety of equipment. Its
users provide terminals, modems, leased circuits to the PSN, and host
computers. The DDN supplies node computers, encryption equipment, and some
support services. You can reach the network from your terminal in several
ways by using different combinations of hardware in conjunction with
different network programs. These network connection methods are shown in
Figure 2-1.
[ NOTE: This figure cannot be reproduced on-line. ]
Figure 2-1. Methods of Accessing the Network
NIC 60001, February 1993
THE DEFENSE DATA NETWORK Page 7
A terminal may reach a host in several ways.
* A wire or cable may run directly from the terminal to the
computer; this is called a hard-wired terminal.
* A terminal may communicate with a computer via a telephone
connected to the terminal through a modem or acoustic coupler;
this is called a dial-up terminal.
Dial-up terminals can connect to the network at speeds of from 300 to 9600
bits per second (bps). A speed of 1200 bps is common in the continental
United States, while 1200 bps is more common in Europe.
[NOTE: The speed setting of both your terminal and your modem
must be the same to enable the two devices to communicate properly
with one another.]
With the appropriate equipment, personal computers may also be used as
terminals. In this case, the personal computer emulates (or acts like) a
terminal when it is used in terminal mode.
A terminal may be directly attached to a local area network (LAN) or to a
local switch (similar to a telephone switch). The user of such a terminal
can reach any computer on the LAN or any computer connected to the switch.
The LAN may also be connected to the DDN through a gateway, which is a
computer whose software can direct traffic from the LAN onto the larger
long-haul network and vice versa.
2.3 Organization of the DDN
The Defense Data Network is a large military common-user data communications
internetwork operated for the Department of Defense (DoD) by the Defense
Network Systems Organization (DNSO) of the Defense Information Systems Agency
(DISA). The DDN is made up of several networks. The MILNET is the DDN
network that is connected to the Internet.
2.4 Development of the DDN
As mentioned previously, the MILNET is an unclassified military network that
is part of the DDN. It was built using technology developed as part of the
ARPANET, which was the prototype packet-switched network.
The ARPANET was built by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
in 1969 as an experiment to determine the viability of a store-and-forward,
host-to-host, packet-switched network. The network designers wanted to
demonstrate that computers made by different manufacturers, of different
sizes, and running different operating systems, could communicate with one
another across a network. It was envisioned that users of such a network
could share programs and communicate via the network with other users at
distant locations. The experiment was successful, and today many data
networks are modeled after the ARPANET.
In 1979, the Department of Defense decided to interconnect several DoD long-
haul computer networks through a set of internet protocols so that these
networks could share the same backbone of node computers linked by high-speed
telephone lines. Protocols are rules or standards by which computers
communicate on a network. The ARPANET protocols were developed by researchers
known as the Internet Working Group (IWG), under the sponsorship of the DARPA
Information Processing Techniques Office (IPTO). The protocols were tested
NIC 60001, February 1993
THE DEFENSE DATA NETWORK Page 8
for several years on the ARPANET, and they proved useful for creating the
networking environment that the DoD wanted.
In 1982, the DoD issued a directive [3] adopting a single set of
communications protocols based on the ARPANET protocols. This was followed
later in 1982 by a directive [4] to create the DDN as a parent, or umbrella,
operational military network made up of several existing or planned DoD
computer networks.
By 1983, the ARPANET, which was still considered an experimental network, had
grown to over 300 computers, many used for day-to-day operational military
purposes as well as for research. Other military users were seeking
networking services. To meet this growing need for an operational military
network, the DoD evaluated several network architectures and finally chose
the DARPA Internet architecture as the model for its common-user
communications network, the DDN.
In September 1984, the original ARPANET was split into two separate
unclassified networks--a military research and development network (ARPANET)
and a military operational communications network (MILNET). The split
returned to DARPA a network for experimentation and established an
unclassified military network able to accommodate the DoD's growing
operational needs.
In June 1990, the ARPANET was officially dissolved. Many sites that were
formerly part of the ARPANET are now connected to the National Science
Foundation Network, NSFnet. The MILNET remains under the administration of
DISA. Plans for upgrading and expanding the current network are now underway.
A Defense Research Internet (DRI) will meet defense needs, while the National
Research and Education Network (NREN) will provide a national forum for
research and education.
2.5 The Defense Information Systems Agency, Defense Network Systems
Organization (DISA DNSO)
DISA's Defense Network Systems Organization (DNSO) evolved from the Defense
Communications System Organization in 1991 (the same year in which DISA
evolved from the Defense Communications Agency). The DNSO handles overall
management and operations. It also sets policy guidelines and assists new
military subscribers in bringing their computers and related equipment onto
the DDN.
The DNSO provides many services to network users and potential network
subscribers. It is responsible for
* Keeping the network "up and running,"
* Providing user assistance,
* Setting policies and guidelines,
* Anticipating growth and expansion,
* Assisting new subscribers.
Among its other duties, the DNSO also
* Manages access control and security for the network backbone,
* Designates host and node contacts,
* Coordinates military sponsors,
* Provides technical management of contracts for services,
equipment, and software obtained from outside vendors.
NIC 60001, February 1993
THE DEFENSE DATA NETWORK Page 9
To provide operational management support for the DDN, the DISA DNSO has
designated a person to act as the primary Point of Contact (POC) for
operations for each of the DDN networks. For example, the MILNET Manager is
responsible for MILNET operations. One of his/her duties is to approve all
host connections to the MILNET and all changes to such connections. For
information about how to contact the current MILNET Manager or any of the
other DDN network managers, you may call the DDN Network Information Center.
(See Section 6.1.1.)
NIC 60001, February 1993
NETWORK CONNECTION Page 10
SECTION 3. NETWORK CONNECTION
3.1 Host Access
To open a connection through the network from one host to another, you must
first log in to one of the hosts from a terminal. After logging in, you may
open a connection across the network to a second host. Once this connection
is established, you may log in to the remote host computer and work there.
When you finish and log out of the remote computer, the network connection
is closed and you are back where you began--still logged in to the first host.
In this way, it is easy to use the resources of more than one computer
(assuming that you have a valid account on each system).
The direct host-to-host connection just described is called a TELNET
connection. TELNET is a valuable network tool because it lets you use
programs and utilities on remote machines that may not be available locally.
You may also open a specialized host-to-host link called a file transfer or
FTP connection. (FTP is the acronym for File Transfer Protocol.) FTP
allows you to copy or transfer files from one host to another. Sections
5.1.2 and 5.1.3 provide specific details for executing host-to-host FTP and
TELNET connections.
3.2 TAC Access
Military users can access the DDN by connecting to a Terminal Access
Controller, or TAC, and then logging into the TAC by entering a valid Userid
and Access Code (password). A TAC allows a wide variety of terminals to
communicate directly with any host on the network without going through an
intervening host. There are three types of TAC-to-terminal connection:
1. When a wire or cable runs directly from a terminal to a TAC, it is
called a hard-wired or direct-connect terminal.
2. A terminal may also connect to a TAC through a telephone and modem; this
is called a dial-up connection.
3. Some terminals are referred to as dedicated terminals. These terminals
use a point-to-point modem to connect to the network; they are not
considered "dial-up" terminals.
After logging into a TAC, you can reach a network host by specifying its host
address. You may also establish this type of connection on a Mini-TAC (see
Section 4.2.6).
[NOTE: You must be a registered, authorized user to obtain a TAC
Userid and Access Code. See details in Section 4.1.1.]
3.3 Gateway Access
If a computer is attached to a LAN or a non-DDN network, a gateway or
concentrator manages communication between the local network and the DDN.
The gateway is transparent--that is, you should be unaware that it is there.
Some sites do not allow traffic to flow from the DDN to their internal
network. In such cases, the gateway exists and is functional, but you must
use the gateway host itself to perform any tasks that require access to the
DDN (e.g., to establish a TELNET or FTP connection to a DDN host).
NIC 60001, February 1993
NETWORK CONNECTION Page 11
Electronic mail can travel over this type of gateway transparently.
Ordinarily, you need no special commands or syntax to communicate through a
gateway. Figure 2-1 illustrates a gateway connection from a LAN to the DDN,
as well as the other connection strategies discussed in this Section.
[NOTE: Because of software limitations, figures are not visible
in the ASCII format of the online version of this document.]
3.4 A Word About Personal Computers
Although Personal Computers (PCs) can be attached to the DDN in several ways
(including as hosts), at present, most personal computers on the DDN are not
hosts--that is, they have not implemented the network protocols and are not
attached directly to a PSN. Functioning simply as terminals, they have no
other capabilities so far as the network is concerned.
Like a terminal, a PC can be connected to a host, Terminal Access Controller
(TAC), or Mini-TAC through either a dedicated or a dial-up line. In these
cases, the PC needs special software that allows it to imitate a terminal.
Once you have assembled the proper equipment, you must configure the software
for your particular system. You will often need to set the following
parameters:
speed The baud rate (in bits per second) at which data is sent
and received; usually 1200 baud if your connection is
through a dial-up modem. However, 9600 baud dial-up
service is currently being introduced. For direct lines,
check with your Node Site Coordinator.
data bits Usually set at 8 (or 7 when accessing the network via
a TAC)
stop bits Usually set at 1
parity Usually set to "even" or "none"
If these settings do not work, ask local user representatives or host
personnel what your system requires. Consult the documentation that
accompanies your personal computer, software, and/or modem for details of
operation.
Local site representatives should be the first point of contact for PC-
related problems. If you have no such representative, contact the Host
Administrator for the host you are trying to reach. The NIC may also be
able to help with some of the problems you encounter. Check to see if your
organization has a PC users group, as other users can be a valuable source
of advice. In addition, the network has several general and machine-specific
PC interest groups that can provide a broad range of information and answers.
(See Appendix A for information on these groups, and see Section 4.2.5 for a
discussion of transferring files through a TAC or Mini-TAC to a PC.)
NIC 60001, February 1993
DDN TAC ACCESS Page 12
SECTION 4. DDN TAC ACCESS
This section provides information about TAC cards and explains how to use a
TAC or Mini-TAC to log on to the network and set it to transfer files. It
also provides information on special settings that may be required to allow
the TAC/Mini-TAC to transfer files and function more efficiently.
4.1 TAC Card Information
The following paragraphs explain how users are registered to receive TAC
cards, what items are printed on a TAC card, and how to get a TAC Users'
Guide.
4.1.1 TAC User Registration
If you are unable to connect directly to your host computer, you will be
issued a TAC Access Card that allows you to access your host via a TAC or
Mini-TAC. Whether you are located hundreds or thousands of miles away from
the host or right next door, you will need a TAC card only if you cannot
access your host directly.
TAC access requires official authorization from a MILNET Host Administrator,
as well as the assignment of a unique TAC Userid and Access Code (Password).
After obtaining official authorization, the NIC issues each MILNET TAC user a
TAC Access Card containing a Userid and Access Code. The NIC cannot issue a
card until it has received approval from the Host Administrator for the
user's primary MILNET host (or from the Host Administrator of the gateway
to which his primary host is attached).
[NOTE: If you need a TAC card for a limited time, your Host
Administrator can probably issue you a TAC guest card, which is
good for up to three months. If you need such temporary access,
contact your Host Administrator.]
Regardless of whether you normally use a direct connection to your host, you
may need a TAC Access Card if you travel extensively. Because TACs and Mini-
TACs are located all over the world, an Access Card allows you to log in
when you are out of town without incurring long distance phone charges.
The TAC Access Card contains a Userid and Access Code. This Userid and
Access Code are to be used only by the person to whom the card is issued.
While there is a strict policy of limiting TAC cards to one per person, you
may have many DDN host login accounts, and one TAC card can be used to access
any of these accounts. You do not need a TAC card from each host on which
you have an account. Any TAC card works on all TACs.
Note that TAC cards are issued to users by individual name only. They are
not issued to groups of users or entire offices. This policy applies even
when many users share a single login account. Not only is this a security
measure, but it also prevents multiple users from losing DDN access when a
single card is invalidated.
If you are using a card issued to another DDN user, please notify the person
listed as the CONTACT on the card. This is probably your Host Administrator.
Inform him/her that you are using an account on his/her host and that you
wish to have a TAC card issued in your own name.
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4.1.1.1 Users Behind Concentrators
DDN Management Bulletin 76 [5] states that only administrators of hosts that
are directly connected to the MILNET can authorize TAC or Mini-TAC Access
Cards for their users. Administrators of hosts that are behind concentrators
or gateways cannot directly authorize their users for TAC access unless they
are delegated that authority by their gateway Host Administrator. Such
administrators will need either to transfer jurisdiction over their users to
their gateway administrator or to obtain authority from him/her to request
TAC access directly. If you are a user or Host Administrator who has
questions about this policy, please send a message to
REGISTRAR@NIC.DDN.MIL
or call 1-800-365-DNIC for assistance.
If you access the MILNET via a concentrator/gateway, the name of that
concentrator, its address, and its administrator may appear on the HOST,
NETADDRESS, and CONTACT lines of your TAC card. You may still use your card
to access your primary login account, even if it is on another host; however,
you must know the network address of your primary host. The administrator of
your primary host can tell you its address. You must know this address when
you log into a TAC and when you request help with a TAC login problem.
4.1.2 TAC Card Example
Figure 4-1 is a sample of the left portion of a DDN TAC Access Card. To help
you understand the information on the TAC card, we have identified what each
information item represents.
[ NOTE: Figure 4-1 cannot be reproduced online. ]
Figure 4-1. TAC Card Example
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DDN TAC ACCESS Page 14
TAC cards are perforated and include instructions to "detach here" and "fold
here," allowing you to reduce the size of the card so that you may insert it
in a wallet or credit card case.
WARNING!! Do not laminate your TAC Card. Because of NIC printing
requirements, blank cards are enclosed within carbon-coated
envelopes. This carbon material fades very quickly when placed in
plastic envelopes or when permanently laminated. This phenomenon
also extends to the placement of transparent tape over the print.
If you wish to preserve or darken the information printed on your
card, we recommend that you use a ballpoint pen to rewrite it just
above or below the appropriate item.
The most important information on the right-hand portion of your TAC card is
your mailing address. However, the NIC includes its toll-free User
Assistance Hotline number on this section of the card in case you lose the
left half. In addition to the hotline number, the top of the card contains
a brief set of user guidelines. As an authorized TAC or Mini-TAC user, you
are expected to comply with these guidelines. If you find yourself in the
position of sharing a TAC Access Card with other users, please notify your
Host Administrator and request a TAC card for each individual.
4.1.2.1 Common TAC Card Userid/Access-Code Input Errors
Just below the guidelines section is a key that shows how each printed
character appears on a TAC card. The statement, "Access codes never contain
a one, zero, 'Q' or 'Z'" follows. Remember that these characters are invalid
only in Access Codes and not in Userids. If you find that the TAC or Mini-
TAC is returning a "Bad Login" error message during your first attempts to
log in, check to see if you are typing one of these invalid characters.
For example, if you're typing a zero, try the letter O (oscar). If you're
typing a Q (quebec), try the letter G (golf) instead. Use the key to compare
the printed characters. Be aware that other character can also be similar.
For instance, the 8 (eight) sometimes looks like a B (bravo), and the S
(sierra) sometimes looks like a 5 (five). TAC card Userids and Access Codes
are not case-sensitive, i.e., you can enter them in either uppercase or
lowercase letters.
If you have any questions about reading or using your TAC access card, call
the NIC for assistance at 1-800-365-DNIC.
4.1.3 Obtaining the TAC Users' Guide
The paragraph in fine print at the bottom of your TAC card alerts you that
further, more comprehensive information is available to you. Upon written
request, you can obtain the TAC Users' Guide from the Defense Information
Systems Agency (DISA). This document is geared toward users who are
interested in learning some of the finer points of TAC usage.
To order the TAC Users' Guide, send a note specifying its title and DCAC
310-P70-74 to the following address:
Defense Information Systems Agency
Attn: Code BIAR
701 S. Courthouse Road
Arlington, VA 22204-2199
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DDN TAC ACCESS Page 15
4.2 TAC Login Procedures
This section discusses how to use a TAC or Mini-TAC to log in to the DDN.
It also describes how to connect to a TAC or Mini-TAC, lists some common
TAC/Mini-TAC error messages, and presents information about transferring
files through a TAC to a PC.
4.2.1 Connecting to a TAC or Mini-TAC
The following paragraphs explain the various ways in which you can connect to
a TAC or a Mini-TAC.
4.2.1.1 Dial-up TACs
To connect to a TAC/Mini-TAC using the telephone system, follow the general
procedures described here. Because the exact steps required to dial the
TAC/Mini-TAC depend on your local hardware setup, check with local site
representatives for details.
You may obtain the number of the nearest TAC/Mini-TAC directly from the
network by using the TACNEWS service (see Section 6.3.3) or by calling the
NIC at 1-800-365-DNIC. You can look up the phone number of a specific TAC/
Mini- TAC via the NIC WHOIS service (see Section 6.3.1). In addition, many
TAC/Mini-TAC phone numbers are listed on the back of your TAC Access Card.
4.2.1.2 Using a Terminal with an Acoustic Coupler
To use an acoustic coupler, first dial the TAC/Mini-TAC number on a telephone
and listen for the dial tone. When you hear the tone, put the telephone
handset into the indicated position on the coupler cuffs.
4.2.1.3 Using a Dial-up Modem
A dial-up modem will be wired to your telephone and to your terminal.
(Consult the instructions that come with the modem to attach it to your
terminal and set it properly.) Begin by dialling the TAC/Mini-TAC number on
the telephone. Then, wait for the tone, switch the modem from "voice" to
"data," and set the handset back on the telephone cradle. Note that the
speed of the terminal must match the speed of the modem. Also note that some
modems are "smart"--that is, you will not have to use the telephone to dial
the number. Instead, you will type some instructions to your terminal, such
as "DIAL5551212" or "ATDT9,18003682227." The modem will then dial the number
as instructed and make the connection for you. See your modem instruction
manual for exact details.
4.2.1.4 Using a PC and Communications Software
To access a TAC/Mini-TAC, you can use one of the popular communications
software packages such as Procomm or the Xmodem protocol. These programs
often enable the PC to dial the TAC/Mini-TAC, open the host connection, and
enter your Userid and Access Code automatically. If you use such a package,
be sure you know how to dial the TAC/Mini-TAC by hand in case there are
problems with the script or the equipment. It is also useful to know the
address of the host you connect to and how to alter the script when changes
are made to the network.
NIC 60001, February 1993
DDN TAC ACCESS Page 16
Finally, for security reasons, you should enter your Userid and Access Code
manually when logging in rather than including this information within the
access script.
4.2.1.5 Hard-Wired TAC Connections
If you are to connect to a host via a hard-wired TAC connection, you will
need to consult a local user representative or Node Site Coordinator to learn
the procedure for getting to the TAC/Mini-TAC. The procedure will vary
depending upon what equipment is used and how it is configured at your
location.
4.2.2 TAC Login
After you have successfully connected to a TAC/Mini-TAC, you must supply a
"wake-up" character to alert the TAC to your presence. Do this by holding
down the <Control> key and typing the letter Q on your keyboard (^Q). The
TAC/Mini-TAC should respond with a banner--often a message from the MILNET
Monitoring Center. If you are dialing into a TAC modem capable of 9600 bps,
enter a <Return> character instead of a ^Q. If you are unsure of the modem
type at the TAC, try both characters.
Once the TAC banner is displayed on your screen, you can begin the process of
logging into the TAC/Mini-TAC and connecting to a remote host.
On the following page is a sample scenario showing how to log in to a
TAC/Mini-TAC.
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DDN TAC ACCESS Page 17
******************************************************************************
CONNECT 1200 After user dials or otherwise connects to the TAC/
Mini-TAC, the modem may print a message similar to this.
^q To alert the TAC/Mini-TAC, the user types a control-q.
(It will not appear on the screen.)
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
NIC 1-800-365-DNIC
29 TAC 114 #:20
@o 192.112.37.10 The TAC responds; the user opens a host connection
by typing "@o" for open and entering the host
address in dot notation format.
TAC Userid: NIC-GUEST
Access Code: The TAC prompts for Userid and Access Code, and the user
enters the data. The Access Code does not echo.
Login OK The connection is opened and NIC displays information.
TCP Trying...Open
* -- DDN Network Information Center --
*
* For TAC news, type: TACNEWS <return>
* For user and host information, type: WHOIS <return>
* For NIC information, type: NIC <return>
*
* For user assistance, call (800) 365-3642 or (800) 365-DNIC or
(703) 802-4535
* Please report system problems to ACTION@NIC.DDN.MIL.
NIC, SunOS Release 4.1.1 (NIC) #1:
Cmdinter Ver 1.2 Wed Apr 8 11:18:20 1992 EST
@. . .
User works on the host and logs off when finished.
When disconnected from the host, user returns to the TAC
command level.
@l
Logged out
User types "@l" to log off the TAC/Mini-TAC and the TAC
confirms.
******************************************************************************
NIC 60001, February 1993
DDN TAC ACCESS Page 18
For more detailed instructions on using a TAC/Mini-TAC and setting terminal
parameters, consult the TAC Users' Guide [1].
When you enter your TAC Userid and Access Code, remember the following:
* <Return> terminates each input line and causes the next prompt to
appear.
* It doesn't matter whether you type your TAC Userid and Access Code
in uppercase or lowercase letters.
* For security reasons, your Access Code input is not echoed or it is
obscured from view with strikeover characters.
* If you make a mistake, try using the backspace key (^H) to delete a
single character. Use ^U to delete an entire line. Although
these commands do not work on every keyboard, they often do.
* If you make a mistake while entering either your TAC Userid or
Access Code, type ^C to abort the login process and return to
the TAC command mode. Then try again.
* Sometimes the TAC/Mini-TAC is unable to reach the requested host
address. To tell the TAC/Mini-TAC to stop making connection
attempts, issue a close command:
@c <Return>
Closed.
* As long as you have an open connection to a host, you remain logged
in to the TAC/Mini-TAC. If you close the connection to the host
or the connection is shut down for any reason, you are given ten
minutes to open another connection with no further login to the
TAC/Mini-TAC. If you do not open another connection within ten
minutes, the TAC attempts to hang up your connection and
automatically log you out.
To open another connection, simply type the "open" command again and
supply another host address, as in the example below:
@o 128.1.0.1 <Return>
4.2.3 Common TAC Login Problems
This section covers only TAC login problems. Problems specific to the Mini-
TAC will be covered in a future revision of this document.
The TAC issues an error message when it does not receive the expected input.
Some of the most common error messages are presented in this section, along
with suggestions about what to do if you see one.
The TAC sends two kinds of messages. The first deals with errors in the TAC
login process; the second deals with difficulties in opening a connection to
the destination host.
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4.2.3.1 TAC Login Error Messages
You may see one of the following error messages if you have problems logging
in to a TAC. Each message is accompanied by a brief explanation of its cause
and suggestions for further action.
BAD LOGIN
This message means that the combination of Userid and Access Code you
entered is invalid. Examine your TAC Access Card carefully to be sure
you are typing the correct characters and that you are not using any of
the characters that are invalid in an Access Code. Note that Access
Codes never contain a zero (0), a one (1), a Q (quebec), or a Z (zulu),
since each of these characters may easily be mistaken for another. If
your Access Code appears to contain one of these characters, it may be
the letter O (oscar), the letter L (lima), the letter G (golf), or the
number 2 (two).
This message is also displayed if you are using an expired or invalid
TAC card. If you are sure you are typing correctly and suspect you are
using a bad card, contact the NIC at 1-800-365-DNIC, and they can
determine the validity of your card.
BAD
This message means you typed a string that is not a valid TAC command,
and the TAC does not understand your input. Either you typed something
incorrectly or there was some interference on your connection.
Frequently, simply repeating the command corrects the problem. However,
if repeating your input causes another error message, check to make sure
that you understand the command you meant to type and that your input is
in an acceptable format.
NUM
This message means that the TAC was expecting you to type a number, but
you typed some other character. The message is displayed if you type
the letter O (oscar) as part of the address of the host you are trying
to connect to, or if you omit the numeric host address after typing @o
(for open). Make sure that you are not typing letters in places you
should be typing numbers; this will probably correct the problem.
WAIT
The TAC displays this message while it is attempting to validate your
Userid and Access Code.
NO CARRIER
This message comes from your PC or modem. If this message is displayed
on your initial attempt to dial the TAC/Mini-TAC, it means that the
TAC/Mini-TAC did not answer the phone. This could be because of a power
failure or other emergency at the site where the TAC/Mini-TAC is
located, or it could be the result of a mis-dialed telephone number.
Try calling the number with a telephone that is not connected to your
terminal and see if your get a busy signal or other recording from the
telephone company.
If this message appears after you have logged in and while you are
working on the host, it means that something happened to disconnect your
modem from the TAC/Mini-TAC. Try dialing the TAC/Mini-TAC again. If
NIC 60001, February 1993
DDN TAC ACCESS Page 20
the problem persists, contact your site systems representative to check
your modem, or call the Monitoring Center for your area to check the
TAC/Mini-TAC.
4.2.3.2 Host Connection Errors
Host connection error messages are sent when you have successfully logged in
to the TAC and while the TAC is trying to connect to the host you specified.
You know that you have successfully logged in to the TAC when you see the
"Login OK, TCP trying..." message.
DESTINATION HOST DEAD
This message means that the remote host is physically powered off or the
cable to the network has been removed. The host is "down." Since host
down-times are normally relatively short, wait a while and try to log in
again. If the host remains unavailable, call the Host Administrator for
the destination host and ask when the system will be available again.
If you do not know the Host Administrator's phone number, the NIC can
provide it or the name and number of the coordinator of the network to
which the host is attached. This information can also be found by
querying the NIC's WHOIS database.
DESTINATION HOST UNREACHABLE
DESTINATION NET UNREACHABLE
HOST NOT RESPONDING
Several network conditions can cause these messages. They may be
displayed if the host or its PSN is down or if a gateway between the TAC
and the host is down. Also, check to ensure that you specified the
correct host address. Typing a nonexistent network address will cause
such a message to be generated. If the condition persists, call the NIC
for assistance.
4.2.4 Changing the TAC Intercept Character
The "@" sign is the default TAC intercept character. The intercept character
is the character that signals the TAC to interpret any character(s) that
follow immediately as TAC commands rather than passing them through to the
network.
However, once you have connected to your host, you may want to send an @
directly through to the network--for example, when you type a DDN mail
address.
To make the TAC pass the @ on to the host rather than intercepting it, you
must type @ twice--i.e., @@. When you do this, the TAC intercepts the first
"@", transmits the second "@" to the host, and echoes that one back to you.
You will see @@@ on your screen. Remember, when you want to type an "@" for
anything other than a TAC command, you must type it twice. For example, to
send a message to auser@milhost, you would have to type
auser@@milhost
and on your screen you would see
auser@@@milhost
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DDN TAC ACCESS Page 21
To change the TAC intercept character, you must type @i (for intercept)
followed by the decimal value of the ASCII code of the character you wish to
use in place of the @. The TAC Users' Guide contains a list of ASCII codes.
For purposes of text file transfers, we recommend that you change the
intercept to a non-printing character, such as a control character. For
example, to change the intercept character to control-y (^y), type the
following:
@i 25 <Return>
(Be sure to insert a space between the @i and the ASCII code number.) After
you change the intercept character, you must use the new character for all
subsequent TAC commands. To return to the default TAC intercept character
(the "@" sign) after changing it to ^y, type the following:
^yi e <Return>
where "i e" stands for intercept escape.
4.2.5 Using a TAC for File Transfer
This section presents several TAC command procedures that may facilitate file
transfers through a TAC. The procedures covered here are
* Changing the TAC intercept character,
* Setting flow control on the TAC,
* Putting the TAC into binary mode.
4.2.5.1 Changing the Intercept Character
For executing file transfers, you may want to change the TAC intercept
character to one that your file transfer program does not use. For example,
the Kermit file transfer program uses the "@" (discussed in a subsequent
section). To change the intercept character, follow the directions in
Section 4.2.4 above.
4.2.5.2 Setting Flow Control on the TAC
Setting flow control on the TAC ensures that data will not be transferred at
a rate that causes the TAC buffers to overflow. The example below assumes
that you have changed the TAC intercept character to ^y. (The ^y characters
are shown in the examples, but they will not display on your screen as you
type them on your keyboard.)
^yd c a <Return>
^yf i s <Return>
^yf o s <Return>
where
^yd c a = device code ASCII, which clears any previously
set flow control as well as any padding and
parity. Flow control is incompatible with
padding and parity.
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DDN TAC ACCESS Page 22
^yf i s = flow control input start, which enables flow
control so that the terminal sending data will
not send it faster than the TAC can handle it.
^yf o s = flow control output start, which disables flow
control from the TAC to the terminal.
4.2.5.3 Putting the TAC in Binary Mode
To transfer binary files over the network, you must first put the TAC into
binary mode. Doing so disables the TAC intercept character. You must disable
the intercept character because if the TAC receives what it considers to be
an intercept character--even though the character is embedded in a file--it
interrupts the transfer process and tries to interpret whatever follows the
intercept as a command.
To put the TAC in binary mode, first open a connection to your host. After
establishing the host connection, put the TAC in binary mode with the
commands shown below. (Here again, the example assumes you have changed the
intercept character to ^y.) The commands must be typed in the order shown,
because if you start binary input before you initiate binary output, the TAC
will ignore the "^yb o s command" and treat it simply as a character string
to transmit over the network.
^yb o s <Return>
^yb i s <Return>
where
^yb o s = binary output start, which enables 8-bit binary
output mode from the TAC.
^yb i s = binary input start, which enables 8-bit binary
input mode to the TAC.
Logging out of your host returns the TAC to non-binary mode, re-enabling local
control with @ commands. This is the only way to reset the TAC from binary to
non-binary mode (short of hanging up or disconnecting from the TAC itself).
4.2.6 A Brief Word About Mini-TACs
Mini-TACS are new and improved DDN access controllers similar to the TACs
currently in use. As with the original TACs, Mini-TACs provide DDN access to
network users who are geographically distant from their host computers. When
a user dials a local or toll-free phone number and types the required series
of commands, it opens a long-distance connection to the user's host computer.
TACs support up to 63 asynchronous user ports. The smaller, more compact
Mini-TAC can handle only 16 asynchronous terminal connections, but it has
other capabilities (i.e., synchronous terminals, HFEP, etc.). Both TACs and
Mini-TACs allow normally incompatible terminals and hosts to communicate with
one another using the DDN as the go-between. While both types of access
controllers serve similar roles, the Mini-TACs provide more advanced
operational and security features.
NIC 60001, February 1993
DDN TAC ACCESS Page 23
Like a TAC, the Mini-TAC returns error messages to its users if it cannot
understand a command. Currently, from a user standpoint, the Mini-TACs and
the TACs are essentially the same. If you notice any difference in behavior
between TACs and Mini-TACs and you need assistance, call the MILNET Monitoring
Center or the NIC. At present, some TAC commands can be abbreviated to one
character. However, in the future, Mini-TAC commands may need to be a least
two characters long to ensure that they are differentiated from other
commands starting with the same letters.
NIC 60001, February 1993
NETWORK USE Page 24
SECTION 5. NETWORK USE
A computer attached to the DDN can reach a large community of users and
access a wide variety of software. Research tools, documents, files, and
mailing lists are all readily accessible through the DDN. This section
describes the procedures for using these network tools, three of which are
major network services: electronic mail, file transfer (FTP), and remote
login (TELNET). These services are integral to the DDN protocols and are
offered by all hosts that have implemented the full set of network protocols.
Although the functionality of the services discussed here is the same on
every host, what the user sees may differ from host to host because software
is often customized to suit the host operating system. For this reason, it
is important to read local online and hard-copy documentation and to consult
online help files for specific details on using these services on your host.
Check with your local Host Administrator or site systems representative if
you need more information. The sections below provide generic instructions
for using electronic mail, FTP, and TELNET.
5.1 Electronic Mail
The DDN capability that is used more often than any other is electronic mail.
Electronic mail lets users send messages to one another over the network.
System programs accept and store mail messages from users on other hosts that
are directed to local users. These programs automatically recognize the
incoming traffic as electronic mail, translate it to a format compatible with
the receiving mail program, and direct the messages to the correct recipients.
Most users have an online mail file where all messages addressed to them are
stored.
You can print, read, or delete your mail using the local mail program.
However, you should not edit or alter the structure of your mail file except
through a mail program, as each message has unique characteristics that
identify it as mail, such as a header, a character count, and a time stamp.
Editing the mail file directly may alter these characteristics so that the
mail program no longer recognizes the data as mail.
Host computers usually provide one or more programs for reading and sending
mail. Most mail programs provide you with the following capabilities:
* Reading messages
All mail programs have a command that allows you to read messages
received over the network. Mail programs normally offer options
for selecting and displaying specific messages from those received
and stored in your mailbox.
* Printing, deleting, or moving messages
With your local mail program, you can print your messages (if a
printer is available), move them into other (editable) files, or
delete them. It is important that you learn how to delete or move
messages after reading them; otherwise, your mail file may
overflow and prevent additional mail from being delivered.
NIC 60001, February 1993
NETWORK USE Page 25
* Sending messages
You can send messages to other users on your own host or to anyone
on the network that has a mail service. No passwords are required
to send mail, but you must know the network mailbox, or address,
of the person to whom you are sending mail. Network mailboxes
usually take the form
USERNAME@HOSTNAME.DOMAIN
e.g., SMITH@NIC.DDN.MIL.
Mail that is transmitted over the DDN normally requires a network address made
up of a username and a hostname. Occasionally, you can omit the hostname.
For example, if you are sending a message to a user on the same host as the
one you are using (your local host), you need not include the hostname. This
is similar to sending an interoffice memo, which rarely needs a full name and
address to reach its destination. On the other hand, a message sent to "John
Smith, U.S.A" has little chance of being delivered without more information.
The same is true of electronic messages without a valid address. Any message
with an incomplete or incorrect address is returned to the sender with an
error message.
If a mail message is undeliverable due to network or machine problems, most
mail programs try to resend it several times before returning it to the
sender.
Many mail programs allow you to use a local text editor to revise or correct
the text of the message you are preparing. The mail programs themselves
usually have simple editing features that allow you to delete a character,
word, or line, or to make simple corrections. An entire file may be sent as
the text of a message, assuming the file is not too large. Many mailers
outside the DDN truncate or discard messages that are longer than 50,000
characters in size, envelope and header data included. It is usually safer
to limit the size of your messages to ensure reliable delivery.
Following are examples of some typical procedures for sending and reading
mail and for getting help within a network mail program. These are general
scenarios; your host may run a different program or implementation than the
ones shown. Only the bare essentials for using these mail programs are
included here. We urge you to read the manuals for your mail system and to
explore the online help facilities to expand your knowledge of what your
implementation has to offer.
In the examples that follow, note that the prompt character consistently
indicates what operating system or program you are dealing with currently,
and that the prompt character changes as you progress from one program to
another.
NOTE: Computer names, user names, electronic addresses, and
other data used in examples throughout this manual are not
intended to represent currently valid input/output--i.e., some of
the data may be "ficticious" but the format is accurate.
5.1.1 UNIX MAIL Examples
Sending Mail Via UNIX
[NOTE: UNIX is case-sensitive. Most UNIX systems require that
commands be entered in lowercase.]
NIC 60001, February 1993
NETWORK USE Page 26
*****************************************************************************
%mail nic@nic.ddn.mil <Return> User asks to send mail to a well-
known mailbox. The percent sign
is a standard UNIX system prompt,
while "mail" is the command that
invokes the Mail program. User must
insert a space before typing the
message address on the same line.
Subject: How to get RFCs <Return>
The Mail program prompts for message subject, and the user
supplies it.
How do I retrieve RFCs using the electronic mail utility?
Thanks for your help. <Return>
^d The user types the message text, ending with a control-d (^d)
in the first character space of a line.
% UNIX prompt returns.
*****************************************************************************
Reading UNIX MAIL
****************************************************************************
% mail <Return> User invokes the Mail program at the UNIX prompt.
You have mail. The Mail program announces that there is mail
waiting in the user's mailbox and prints the
headers of messages received since user last
checked his mail.
New mail: 1) 16/Dec SMITH@ISI.EDU (292) Where is RFC 212?
2) 17/Dec JONES@NIC.DDN.MIL (145) Re: RFC 212
3) Etc...
& p 1 <Return> Mail prompt (&) is presented, and user asks the
Mail program to print message 1 (p 1). The full
message text will be printed on the user's screen.
****************************************************************************
Getting Help for UNIX MAIL
Typing
% man mail connects you to the online Mail manual.
& help displays help for Mail users.
& ? displays a list of Mail commands.
NIC 60001, February 1993
NETWORK USE Page 27
5.1.2 InfoMail Examples
Sending a Message Via InfoMail
[NOTE: Since InfoMail runs under the UNIX operating system, and
UNIX is case sensitive, InfoMail commands must normally be entered
in lowercase.]
****************************************************************************
DDN1->infomail <Return> User invokes the InfoMail program at
his local system prompt.
InfoMail -- Version 0.3x
Username: code123 <Return>
Password: <no echo> <Return> The InfoMail banner is displayed, and
user is asked to log in with his mail
username and password.
--> compose <Return> At the InfoMail prompt, the user asks
to create a message ("compose").
To: command@ddn2.dca.mil <Return>
From: CODE123@DDN1.DCA.MIL InfoMail prompts for address of
recipient and automatically supplies
user's address on "From" line.
Subject: Dial-ups <Return>
Date: 12 July 1992 InfoMail prompts for subject, and user
enters the subject of the message.
InfoMail automatically supplies the
current date.
Text: Request dial-ups for our site. Usage demand is up.
. InfoMail prompts for text, and user
enters, terminating the text with a
carriage return, a period in the
first space of the next line, and
another carriage return.
--> quit <Return>
DDN1-> User types "quit" to exit from
InfoMail. The local system prompt
returns.
****************************************************************************
Reading Mail with InfoMail
****************************************************************************
DDN2->infomail <Return> User invokes the InfoMail program at
his local system prompt.
InfoMail -- Version 0.3x
Username: COMMAND <Return>
Password: <no echo> <Return> The InfoMail banner is displayed, and
user is asked to log in with his mail
username and password. These may be
entered in either upper or lowercase.
After a successful login, InfoMail
notifies user of mail in his "Inbox."
INBOX.
1 FROM: CODEB999 / SUBJECT: DIAL-UPS / 13 Jul
2 FROM: AF@DDN.A / SUBJECT: SCHEDULE / 14 Jul
NIC 60001, February 1993
NETWORK USE Page 28
--> next <Return>
At the InfoMail prompt, user issues a
command to display the next message,
and InfoMail does so.
To: COMMAND@DDN2.DCA.MIL
From: CODE123@DDN1.DCA.MIL
Subject: Dial-ups
Date: 13 July 1992
Text:
Request dial-ups for our site. Usage demand is up.
--------------------END OF DOCUMENT----------------------
--> next <Return> User types "next" to ask for the next
message.
To: COMMAND@DDN2.DCA.MIL
From: AF@DDN1.DCA.MIL
Subject: SCHEDULE
Date: 14 July 1992
Text:
What is the schedule for the next InfoMail demo?
--------------------END OF DOCUMENT----------------------
--> quit <Return> User types "quit"to exit from the
InfoMail program.
****************************************************************************
Getting Help for InfoMail
Typing
-->? Prints a list of all the commands that can be
issued at this stage of the Mail procedure.
--><commandname> ? Lists possible input for completing the
specified command.
-->describe <commandname>
Tells what the specified command does and how
to use it.
-->example <commandname>
Prints an example of the specified command.
InfoMail manuals are available from
BBN Communications Division
10 Moulton Street
Cambridge, MA 02238
5.2 File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
FTP is a protocol that enables you to move a file from one computer to
another--even if the computers have different operating systems and file
storage formats. You can move data files, programs, text files, and/or
anything that can be stored online.
NIC 60001, February 1993
NETWORK USE Page 29
To use FTP, you must know the hostname or the network address of the remote
host. You must also have an authorized username and password on the remote
host system, and you must know the name of the file you want to retrieve from
or send to that system. You can then copy files either to or from the remote
system. Not every file, however, can be FTP'd. Only those files that have
public "read access" (i.e., a file protection designation that permits
transfers) can be transferred from one system to another.
Some hosts provide the username "anonymous" for FTP file retrieval from their
systems; this is called the "anonymous login convention." Any character
string is accepted as a password for an anonymous login. An anonymous login
account works only with FTP. It is not an account that can be accessed for
general use. Normally, you cannot use the anonymous convention to send files
to a remote host, as this requires a specific login account on that host;
you may only use it to transfer files to your local workspace from a host on
which you do not have a login account. However, some hosts now provide
public directories where you can send files as well as retrieve them.
These are the general steps used for a file transfer procedure:
1. Log in to your local host and invoke the FTP program.
2. Provide the hostname or network address for the remote system.
3. When you have successfully established a connection to the remote
host, log in with your authorized username and password on that
system.
4. Issue commands to send or retrieve files.
5. When you are finished, log off the remote host and exit from the
FTP program.
Depending on the FTP implementations on your host and on the remote host, it
may be possible to display a directory listing of the public files on the
remote host and to request remote system status information.
As you will see from the examples, when you transfer a file with FTP, messages
regarding the status of the action you have requested are displayed throughout
the process. The FTP server on the remote host sends the File Transfer
messages. These messages generally have the following characteristics:
* Every FTP command generates at least one reply.
* A reply consists of a three-digit return code, followed by a
line of text describing the response.
* If a single line of text accompanies the return code, a
single space separates the code from the text.
* If more than one line accompanies the return code, a hyphen
(-) separates the code from the text.
During a File Transfer session, you enter a command and then wait for a
message indicating whether the command was accepted. Further system messages
describe the outcome of any transfer you may request.
The text that accompanies the FTP return codes may differ slightly from server
to server, but the general meaning of the numeric codes remains constant.
NIC 60001, February 1993
NETWORK USE Page 30
Programs based on the FTP protocol vary a great deal in implementation
details. The examples provided here should be taken only as guidelines.
Consult your local system representatives for assistance with the FTP
implementation on your host.
Before you begin a File Transfer session, it is best to become familiar with
the general command sequence.
An example of an FTP session conducted between two UNIX systems appears below.
In the example, a user carries out several standard FTP procedures, such as
asking for a directory listing of the public files on the remote system and
then changing to another directory. Remember that the commands to accomplish
these tasks may vary from host to host, and not all host FTP servers implement
all commands.
5.2.1 Transferring a File on a UNIX System
In the following example, both hosts are running UNIX.
*****************************************************************************
abacus-1>ftp fs3.nisc.nic.com <Return>
Connected to FS3.NISC.NIC.COM User invokes the FTP program at
his local system prompt, and the
remote FTP server responds by
displaying its banner and
requesting a login, as shown below.
220 fs3 FTP server (NIC Version x.xx ... Wed July 17 16:20:33 EDT) ready.
Name (fs3.nisc.nic.com:barbv): anonymous <Return>
331 Guest login ok, send ident as password.
Password: guest <Return> (no echo)
230 Guest login ok, access restrictions apply.
ftp>ls <Return>
200 PORT command successful.
150 Opening ASCII mode data connection for
file list.
etc
pub
netinfo
INDEX
ls-lR
226 Transfer complete.
47 bytes received in 0.02secs (2.3 Kbytes/sec)
After successfully logging in as
"anonymous guest," the user asks
for a directory listing of
public files at the FTP prompt.
FTP responds, printing messages
regarding the transfer.
ftp>cd netinfo <Return>
250 CWD command successful.
ftp>ls <Return>
200 PORT command successful. At the FTP prompt, user issues a
command to change to the netinfo
directory, then asks for a
listing of files in the new
working directory (netinfo).
NIC 60001, February 1993
NETWORK USE Page 31
150 Opening ASCII mode data connection for file list.
interest-groups
domains
nsfnet.policy
226 Transfer complete.
125 bytes received in 0.04. seconds (3.1 Kbytes/s)
ftp> get nsfnet.policy <Return> User asks for a transfer of the
specified file to his own file
system. Since he does not
specify a new filename, the file
retains the same name on the
local system.
200 PORT command successful.
150 Opening ASCII mode data connection for nsfnet.policy (2790 bytes).
226 Transfer complete.
local: nsfnet.policy remote: nsfnet.policy
2847 bytes received in 0.12 seconds (23 Kbytes/s)
ftp> quit <Return>
abacus-2> User types "quit"to exit from the
FTP program. The local system
prompt is displayed again.
*****************************************************************************
5.2.2 How to FTP a Directory Listing
The example that follows demonstrates how to retrieve a list of file names
from a public directory. (Not all hosts provide this feature; check with
the online help system or your local user support representative.) In the
example, the user is logged on to a host running the UNIX operating system.
He uses FTP to connect to the host NIC.DDN.MIL, then logs in under username
"anonymous" and password "guest." He enters the "dir" (directory) command
for the directory "RFC" to see the names of accessible files. (Because the
actual directory list is long, only the first few files and the last file
are shown in the example.)
After the directory listing is displayed, the user can copy a file or files
from the remote host directory, but this procedure is not included in the
example. He issues the FTP command "bye" to exit from the program and close
the connection to the remote host, which returns him to the local host
operating system.
****************************************************************************
% ftp <Return>
FTP> nic.ddn.mil <Return>
(Assuming 36-bit connections, paged transfers)
<NIC.DDN.MIL FTP Server Process...
FTP> login anonymous <Return>
Password: guest <Return>
<User ANONYMOUS logged in at Thurs 7-Aug-92 14:14 EDT, job 31.
FTP> dir rfc <Return>
<List started.
PS:<RFC>
rfc-index.TXT.114
rfc189.TXT.1
rfc407.TXT.1
.
.
.
NIC 60001, February 1993
NETWORK USE Page 32
rfc931.TXT.1
226 Transfer complete.
47 bytes received in 0.02secs (2.3 Kbytes/sec)
FTP> bye <Return>
> BYE command received. Goodbye.
%
****************************************************************************
5.3 Using TELNET
Another valuable way to use the network is offered by the TELNET utility,
which allows you to log in to a remote host from a local host (assuming that
you have an authorized account on the remote host). Once you have established
a TELNET connection and logged into the remote host, you can enter data, run
programs, and otherwise operate just as though you were logged in directly.
During a TELNET session, each transition to a different interactive program
causes a shift to a different command level. With each level, the form of
the prompt varies. Command formats also vary with each level. You can often
tell which system/program you are using by the prompt symbol. The steps for
running TELNET, very briefly summarized, are as follows:
* Log in to your local host.
* Invoke the TELNET program from that host.
* Identify by hostname or network address the remote host that you
want access to.
* When the TELNET connection is established, log in to the remote
host with the username and password that have been assigned to you
on that host.
* Perform whatever tasks you like on the remote machine, being
careful not to violate any remote operating system rules.
* When finished working on the remote host, type the remote logout
command. Then close the TELNET connection--if it is not
automatically closed on logout.
* You are once again operating in your local host system environment.
TELNET has other advanced features too numerous to discuss here. Check you
local TELNET user program for online documentation, or talk to your local
Host Administrator or user support representative for more information.
5.3.1 Invoking TELNET with the Hostname on the Command Line
In the following example, a user TELNETs from a local UNIX host to a remote
SunOS host. Once the connection has been established, the prompts, commands,
and responses are those of the Sun Operating System environment. To the user,
it appears as though he/she were directly logged in to the remote computer.
After the user is done working on the remote host, he issues the remote
system's logout command. This logout automatically returns him to the TELNET
program on the local host, closes the TELNET session, and returns the local
operating system prompt (%).
NIC 60001, February 1993
NETWORK USE Page 33
Note that instead of invoking the TELNET program and then issuing an "open"
command to the remote host at a TELNET prompt, the user supplies the remote
hostname directly on the program invocation line. (Not all implementations
recognize this form of connection.) In addition, note that the user would
need an authorized account on the NIC host to log in with username and
password as shown in the example.
****************************************************************************
% telnet gsimail.ddn.mil <Return> User issues the telnet command,
giving the remote hostname as
an argument on the command line.
Trying 192.112.37.10
Connected to gsimail.ddn.mil
Escape character is '^]'
System 5 UNIX (gsimail) TELNET prints messages during
connection establishment, affirms
the connection, and notifies the
user of the escape character (see
discussion of escape charaters in
Chapter 4). The NIC host prints
its banner and prompt (@).
login: <userid> <Return>
Password: <Return> User enters his remote system
userid and password. The
password does not echo on screen.
...USER SESSION...
@logout <Return> After completing his work, user
issues a logout command to exit
from the remote system. The
connection is closed
automatically and the local
prompt reappears.
Connection closed by remote host.
%
****************************************************************************
5.3.2 TELNET Using Host Address
Instead of invoking TELNET and specifying a hostname for the remote host,
you may specify the remote address in dot notation format. Some hosts
require the network address to be enclosed in brackets if it is supplied on
the command line. (Many TELNET implementation prompt for a network hostname
or address if you do not specify one, and they may allow you to open the
connection after asking for help or issuing other TELNET commands.) To
establish a TELNET connection using a host address, proceed as shown in the
example that follows.
The example presumes a user on a UNIX host connecting to the NIC's SunOS
system via TELNET. After reaching the NIC host, the user looks up a name
with the WHOIS program, exits from WHOIS, and then closes the connection.
(Note the change from UNIX prompt symbol to the NIC prompt and back again.)
NIC 60001, February 1993
NETWORK USE Page 34
*****************************************************************************
% telnet 192.112.36.5 <Return>
Trying 192.112.36.5 ...
Connected to nic.ddn.mil.
Escape character is '^]'.
SunOS UNIX (nic)
-- DDN Network Information Center --
*
* For TAC news, type: TACNEWS <return>
* For user and host information, type: WHOIS <return>
* For NIC information, type: NIC <return>
*
* For user assistance call (800) 365-3642 or (800) 365-DNIC or
(703) 802-4535
* Report system problems to ACTION@NIC.DDN.MIL
NIC, SunOS Release 4.1.1 (NIC) #1:
Thu Sep 26 11:18:20 1991 EST
@ whois varallob <Return>
Connecting to id Database . . . . . .
Connected to id Database
Varallo, Barbara (BV36) varallob@NIC.DDN.MIL
Network Solutions, Inc.
505 Huntmar Park Drive
Herndon, VA 22070
(703) 802-8461
Record last updated on 08-Aug-91.
Enter a handle, name, mailbox, or other field, optionally preceded
by a keyword, like "host nic". Type "?" for short, 2-page
details, "HELP" for full documentation, or hit RETURN to exit.
---> Do ^E to show search progress, ^G to abort a search or output <---
Whois: <Return>
@ logout <Return>
Thu Sep 26 11:19:28 1991 EST
Connection closed by foreign host.
%
*****************************************************************************
NIC 60001, February 1993
THE DDN NIC Page 35
SECTION 6. DDN NETWORK INFORMATION CENTER (NIC)
The DDN Network Information Center (NIC) is located at the DDN Installation
and Information Services (DIIS) program office in Chantilly, Virginia. The
NIC is funded by the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), Defense
Network Systems Organization (DNSO). The NIC is responsible for providing
general reference services to DDN users via telephone, electronic mail, and
U.S. mail. The NIC also provides databases and information services of
interest to network users, including the WHOIS registry of network users and
other network entities, the NIC/Query browsing system, TACNEWS, and the
official DoD Host Name Service. The NIC maintains the RFC (Request for
Comments) collection on-line. Many other online informational files are also
available through the NIC's automatic mail service, SERVICE@NIC.DDN.MIL.
Among its other duties, the NIC
* registers hosts and domains,
* assigns IP network numbers and Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs),
* provides hostname translation tables and domain name system server
files to the DDN and the Internet,
* registers network users,
* issues MILNET TAC Access Cards.
6.1 Contacting the NIC
6.1.1 NIC User Assistance Help Desk
The NIC provides user assistance in a number of ways. Our main Help Desk
phone numbers are
1-800-365-DNIC (within the continental United States)
1-703-802-4535 (outside the continental United States and in
the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area)
1-703-802-8376 FAX Number
The first number is toll free, while the area code 703 numbers are toll free
in the Washington area only.
The NIC provides Help Desk assistance to those who experience problems with
using the network in general and with terminal-to-TAC use in particular.
Should you have a security problem or concern, the NIC can connect you with
the Security Coordination Center. In addition, the NIC is happy to answer
questions about any other service outlined in this section. The NIC Help
Desk services are available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (EST/EDT), Monday through
Friday.
6.1.2 NIC Host
The NIC computer's hostname and network address are:
NIC.DDN.MIL
192.112.36.5
NIC online services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
NIC 60001, February 1993
THE DDN NIC Page 36
6.1.3 NIC Online Contacts
The NIC supports several online mailboxes to provide assistance in specific
areas. This list is provided here for easy reference. The following
sections provide more detailed information regarding the type of inquiries
each mailbox handles.
Type of Inquiry Network Mailbox
----------------------------------------------------------------------
General User Assistance NIC@NIC.DDN.MIL
TAC and Non-TAC User Registration REGISTRAR@NIC.DDN.MIL
Urgent Security Matters NIC-ALERT@NIC.DDN.MIL
Host, Domain, and Net Registration HOSTMASTER@NIC.DDN.MIL
NIC.DDN.MIL Computer Operations ACTION@NIC.DDN.MIL
Comments on NIC Publications, Services SUGGESTIONS@NIC.DDN.MIL
Security Concerns and Questions SCC@NIC.DDN.MIL
Usage-Sensitive Billing Questions BILLING@NIC.DDN.MIL
Automatic Mail Service SERVICE@NIC.DDN.MIL
Reporting NIC Software Bugs BUG-SERVICE@NIC.DDN.MIL
6.1.4 NIC U.S. Mail Address
The NIC's current mailing address is
Network Information Center
14200 Park Meadow Drive, Suite 200
Chantilly, VA 22021-2219
6.2 NIC Services
In addition to the user assistance Help Desk described in Section 6.1.1, the
NIC provides registration, billing, and security support services.
6.2.1 Network and User Registration Services
The NIC registers the following network entities:
* domains
* IP network numbers
* inverse addressing data
* Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs)
* hosts
* TACs/Mini-TACs
* gateways and PSNs
* some network-related organizations.
Registration of MILNET hosts, TACs, gateways, and PSNs is coordinated with the
MILNET Manager. If you wish to register an IP network, domain, or ASN,
contact the NIC Help Desk for information regarding procedures. New users
seldom need to register these entities.
Each individual who has TAC access to the DDN must be registered in the NIC
WHOIS database. Host Administrators register individuals in the database as
part of the process of authorizing TAC cards for them. You will find it
useful to be registered in this database because it serves as an electronic
white pages for DDN users. Non-military Internet Points of Contact are often
listed there as well.
NIC 60001, February 1993
THE DDN NIC Page 37
To be registered in the NIC WHOIS database, you will need to fill out a copy
of the NIC registration template (Figure 6-1) and send it to the network
mailbox REGISTRAR@NIC.DDN.MIL. You may obtain this template via file transfer
(FTP) from the NIC.DDN.MIL machine (192.112.36.5 is the numeric host address)
using the pathname netinfo/user-template.txt or templates/user-template.txt--
or you may reproduce the template yourself if you adhere strictly to the
format of the online file. Detailed instructions for filling out the
template are included in the file. The format of the template may change as
DISA dictates, but the latest approved version will be maintained online at
the NIC.
(Instructions for using FTP to copy/retrieve a file are presented in Section
5.1.2, or you may consult your local FTP documentation.)
D. Sample Template
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Sample User Registration Template Version U1.2 - 9/92
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Do Not Change Format! | Enter Data Here
---------------------------------------------------------------------
+ U1. NIC Handle (See A.2,3)......: XYZ23
NAME INFORMATION
+ U2A. Last Name..................: Zosters
+ U2B. First Name.................: Xary
U2C. Middle Name or Initial.....: Y.
U2D. Name Suffix................:
U2E. Title/Rank.................:
ADDRESS INFORMATION
+ U3A. Address Line 1.............: Fictitious Solutions, Inc.
U3B. Address Line 2.............: 505 Huntmar Dr.
U3C. Address Line 3.............:
U3D. Address Line 4.............:
+ U3E. City or FPO/APO (See A.4)..: Imaginary
+ U3F. State or FPO/APO Code (A.4): VA
+ U3G. Zip Code (See A.4).........: 22079
U3H. Country....................: USA
U3I. Network Mailbox............: xyz@nic.ddn.mil
+ U3J. Hostname...................: NIC.DDN.MIL
PHONE INFORMATION
+ U4A. Commercial Phone...........: (703) 999-8484
U4B. Commercial Phone Extension.: 1134
U4C. Alternate Phone............:
U4D. Alternate Phone Extension..:
U4E. DSN Phone..................:
U4F. DSN Phone Extension........:
U4G. Fax Phone..................:
USER STATUS
U5A. Delete User? (See A.3)[Y/N]:
+ U5B. TAC Card Required? [Y/N]...: Y
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Figure 6-1. User Registration Template
6.2.2 Usage-Sensitive Billing Service Desk
Since the advent of usage-sensitive billing on the DDN, the NIC has provided a
service to answer queries regarding DDN billing. This support is provided
primarily for POCs who receive the bills and have questions about them. If
NIC 60001, February 1993
THE DDN NIC Page 38
you have received a bill for DDN usage and have any questions about it, you
can contact the NIC Help Desk as described in Section 6.1.1 or send a message
to BILLING@NIC.DDN.MIL.
6.2.3 Security Coordination Center (SCC)
The NIC is the site of the DDN Security Coordination Center (SCC). The SCC
acts in conjunction with the DDN Network Security Officer (NSO) to coordinate
actions related to security incidents and network vulnerabilities. The SCC
relays security-related information to the Network Security Officer (NSO) and
works with him/her in handling network security problems. In addition, the
SCC issues DDN Security Bulletins to network users. You can contact the SCC
in the following ways:
By Electronic Mail: SCC@NIC.DDN.MIL
By Phone: 1-800-365-DNIC (continental U.S.)
1-703-802-4535 (outside U.S. and in
the D.C. metro area)
By FAX: 1-703-802-8376
By U.S. Mail: Network Information Center
ATTN: Security Coordination Center
14200 Park Meadow Drive, Suite 200
Chantilly, VA 22021-2219
Phone hours are from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Eastern Standard or Eastern Daylight
Time.
6.3 NIC User Programs
The NIC offers several online programs that DDN users may access to retrieve
various kinds of information. The WHOIS, TACNEWS, NIC/Query, and SERVICE
programs and procedures for using them are described in this section. The
NIC's Kermit server is also described.
6.3.1 WHOIS
WHOIS is the NIC program that looks up information in an electronic "white
pages" directory of network users. You can also obtain information on hosts,
gateways, TACs, domains, and other network entities from WHOIS. WHOIS lists
the name, network mailbox, U.S. mail address, telephone number, host, and TAC
user status, where applicable, for each user registered in its database. For
other entities, it provides such information as domain names, a list of domain
servers, domain contacts, network numbers, network contacts, known hosts on a
given network or gateway, Host Administrators, and Node Site Coordinators.
Phone numbers and network mailbox addresses are provided for all those who
serve as Points of Contact (POCs).
6.3.1.1 Accessing WHOIS
Here are some instructions for accessing the WHOIS program from different
points of origin:
NIC 60001, February 1993
THE DDN NIC Page 39
>From a TAC
* Type @n.
* After being greeted by the TAC banner, press <Return> and enter
your TAC userid and TAC Access Code when prompted.
* After the NIC host banner and greeting are displayed, type whois
<Return>.
>From a DDN Host
* Log onto your local host and TELNET to the NIC, e.g.,
telnet nic.ddn.mil <Return>
or
telnet 192.112.36.5 <Return>
* After the NIC host banner and greeting is displayed, type whois
<Return>.
Via Electronic Mail
* From your login host, invoke the mail program and send a message
to
SERVICE@NIC.DDN.MIL
* As the subject of the message (i.e., on the "Subject:" line),
enter WHOIS and the string you want the program to search on--
e.g.,
Subject: whois nic.ddn.mil
Any valid WHOIS search input string can be sent to the SERVICE
program. However, if the response is large, it will be split into
several return messages. If it is very, very large, it may exceed
the capacity of the Mail server, but most search outputs are well
within its limits.
You may also run the WHOIS program from a local host if you have one of the
several WHOIS user programs that are available for various operating systems.
Contact the NIC if you are interested in obtaining such a program.
6.3.1.2 Using WHOIS
To use WHOIS, you can supply either the name or the NIC "handle" of the person
or entity you are trying to identify. The handle is a unique identifier that
the NIC assigns to each entity registered in its database. Partial searches
on the first part of a name are also possible.
The WHOIS program accessible on the NIC host also recognizes certain keywords.
They tell WHOIS to limit its search to certain kinds of records--such as host
records only, or domain records only. If you search with a keyword, you must
insert the keyword in the search string before the entity for which you want
information. Such keywords can increase the speed of a search. Some of the
keywords that the NIC host's WHOIS program recognizes are as follows:
NIC 60001, February 1993
THE DDN NIC Page 40
DOM for domain records
GA for gateway records
HO for host records
NET for network records
PSN for PSN records
TAC for TAC records.
WHOIS is not case sensitive. Some of the examples that follow use keywords
and some do not. Those that do use keywords assume that you have used TELNET
to connect to the NIC.DDN.MIL for access to their WHOIS program. For a
complete list of keywords and examples of how to use them, simply type help
or a question mark (?) at the WHOIS prompt, e.g.,
Whois: help <Return>
WHOIS responds to your query in one of three ways:
1. If WHOIS finds a unique record for the individual/entity you have
identified as the subject of the search, it immediately displays
the following information:
* the name
* the NIC handle
* the organization (if applicable)
* the mailing address
* the phone number
* the network mailbox.
2. If WHOIS finds several records that match the search input, it
displays a brief list of the matching entries and asks you to
choose the correct match by using the handle (a unique character
string in parentheses following the name). A search by handle
produces the expanded output for the matching entity.
3. If no record matches the search input, WHOIS displays the message
"No match for <search-string>," where <search-string> is the
character sequence you entered.
The following examples illustrate some of the WHOIS capabilities. For more
information on using WHOIS, connect to the NIC host and type whois help.
6.3.1.3 WHOIS Search Examples
NOTE: Names, addresses, phone numbers, and other information
shown in the following examples are meant to be representative
only! They are not necessarily actual or accurate data and should
not be used for contacting any of the entities/persons identified!
NIC 60001, February 1993
THE DDN NIC Page 41
WHOIS Search by Name
(There is only one "Roscoe," so a complete entry is displayed.)
*****************************************************************************
SunOS UNIX (nic)
-- DDN Network Information Center --
*
* For TAC news, type: TACNEWS <return>
* For user and host information, type: WHOIS <return>
* For NIC information, type: NIC <return>
*
* For user assistance call (800) 365-3642 or (703) 802-4535
* Report system problems to ACTION@NIC.DDN.MIL
NIC, SunOS Release 4.1.1 (NIC) #1:
Thu Sep 26 14:11:08 1991 EST
@ whois roscoe <Return>
Connecting to id Database . . . . . .
Connected to id Database
ROSCOE, Joe A. (JAR1) JROSCOE@HOST-1.DOMAIN.MIL
Air Force Data Systems
Design Center/SDTS
Willits Air Force Base, WV 12345
Phone: (123) 456-7890
MILNET TAC User
Record last updated on 31-Jul-91
*****************************************************************************
WHOIS Search by Partial Name
You may search using only a partial name as the search string by entering the
partial name followed by one to three dots (...). This search feature will
work only if the dots follow the partial name without any intervening spaces.
This kind of search is apt to produce multiple "hits" (hits are entries that
match a given search string).
Note that the partial name search also finds any NIC handles that begin with
the partial name input ("ros" in the example that follows).
*****************************************************************************
@whois ros... <Return>
Rosati, David (DR16) Rosati@BAR.FOO (234) 567-8901
Rosales, Alphonso L. (ALR) Rosales@NIC.DDN.MIL (345) 678-9012
Roscoe, Joe A. (JAR1) Roscoe@HOST-1.DOMAIN.MIL (123) 456-7890
.
.
.
Schuman, Richard O. (ROS) Schuman@FOO.BOO.Com (456) 789-0123
There are 25 more entries. Show them?
******************************************************************************
NIC 60001, February 1993
THE DDN NIC Page 42
To obtain all the information pertaining to any of these names, do a WHOIS
search on the handle (the text in parentheses immediately following the name).
This will produce a full entry.
WHOIS Search by Handle
If a WHOIS search produces multiple hits on your query, search by the unique
handle to get the full entry of the hit you want to display. Precede the
handle with an exclamation point. Users on hosts running a UNIX operating
system may need to precede the exclamation point with a backslash (\).
*****************************************************************************
@ whois !jar1 (Jar1 is the handle for ROSCOE.)
ROSCOE, Joe A. (JAR1) JROSCOE@HOST-1.DOMAIN.MIL
Air Force Data Systems
Design Center/SDTS
Willits Air Force Base, WV 12345
Phone: (123) 456-7890
MILNET TAC User (Issued: 5-Jul-91)
Record last updated on 31-Jul-91
*****************************************************************************
WHOIS Search by Hostname
If you know a hostname and need to obtain the host address, you may use WHOIS
to look it up by typing your input as shown in the following example:
*****************************************************************************
NIC, SunOS Release 4.1.1 (NIC) #1:
Thu Sep 26 14:11:08 1991 EST
@whois ddn-conus.ddn.mil <Return> (User enters known hostname after
connecting to the NIC host and types
"^E" to see how the search is
progressing.)
Connecting to id Database . . . . . .
Connected to id Database
^E 14:13:03 -- No matches yet.
BBN INC. (DDN1)
1300 North 17th Street
Arlington, VA 22209
Hostname: DDN-CONUS.DDN.MIL
Nicknames: DDN1.DCA.MIL,DDN.DCA.MIL
Address: 26.21.0.17
System: BBN-C/70 running UNIX
Host Administrator:
Bolden, Michelle L. (Shelly) (MLS6) Bolden@BBN.COM
(703) 284-4600
Record last updated on 05-Sep-91.
NIC 60001, February 1993
THE DDN NIC Page 43
WHOIS Search by Hostname, continued
Would you like to see the registered users of this host? y <Return>
There are 202 registered users:
Adams, Quentin (QAA1) nsc-robins@DDN-CONUS.DDN.MIL
(912) 926-6912 (DSN) 468-6912
Agney, Violet (VA24) NSCElmen@DDN-CONUS.DDN.MIL
(907) 552-4919 (DSN) 317-552-4919
Agnor, Robert J. (RJA25) NAVTELCOM@DDN-CONUS.DDN.MIL
(202) 282-0824 (DSN) 292-0824
Atkinson, Barry K. (BKA) DIA-RSE@DDN-CONUS.DDN.MIL
(703) 284-0801 (DSN) 251-0801
Bailey, Erich (EB68) NSC-Presidio@DDN-CONUS.DDN.MIL
(415) 561-2241 (DSN) 586-2241
There are 197 more matches. Show them? n <Return>
Enter a handle, name, mailbox, or other field, optionally preceded
by a keyword, like "host sri-nic". Type "?" for short, 2-page
details, "HELP" for full documentation, or hit RETURN to exit.
---> Do ^E to show search progress, ^G to abort a search or output <---
*****************************************************************************
Note that this search produces the hostname, the host address, and the name
and phone number of the Host Administrator. Pressing <Return> will produce a
list of the people registered with the NIC as users of that host. You will
find the same information if you know the host address or nickname and search
on one of those instead of the official hostname.
WHOIS Search by TAC Name
You may use WHOIS to obtain a TAC telephone number if you know the name of the
TAC. A search by TAC name will also show contact information on the Node Site
Coordinator for the TAC. Follow the example below to do this type of search.
*****************************************************************************
Enter a handle, name, mailbox, or other field, optionally preceded
by a keyword, like "host sri-nic". Type "?" for short, 2-page
details, "HELP" for full documentation, or hit RETURN to exit.
---> Do ^E to show search progress, ^G to abort a search or output <---
Whois: tac belvoir.mt.ddn.mil <Return>
Fort Belvoir (BELVOIR-MIL-TAC)
Army Information Systems Command (USAISC)
Building 246, Room 202, 2nd Floor
Fairfax, VA 22060
(703) 781-0050 (R8) [300/1200 bps] {B}
(703) 781-0100 (R8) [300/1200 bps] {B}
Hostname: BELVOIR.MT.DDN.MIL
Address: 26.0.0.142
TAC number: 162
Hardware: C/30
NIC 60001, February 1993
THE DDN NIC Page 44
WHOIS Search by TAC Name, continued
Coordinator:
Jewell, Brenda K. (BJ53) NSCBelvoir@DDN-CONUS.DDN.MIL
(703) 664-3458 (DSN) 354-3458
Record last updated on 22-Jun-90.
******************************************************************************
WHOIS Search by PSN Number
You may use WHOIS to search by node (PSN) number. The output from this search
will show the usual POC information as well as a list of the hosts connected
to that node that are registered with the NIC.
*****************************************************************************
Whois: psn 202 <Return>
GSI (CHANTILLY2-IMP)
14200 Park Meadow Drive
Chantilly, VA 22021
CHANTILLY2 is PSN/IMP 202 on network 26
Coordinator:
Zalubski, John (JZ7) zalubskij@NIC.DDN.MIL
(703) 802-8462
Record last updated on 04-Sep-91.
No hosts found on this PSN.
Whois: psn 201 <Return>
GSI (CHANTILLY-IMP)
14200 Park Meadow Drive
Chantilly, VA 22021
CHANTILLY is PSN/IMP 201 on network 26
Coordinator:
Zalubski, John (JZ7) zalubskij@NIC.DDN.MIL
(703) 802-8462
Record last updated on 04-Sep-91.
Hosts on this PSN:
CHANTILLY1.MT.DDN.MIL 26.0.0.201
NIC1.DDN.MIL 26.1.0.201
SUN1.DDN.MIL 26.24.0.201
GSI-GW1.DDN.MIL 26.25.0.201, 192.112.36.1,
192.112.37.1, 192.112.38.1
*****************************************************************************
NIC 60001, February 1993
THE DDN NIC Page 45
WHOIS Search by Network Number
You may use WHOIS to search by network number. To search for information
about a Class C network, make sure the last octet in the network number is
zero. To search for a Class B network, make sure that the last two octets
are zero. See section 8.4 for a discussion of network addresses and classes.
*****************************************************************************
@ whois 192.112.36.0 <Return>
Government Systems, Inc. (NET-LOCALNET)
14200 Park Meadow Drive, Suite 200
Chantilly, VA 22020
Netname: LOCALNET
Netnumber: 192.112.36.0
Coordinator:
McCollum, Robert (RM584) bobm@NIC.DDN.MIL
(703) 802-8476
Domain System inverse mapping provided by:
NIC.DDN.MIL 192.112.36.5
NIC-DEV.DDN.MIL 192.112.38.89
Record last updated on 14-Aug-91.
Would you like to see the known hosts on this network? y <Return>
There are 2 known hosts:
NIC.DDN.MIL 192.112.36.5
GSI-GW1.DDN.MIL 26.25.0.201, 192.112.36.1,
192.112.37.1, 192.112.38.1
*****************************************************************************
The user can enter "y" or simply press <Return> to see a list of hosts
registered with the NIC as part of this network.
NIC 60001, February 1993
THE DDN NIC Page 46
WHOIS Search by Domain Name
*****************************************************************************
Whois: dom dca.mil <Return>
Defense Information Systems Agency (DCA-DOM)
Domain Name: DCA.MIL
Administrative Contact, Technical Contact, Zone Contact:
Hostmaster (HOSTMASTER) HOSTMASTER@NIC.DDN.MIL
(800) 365-DNIC (703) 802-4535
Record last updated on 18-Sep-91.
Domain servers in listed order:
NS.NIC.DDN.MIL 192.67.67.53
A.ISI.EDU 26.3.0.103, 128.9.0.107
C.NYSER.NET 192.33.4.12
TERP.UMD.EDU 128.8.10.90
NS.NASA.GOV 128.102.16.10, 192.52.195.10
AOS.BRL.MIL 192.5.25.82
Would you like to see the known hosts under this secondary domain? y
There are 60 known hosts:
ANTARES.DCA.MIL 128.19.0.14
BELLATRIX.DCA.MIL 128.19.0.5
C4SD.DCA.MIL 26.8.0.76
CMMC-BBN.DCA.MIL 26.18.0.70
CMMC-IMW.DCA.MIL 26.29.0.76
There are 55 more matches. Show them? n <Return>
Whois:
*****************************************************************************
As you can see, domain searches allow you to identify the hosts providing
name service for the domain, as well as the names and phone numbers of the
administrative and technical contacts for the domain (in this case, the NIC
Hostmaster group).
6.3.2 NIC/QUERY
NIC/Query is a browsing service that allows you to page through general
information about the Defense Data Network (DDN). Topics included under
NIC/Query are presented in a numbered menu. All the services of the TACNEWS
program are also available via NIC/Query for the sake of simpler user
accessibility.
The program is largely self-explanatory, and online help is available if you
need it. You do not need a login account on the NIC machine for access. To
access NIC/Query, simply open a TELNET connection to NIC.DDN.MIL, and then
type nic or query, as shown in the example that follows.
NIC 60001, February 1993
THE DDN NIC Page 47
*****************************************************************************
% telnet nic.ddn.mil <Return>
Trying... Open
NIC.DDN.MIL SunOS ...
@nic <Return>
NIC/Query Version: 1.4 Thu, 26 Sep 91 14:27:13
Stop output every 24 lines? ([Y]/N/# of lines) y <Return>
ROOT
Use NIC/Query to access a hierarchy of information about the Defense
Data Network (DDN) and the Network Information Center (NIC) using
simple menus. Bugs to BUG-QUERY@NIC.DDN.MIL.
**
** Note that a carriage return is required after every command.
** Select menu item 1 for help using this program.
**
1) HELP -- Introduction, changes, detailed help, help summary.
2) WHOIS -- Directory of DDN users.
3) HOSTS -- Describes DDN hosts.
4) PROTOCOLS -- Describes DDN protocols.
5) RFCS -- Requests For Comments technical notes.
6) NIC DOCUMENTS -- Documents available from the NIC.
7. TACNEWS -- TACnews program.
ROOT: Enter a menu# (1 - 7), or a command ('?' to list).
NIC/Query: 1 <Return>
HELP -- Introduction, changes, detailed help, help summary.
1. INTRODUCTION -- An introduction to the NIC/Query system.
2. CHANGES -- Differences from the old version of NIC/Query.
3) NOVICES -- Detailed help for new users.
4. HELP SUMMARY -- Brief description of NIC/Query concepts and
commands.
HELP: Enter a menu# (1 - 4), or a command ('?' to list).
NIC/Query: 1 <Return>
*****************************************************************************
In the preceding example, the user asks for help at the "NIC/Query:" prompt.
A submenu is presented so he can select the level or type of information he
wishes to have displayed.
6.3.2.1 TACNEWS
TACNEWS is a NIC online service that offers login help to TAC users. It also
offers access to the interactive TAC locator program that allows you to find
the three TAC phone numbers closest to a phone number you enter. TACNEWS
provides a mechanism for reading the DDN Newsletters, DDN Management
Bulletins, and DDN Security Bulletins. Users should read these publications
regularly to stay current on DDN policies, announcements, and network news
items.
If you wish to have newsletters and bulletins delivered online to your network
mailbox, send a message to REGISTRAR@NIC.DDN.MIL including your name and
NIC 60001, February 1993
THE DDN NIC Page 48
address and indicating that you wish to be on the online distribution for the
newsletters and bulletins.
You may access TACNEWS by logging into a TAC and typing tacnews.
Alternatively, you may open a TELNET connection to NIC.DDN.MIL from a local
host to read TACNEWS, as shown in the examples on the following pages.
TACNEWS services are also available via the NIC/Query program; this
redundancy allows users connecting to the NIC via TELNET to take advantage
of all services in a single connection session. An example of a TACNEWS
session follows:
*****************************************************************************
@n <Return>
TAC Userid: <Username> <Return> Enter your TAC Username here.
Access Code: <Access Code> Enter your TAC Access Code. It
will not echo on screen.
Login OK
TCP Trying...Open
Trying 192.112.36.5 ...
Connected to NIC.DDN.MIL.
Escape character is '^]'.
* -- DDN Network Information Center --
*
* For TAC news, type: TACNEWS <Return>
* For user and host information, type: WHOIS <Return>
* For NIC information, type: NIC <Return>
* For user assistance call (800) 365-DNIC or (703) 802-4535
* Report system problems to ACTION@NIC.DDN.MIL or call (703) 802-4535
@ tacnews <Return>
TACnews Version: (xxxx.xxx) Thu, 26 Sep 91 14:30:14
Stop output every 24 lines? ([Y]/N/# of lines) y <Return>
1. Announcements -- Updated 11-Jul-91
2. TACs, List of U.S. TAC Dial-Ins, 23K
3. Locator, Finds U.S. TAC Dial-Ins
4. Eur/Pac, List of European/Pacific TAC Dial-Ins, 15K
5. Login, Help with TAC login, 6K
6. Newsletters, DDN -- Updated 16-Sep-91
7. Bulletins, DDN Management -- Updated 16-Sep-91
8. Bulletins, DDN Security -- Updated 16-Sep-91
Type a menu number (1 - 8), ? for options, "HELP" for instructions.
TACnews: 7 <Return> (After telling the TACNEWS program to limit each
display page to 24 lines and seeing the menu
display, user elects to read the DDN Management
Bulletins.)
There are 30 Bulletins online. The latest:
.
80 21-Dec-90 REGISTRATION OF IP NETWORK NUMBERS
81 9-Apr-91 MTACs Operational with Limited Monitoring and
Control Capability
--> 82 23-Apr-91 Corrected MTACs Operational with Limited
Monitoring and Control Capability
Type an issue number, ? for options, or HELP for full help.
TACnews: 82 <Return>
*****************************************************************************
NIC 60001, February 1993
THE DDN NIC Page 49
6.3.3 NIC Kermit Server
For PC users who cannot access FTP from their hosts, the NIC has an anonymous
Kermit server available. (A server is a software module that provides a
service to users or user programs that request it.) You should be familiar
with the Kermit file transfer protocol and have a PC communications program
that supports that protocol Before you attempt to transfer documents with it.
To download a file from the NIC using the Kermit server, proceed as follows:
1. Set the receive packet size on your PC Kermit to 60.
2. Connect to NIC.DDN.MIL (192.112.36.5) through a TAC or Mini-TAC.
3. Once you get the NIC login prompt (@), change the TAC intercept
character to a control-y (^y) by issuing the following TAC command:
@i 25 <Return>. Notice that you must type the "@" symbol because it
signals the TAC that you are issuing a command.
4. Press <Return> to get the NIC prompt (@ is now the NIC prompt
symbol), then type Kermit<Return>. This command activates the Kermit
server on the NIC.
5. Drop back to your PC Kermit and get the file that you want from the
NIC.
6. When you are finished, type "bye" to end the Kermit session on your
PC.
For more information on using Kermit through a TAC, see the files
KERMIT-TAC-INFO.TXT and KERMIT-NICSERVER.TXT in the netinfo/ directory on the
NIC.DDN.MIL host. These files are available via the SERVICE mail server (see
Section 6.3.5).
6.3.4 NIC Automated Mail Service
SERVICE is an automated electronic mail system provided by the DDN Network
Information Center. It allows access to most online NIC documents and
information via electronic mail.
To use the mail service, send a message to SERVICE@NIC.DDN.MIL. In the
SUBJECT field, enter the type of service you are requesting, followed by any
arguments needed to further define your request. The message body is
normally ignored; however, if you leave the SUBJECT field empty, the first
line of the message body is used as the request. If your request involves
the transmission of large files, they are broken into smaller, separate
messages; however, a few files are too large to be sent through the mail
system. SERVICE requests are processed automatically once a day.
The following services are currently available. Each item on the list is
followed by an example of a subject line for requesting that service:
HELP This message; a list of current services.
Subj: HELP
RFC nnnn nnnn is the RFC number.
Subj: RFC 822
NIC 60001, February 1993
THE DDN NIC Page 50
RFC Index Retrieves the index of RFCs.
Subj: RFC INDEX
IEN nnn nnn is the IEN number or the word INDEX.
Subj: IEN 828
NETINFO xxx xxx is a file name or the word INDEX.
Subj: NETINFO DOMAIN-TEMPLATE.TXT
SEND xxx xxx is a fully specified file name.
Subj: SEND IETF/1WG-SUMMARY
Subj: SEND INTERNET-DRAFTS/DRAFT-IETF-IWG-BGP-OO.TXT
HOST xxx Returns information about host xxx.
Subj: HOST NIC.DDN.MIL
INDEX Returns the master list of available index files.
FYI nnn Returns the specified FYI document, where nnn is the
FYI number or the word INDEX.
Subj: FYI 1
WHOIS xxx Returns information about xxx from the WHOIS service.
Use "WHOIS HELP" for information on using WHOIS.
Subj: WHOIS MCCOLLUMB
6.4 Documents Published by the NIC
The NIC compiles and publishes online versions of the documents listed below.
The file nic-pubs.txt in the netinfo directory on NIC.DDN.MIL contains an
expanded, annotated list of publications that are currently available online.
Many of these documents are deposited at the Defense Technical Information
Center (DTIC), where they are available to military network users. Hardcopies
of some documents and RFCs are available from the former NIC, SRI
International in Menlo Park, CA.
Contact SRI for prices and ordering information. Ordering instructions are
also provided in the online file nic-pubs.txt. You may contact the NIC to
confirm document availability or to learn about newly available documents.
THE DDN NEW USER GUIDE
The document you are reading. A brief guide to DDN network tools and
services designed to introduce users to the network. The Guide is
available online as netinfo/nug.doc.
THE NETWORK PROTOCOL IMPLEMENTATIONS AND VENDORS GUIDE
The Vendors Guide lists software and hardware implementations of the DDN
protocols, based upon information supplied by vendors. This document is
for informational purposes only. Entry on this list does not imply
endorsement. Available online as netinfo/vendors-guide.doc.
RFCs
Requests for Comments, or RFCs, are network technical notes, each of
which is identified by a unique number. The RFCs are available online
as rfc/rfcnnnn.txt (where nnnn is the RFC number). Hardcopies are
available by subscription from SRI International, Menlo Park, CA.
NIC 60001, February 1993
THE DDN NIC Page 51
6.5 Online Reference Files at the NIC
Several other public files on the NIC.DDN.MIL host are of special interest
to network users. The pathnames and brief descriptions of some of these
files are listed below. You may retrieve these files via FTP (using USERNAME
anonymous, PASSWORD guest). See Section 5.1.2 for FTP instructions. You may
also obtain the files by electronic mail using the NIC Mail SERVICE program
(see Section 6.3.5) or via the NIC Kermit Server (see Section 6.3.4).
netinfo/mil-nsc.txt
Node Site Coordinators for each node or PSN on the MILNET.
netinfo/hosts.txt
Official Internet DoD Hostname Table, which lists the names and numbers
of domains, networks, gateways, and hosts on the DoD Internet. It is
designed to be machine readable. From this file, two additional files
are generated:
hosts.txt.z, a UNIX compressed version of the hosts.txt file, and
mil-hosts.txt, a complete listing of the MILNET hosts in hosts.txt.
netinfo/host-location.txt
Addresses of MILNET hosts locations, sorted geographically.
netinfo/hostserver-instructions.txt
Instructions for using the NIC's hostname server to transfer the host
table.
netinfo/mil-host-administrators-a-l.txt
Military Host Administrators "A" through "L," sorted by hostname.
netinfo/mil-host-administrators-m-z.txt
Military Host Administrators "M" through "Z," sorted by hostname.
netinfo/nic-pubs.txt
Information about publications available from the NIC.
netinfo/nug.doc
Online version of this document.
netinfo/what-the-nic-does.txt
General information regarding NIC services.
netinfo/user-template.txt
Template for users who want to be registered in the WHOIS database.
netinfo/tac-location.txt
Geographic location of each TAC. This file is useful for locating the
TAC closest to you.
netinfo/usa-tac-phones.txt
Phone numbers for TACS within the fifty states.
netinfo/foreign-tac-phones.txt
Phone numbers for TACs outside the U.S.
netinfo/domain-contacts.txt
Name, mailbox, and phone number for each domain contact registered with
the NIC.
NIC 60001, February 1993
THE DDN NIC Page 52
netinfo/network-contacts.txt
Name, mailbox, and phone number for each network contact registered
with the NIC. The NIC registers all IP networks and designates a
contact for each one.
netinfo/00netinfo-index.txt
Name and a brief description of each file available in the publicly
accessible NETINFO directory on the NIC host.
netinfo/kermit-info.txt
General information on the Kermit program.
netinfo/kermit-nicserver.txt
Specific information on the NIC Kermit server.
netinfo/kermit-tac-info.txt
Specific information on TAC usage with Kermit.
protocols/gosip-v1.doc
Version 1 of the GOSIP document.
protocols/gosip-order-info.txt
Descriptions of GOSIP-related documents and information on how to
obtain them.
rfc/rfcnnnn.txt, where nnnn is the RFC number
Network technical notes, known as Requests for Comments, or RFCs, are
online in the directory RFC: on the NIC.DDN.MIL host. New RFCs are
announced to network users via an online distribution list maintained
by the NIC. Individuals who want to be added to the RFC notification
list should send a message to RFC-REQUEST@NIC.DDN.MIL.
rfc/rfc-index.txt
Lists all RFCs in reverse numerical order, with the most recent RFC
at the top. Includes author, title, date of issue, RFC number, number
of hardcopy pages, number of online bytes, format (ASCII text or
PostScript), and information regarding other RFCs that make a given
RFC obsolete or update it. Notes whether an RFC is also an FYI.
fyi/fyinn.txt, where nn is the FYI number
(FYI = For Your Information) General information technical notes
issued as special RFCs.
fyi/fyi-index.txt
Mirror of the RFC Index, but listing only FYIs. Notes the
corresponding RFC number for each FYI.
NIC 60001, February 1993
SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS AND NETWORK CONDUCT Page 53
SECTION 7. SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS AND NETWORK CONDUCT
7.1 Requirements for Legitimate DDN Access
Only authorized users engaged in U.S. Government business or applicable
research or those who are directly involved in providing operations or system
support for Government-owned or Government-sponsored computer communications
equipment may use the DDN. The network is not available for use by the
general public, nor is it intended to compete with comparable commercial
network services. Users of the DDN must not violate privacy or other
applicable laws and should not use the networks for advertising or recruiting
purposes without the express permission of the Defense Information Systems
Agency.
Unauthorized use of the DDN is illegal. Persons who break into Government
networks or use Government computer resources without authorization will be
prosecuted. Hosts that permit this type of access will be disconnected from
the network.
[NOTE: DISA reserves the right to discontinue DDN access to any
user(s) who are, in DISA's opinion, not conducting legitimate
Government business/activity. DISA will send one letter of
warning through command channels (via registered mail) to any user
found to be conducting illegitimate business. Should the
illegitimate activity continue, DISA will terminate the user's
access without additional notice.]
7.2 Security Considerations and Guidelines for Network Conduct
Several levels of responsibility provide security for the DDN. At the most
basic level, individual users should take precautions to minimize the chances
that their accounts could be compromised. They bear the primary
responsibility for the protection of their information. If more users were
to take this responsibility seriously and act accordingly, the majority of
computer security breaches would not occur.
You can best protect your own files via careful password management. Do not
use an unmodified word from any language; this includes words spelled
backward. Your Host Administrator should have suggestions as to proper
password choices.
Follow these recommendations to reduce the possibility of compromise of your
computer system or files:
* Do not leave your terminal logged in and unattended.
* Know your operating system's protection mechanisms and make sure
that all your files are set up with appropriate protection modes.
* Choose a password that meets the guidelines of your site or, at
minimum, one that is not an unmodified word from any language. A
simple modification involves prefixing a word with a numeral (or
several numerals).
* Change your password as required by your site or, at minimum,
every six months.
NIC 60001, February 1993
SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS AND NETWORK CONDUCT Page 54
* Do not write your password down on paper or record it in a file
stored on any computer disk, floppy disk, PC, or magnetic tape.
Users have the primary responsibility for protecting their own accounts, but
several other people have roles in providing system and network security.
Host Administrators are generally responsible for ensuring that their host
sites maintain a reasonable level of protection from the possibility of
network compromise. They must act as liaisons with the DDN Network Security
Officer (DDN NSO), the Security Coordination Center (SCC), vendors, law
enforcement bodies, and other appropriate agencies to resolve any outstanding
security problems and prevent their recurrence. They are responsible for the
enforcement of all DDN policies at their site.
The NSO recommends security policy affecting the DDN and is responsible for
its general enforcement. The NSO also works closely with Host Administrators
to resolve network and related computer security problems or incidents
affecting their sites.
The DDN Security Coordination Center is located at the NIC. The SCC acts as
a liaison between Host Administrators and the NSO and between MILNET sites and
Internet security response centers such as the Computer Emergency Response
Team (CERT).
If you suspect that a computer break-in has occurred, you should contact your
Host Administrator. The flow of security incident reporting should be from
the end user to the Host Administrator or other appropriate individual, who
then determines if the problem is local or network related. If the problem
is network related, the Host Administrator should refer the problem to the
appropriate site as noted in DDN Security Bulletin 9003 [7]. In such cases,
the Host Administrator's first step is to call the MILNET Monitoring Center
for your area. Phone numbers for the Monitoring Centers are found in Section
9.2.
7.3 Network Conduct
The network environment is somewhat different from the traditional workplace.
Rules for proper conduct are gradually emerging to fit this new environment.
The rules and guidelines presented here relate to four areas:
* passwords
* file protection
* plagiarism
* network mail
7.3.1 Passwords
Since use of the network is restricted, passwords, access codes, and TAC cards
should never be shared. Change your host login password regularly and report
any unauthorized use of passwords to your Host Administrator. MILNET TAC
cards and records of host Userids and Access Codes should be kept in a safe
place. Users should be familiar with and follow local security guidelines.
NIC 60001, February 1993
SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS AND NETWORK CONDUCT Page 55
7.3.2 File Protection
Most operating systems have a method of protecting files from network read and
write access. The recommended file protection default for directories is "no
read and no write to outside users." If your files are protected in this way,
you can still make them accessible to outside users over the network, but you
must take action to reset file and directory protections to make this happen.
As a new user, you should find out what the protection default is on your host
and ensure that files you don't want accessible to other users are protected.
Ask you Host Administrator about default file and directory protection
settings and for instructions on protecting/unprotecting files.
7.3.3 Plagiarism
Even if a file is unprotected, you are not free to copy or read it without
first asking permission. It is as inappropriate to read online mail or
browse through online files without permission as it would be to read a
colleague's hardcopy mail or rummage around in his desk.
Electronic plagiarism of another's work is just as unethical as plagiarism by
any other means. Be sure to credit users whose work you cite or whose ideas
you express. Copyright laws must also be carefully observed and obeyed.
It is easy and convenient to exchange code and programming across the network.
Many code developers are extremely generous in sharing their work. Even so,
before copying or using someone else's code, be sure to get permission from
the developer or maintainer and credit the source in your documentation.
Under no circumstances should programming or code from anywhere on the network
be used (verbatim or edited) commercially without the owner's explicit
permission.
7.3.4 Mail
Electronic mail is a powerful communication tool that must be used with care.
The following guidelines will help you avoid offending other users and
overloading the network.
It is easy to forward mail you receive; but the writer may never have intended
that anyone else read the message. For this reason, it is wise to check with
the sender before forwarding a private message of any significance.
The DDN is a business environment, so try to keep your messages short and to
the point. It is easy to send off a quick message, only to realize a moment
later that you needed to say more. To avoid this, organize your thoughts and
send a single message rather than several incomplete ones. This will make
your mail far more useful to the recipients, and minimize the load on the
network.
Online mail tends to change a person's style of communication. Sending mail
is so quick that it is tempting to send your immediate reaction to a message
rather than a more considered, appropriate response. Do not use derogatory
or inappropriate language in messages, especially those sent to discussion
groups. Keep in mind that no one likes to be offended or embarrassed by
careless comments.
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SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS AND NETWORK CONDUCT Page 56
Finally, if you regularly send mail to a large group, learn how to create a
mailing list. Otherwise, each recipient must scroll through a list of the
mailboxes of all other recipients as a part of the message header.
Remember, use of the network is a privilege. It is your duty to use the
network responsibly as it was intended to be used and to obey general network
policies. In return, the network gives you access to many tools and to an
online community of other network users.
7.4 Additional Security Information
Host and system administrators are encouraged to order "DCAC 310-P115-1, DDN
Security Management procedures for Host Administrators," May 1991. Copies
may be obtained in the following manner:
1. Government agencies may request a publication by submitting a DCA
Form 117, Publication of Blank Form Request, to
Director, DISA
Attn: BIAR
Arlington, VA 22204-2199.
2. Other organizations may request a publication by submitting a
letter with appropriate justification to the address given above.
The DCA Form 117 is used by Government agencies only.
NIC 60001, February 1993
NETWORK CONCEPTS OVERVIEW Page 57
SECTION 8. NETWORK CONCEPTS OVERVIEW
8.1 Introduction
In the following paragraphs, we provide some general information about topics
such as usage-sensitive billing, network gateways/concentrators, network
addresses, the Domain Name System, and GOSIP. Although most new DDN users
will not be actively involved in any of the areas covered in this section,
they do involve concepts you should become familiar with, since they are
important to all DDN users.
8.2 Usage-Sensitive Billing
The usage-sensitive billing system was implemented on the DDN to distribute
costs more equitably, based on actual use of network resources. The tariff
structure is designed to support cost recovery so that the amount recovered
from each subscriber is proportional to that subscriber's use of network
resources.
Generally speaking, all hosts and dedicated terminals are charged a basic
monthly rate. Users' network connections are charged on a per-minute basis.
A charge is also levied for each kilopacket of traffic sent by each host or
terminal user. Charges reflect peak-versus-nonpeak usage and precedence
level.
Monthly bills are sent to designated representatives of the military branches
as well as to other Government agencies. The bills are then distributed
according to locally established policies. That is, a packet of several
bills might be sent to a site and then distributed to other individuals by
the billing Point of Contact (POC) at that site.
It is rare for an individual user to see a bill. However, you should be
aware that your use of the DDN does affect costs charged back to your service
and, perhaps, to your host site. Therefore, all users should be conscientious
in conforming to host-site usage policies.
The NIC provides a Usage Sensitive Billing (USB) Service Desk to help answer
inquiries from DDN users or user organizations regarding the traffic and/or
connection charges shown on their billing reports. USB Service Desk personnel
are available by phone Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.,
Eastern time. Electronic mail is accepted 24 hours per day.
Service Desk personnel have access to many sources of DDN usage information.
They are available to answer general questions as well as site- or user-
specific questions. In the event a question or inquiry goes beyond the scope
of the Service Desk, the caller can be referred to a more appropriate contact
or agency.
Use the following information to contact the USB Service Desk:
By Electronic Mail: BILLING@NIC.DDN.MIL
By Phone: 1 (800) 365-DNIC (inside the U.S.)
1 (703) 802-4535 (outside the U.S. or in
the Washington D.C. area)
NIC 60001, February 1993
NETWORK CONCEPTS OVERVIEW Page 58
By U.S. Mail: DDN Network Information Center
ATTN: Usage-Sensitive Billing Desk
14200 Park Meadow Drive, Suite 200
Chantilly, VA 22021
8.3 Network Concentrators
Networks can be categorized according to size or geographic distribution, and
they can be referred to as local area networks (LANs) or wide area networks
(WANs). A LAN might serve a single office, a building, or an entire military
site. WANs are typically cross-country networks employing technologies such
as satellites or long distance land lines; they can serve large geographic
areas such as military installations located throughout the world. The DDN
is a WAN that reaches all major DoD installations worldwide.
To expand computer communications not only across geographic distances, but
also across different networking technologies, gateways are used to connect
networks together into internetworks or "internets." The DDN is part of an
IP-based internetwork, known to DDN users as "the Internet."
The use of gateway concentrators as a method of connecting to the DDN is a
relatively new trend. Gateway concentrators enable LANs and hosts at military
installations to connect to the DDN. Concentrators lessen the need for
individual host connections without limiting local users' access to full DDN
service.
Gateway concentrator use increased when DISA limited the number of PSN
ports that would be available to connect hosts directly to the DDN. This
limitation, coupled with the long lead time required for direct host
connections, lent impetus to the establishment of gateway concentrator
programs for the military. Currently, the Air Force and the Army have
concentrator programs to fulfill their long-haul data communication
requirements. These programs have become their primary method of connecting
unclassified computer systems to the DDN.
Gateway concentrators provide a number of advantages for connecting
installations to the DDN:
* Greater Connection Capacity
With the installation of a gateway concentrator at a local site, the
number of hosts that can be connected to the DDN is no longer limited
by the number of ports available on a PSN. Instead, many hosts can
be connected to a concentrator, and the total amount of traffic they
pass to the DDN is accommodated by the connection between the gateway
concentrator and the MILNET PSN to which it is attached.
* Quick Connection
The gateway concentrator program was designed to allow multiple hosts
to access a single DDN port simultaneously. Computers at an
installation that requires unclassified worldwide communication will
be connected to the Internet automatically because their local
networks are attached to the Internet via the concentrator. Thus,
these hosts will not require direct connections to DDN ports. This
configuration enables the various military services (e.g., Air Force,
Army) to manage their host connections directly and to avoid the long
wait for individual host connections to DDN ports.
NIC 60001, February 1993
NETWORK CONCEPTS OVERVIEW Page 59
* Lower Cost Per Host
Because of the DDN usage-sensitive billing system structure, the
gateway concentrator programs reduce costs for DDN connection. With
the installation of a gateway concentrator, the charges for initial
host connections are reduced, as the service is charged only once for
the initial connection of the concentrator itself rather than for
each individual host connection. In addition, traffic between local
hosts on the network behind a gateway concentrator will not be billed
because such traffic will not travel across DDN facilities.
The Air Force has a help desk at the Internet Control Center (INCC) to aid
concentrator users in accessing the DDN:
AFINCC@SERVER.AF.MIL
Headquarters Standard Systems Center/AQFC
Building 857, Room 200A
Gunter Air Force Base, AL 36114-6343
Commercial: (205) 416-5771, (205) 416-5861
DSN: 596-5771, 596-5861
8.4 Network Addressing
The network address is the official numeric address of a host, TAC, or
gateway (as opposed to the official name by which these entities are
addressed). Network addresses take the format "nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn" (dotted
decimal format), where nnn represents an up to 3-digit decimal identifier
from 0 through 255, and each numeric component is separated from the next
with a period. Each decimal part represents one octet of a 32-bit network
address. The standard Internet address is divided into two parts: a network
part and a local host part. Based on this two-part division, three classes
of Internet addresses have been defined: Class A, Class B, and Class C.
CLASS A Network Addresses
Class A network addresses have the following characteristics:
* Composed of a 1-byte network address and a 3-byte local
address.
* The highest-order bit of the (1-byte) network address is set to 0.
* Therefore, the first (or network address) byte of a CLASS A
address must be in the range from 0 to 127.
* Consequently, CLASS A could have as many as 128 networks with
224 (16,777,216) hosts on each of these networks.
All directly connected MILNET hosts are on network 26, which is a Class A
network.
For MILNET hosts,
* the first part of the address is the network number (26);
* the second part is the physical port number on the host's PSN;
* the third part is the logical port number (normally zero for MILNET
hosts);
* the fourth part is the number of the PSN to which the host is
connected.
Therefore, a host with the address 26.31.0.73 is on network 26 (the number
assigned to the MILNET) and is attached to port 31 on PSN 73.
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CLASS B Network Addresses
Class B network addresses have the following characteristics:
* The two high-order bytes of the Internet address contain the
network number, while the two low-order bytes contain the local
host number.
* The highest order bits are set to 10, which means that the
first byte must be a number in the range 128 to 191.
* Consequently, CLASS B could have as many as 16,384 networks
with 216 (65,536) hosts on each of these networks.
CLASS C Network Addresses
Class C network addresses have the following characteristics:
* The network number is contained in the three high-order bytes
of the Internet address, while the local host address is
represented in the single low-order byte.
* The three highest-order bits of the network address are set to
110.
* Therefore, the first byte must be in the range 192 to 233.
* Consequently, CLASS C could have as 2,097,152 networks with 28
(256) hosts on each of these networks.
The Internet Registry (IR) at the DDN NIC assigns the network portion of an
address to a network. The local network coordinator for a specific host
assigns the local portion of that host's network address.
Here are some examples of how each type of network number looks:
Class A: 26.31.0.73 26.0.0.0
Class B: 128.18.1.1 128.18.0.0
Class C: 192.67.67.20 192.67.67.0
[NOTE: A network address is different from a user's address. The
term "user address" refers to a person's electronic mailbox, such
as henry@nic.ddn.mil.]
In addition to the three classes defined above, a class of addresses whose
three highest order bits are 111 has been defined. It is currently in limited
use. This class is sometimes referred to as "CLASS D." Figure 8-1 on the
next page graphically represents the three major Internet address classes.
NIC 60001, February 1993
NETWORK CONCEPTS OVERVIEW Page 61
CLASS A Internet Address:
Byte: 1 2 3 4
<-----------><----------><----------><--------->
Bit: 0 07 15 23 31
+----------------------------------------------+
| | Network | |
|0| Address | Local Address |
+-----------+----------------------------------+
CLASS B Internet Address:
Byte: 1 2 3 4
<----------><----------><----------><---------->
Bit: 0 07 15 23 31
+-+-+-------------------+----------------------+
| | | | |
|1|0| Network Address | Local Address |
+-+-+-------------------+----------------------+
CLASS C Internet Address:
Byte: 1 2 3 4
<----------><----------><----------><---------->
Bit: 0 07 15 23 31
+-+-+-+-----------------------------+----------+
| | | | | Local |
|1|1|0| Network Address | Address |
+-+-+-+-----------------------------+----------+
Figure 8-1. Internet Address Classes
8.4.1 Finding Network Address Information
The WHOIS database at the NIC contains POC information for every network the
IR (Internet Registry) assigns; however, it may not contain information for
every host on a network. Therefore, remember to search on the network portion
of the address rather than the complete address when you are using the WHOIS
program to obtain information on a host.
For example, the Class C address
192.112.36.70
is not in the database, but searching on
192.112.36.0
shows you information for LOCALNET. When using WHOIS to find the POC
information for a network, set the local portion(s) of the address to zero.
(See Section 6.3.1.3 for an example of using WHOIS to search for a network
address.)
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8.4.2 Obtaining Network Addresses
DISA assigns all MILNET network addresses (Class A, network 26), and the
MILNET Manager must approve any changes to or deletions of MILNET network
addresses.
The NIC assigns all other Class B and C network addresses. Requests to
obtain an official Class B or C number or to make changes to hosts registered
with these addresses should be directed online to HOSTMASTER@NIC.DDN.MIL.
To arrange for a hardcopy application, call the NIC at 1 (800) 365-DNIC.
Applications can also be requested through the SERVICE mail server (see
Section 6.3.5).
8.4.3 Knowing Your Network Address
Each user should know the network address of his/her host. It is especially
important to know your host's address if you use a TAC or Mini-TAC because
you will have to enter the address as part of the TAC login sequence. Your
host address is often--but not always--the address printed on your TAC card
by the label AUTHORIZING HOST. Even if you have a script file or program
that enters this information for you as you log in, learn your address so
you can tell it to the NIC or the MILNET Monitoring Center if you call them
about a login problem.
8.5 The Domain Name System
Until the mid-1980s, a DDN host could find data on hostname-to-network-address
translation solely through the use of a file called the host table, which was
generated at the NIC.
The host table contained the name and network address of every host that was
registered with the NIC. Individual host sites had to transfer and install
new copies of the host table regularly in order to have correct host
addressing information. The host table had to be updated frequently to
enable mail and other data to be sent back and forth across the Internet.
As time went on, however, the number of hosts listed in the host table became
so large that the file was difficult to maintain efficiently, as well as
difficult and time-consuming for sites to transfer. As an alternative to
the host table file, the Domain Name System (DNS) was developed. Currently,
the NIC maintains data for both the host table and the DNS. The host table
listing is an extremely restricted subset of the hosts registered in the
Domain Name System.
In a nutshell, the DNS is a way of administratively grouping hosts into a
hierarchy of authority. The DNS allows addressing information to be widely
distributed and updated locally, which results in more efficient data
retrieval and maintenance. Complete conversion to the DNS will eliminate the
need for one site to maintain a centralized table of names and addresses.
Under the DNS, host name and address information, along with other data, is
distributed throughout the network in a hierarchical scheme. At the top of
the hierarchy are the root servers that contain information about the top-
level and second-level domains. At the bottom of the hierarchy are the
individual hosts.
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Each domain within the DNS must have two hosts that provide name service for
it, which means that these hosts must run programs called name servers. When
queried by programs known as resolvers (located on individual hosts), these
name servers provide name and address information to/for the particular hosts
within their domain. (The hosts themselves are called servers, even though,
technically, a server is a program.) Each server contains a subset of
Internet domain information. If a query arrives at a server that does not
have address information for a particular host, it will be able to direct the
query to the server where the information resides.
Queries regarding specific hostnames usually begin by asking a server that
knows about the top-level domain under which that host falls. Currently,
most domains on the Internet are registered within one of the following
top-level domains:
* COM for commercial institutions
* EDU for educational institutions
* GOV for non-military government agencies and organizations
* MIL for military agencies and organizations
* NET for backbone networking entities
* ORG for non-profit institutions.
Top-level domains are also registered for countries--e.g., BE for Belgium
and FI for Finland. The NIC registers information for only the top level
of these country domains. Lower-level domains are registered within the
country.
Hosts registered on the Internet must have names that reflect the domains
under which they are registered. Such names are called Fully Qualified
Domain Names (FQDNs) and include all domains of which the host is a part.
For example, NIC.DDN.MIL is the name of the NIC's main host. The hostname
NIC.DDN.MIL, when taken piece by piece, gives information about the host
itself. A hostname ending in MIL signifies sponsorship from a military-
related organization. The second-level domain, DDN, indicates that
the host is used by an organization within the DDN. The third-level
domain, NIC, indicates the host is used by the NIC.
Between the root servers and the individual hosts are other hosts that act
as servers and contain part of the information within the DNS hierarchy.
For example, a program looking for the address of NIC.DDN.MIL might first
send a query to a root server. The root server would not know the address
of NIC.DDN.MIL in particular, but would direct the query to another server
that had information about the DDN.MIL domain. The second server would know
which hosts provide name service about NIC.DDN.MIL and direct the query to
those hosts. Finally, the query would arrive at the specific host providing
name service for NIC.DDN.MIL. That host would return the network address
information via the DNS to the host that initiated the query. All of this
happens very quickly--in less than a minute.
Mail programs must know the address of each host to which they send mail.
Users normally include a hostname in the headers of their messages. The
mail program queries either the DNS or a host table to translate that
hostname to a network address. This enables the mail message to be delivered
across the network.
For example, if a user named Sam wants to send mail to his friend Joe at the
host EXAMPLE.SAMPLE.COM, he can do so in one of two ways.
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1. Via the Host Table--
* The host EXAMPLE.SAMPLE.COM is registered in the host table
along with its netaddress.
* The mail program finds the correct netaddress from the host
table on the sender's local host and sends the mail to Joe.
In this method of transmission, every host that Sam wants to
communicate with must be listed in the host table file on his
own host. Sam may not be able to reply to messages sent to
him if his host does not recognize the hostname in the sender's
return address.
2. Via the Domain Name System--
* The mail program trying to deliver a message addressed
to JOE@EXAMPLE.SAMPLE.COM sends a tracker called a query to
one of seven root servers.
* The root server has information on the COM top-level domain
and knows which two domain servers hold further information
on the SAMPLE.COM domain.
* The root server points the query to those domain servers.
* When the query arrives at the ultimate destination server, it
learns the netaddress of the host EXAMPLE.SAMPLE.COM, and the
mail program obtains the information necessary to establish a
path from the sender's host to Joe's host.
* The query directs the mail down that path to Joe's mail account
on the EXAMPLE.SAMPLE.COM host.
8.6 Government Open Systems Interconnection Profile (GOSIP)
The Government Open Systems Interconnection Profile (GOSIP) is a document
that describes the Government's plans to transition its networks from the
TCP/IP-based protocols to international protocols based on the Open Systems
Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model. The goal is to add OSI-based functions
to the Internet without sacrificing services now available to Internet users.
Several documents pertain to GOSIP or its implementation; however, we will
mention only one resource that will point you toward the most current
information available.
RFC 1169, "Explaining the Role of GOSIP," [6] discusses how GOSIP should be
applied to near-term network planning and explains the role and applicability
of the GOSIP document. In addition, it has an appendix that describes other
GOSIP documents and tells how to obtain them. The appendix also lists
contacts for further information regarding the documents. This RFC will
probably be updated as the status of GOSIP changes, so check the RFC Index,
available at the NIC, to ensure that you have the most current information.
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NETWORK SERVICE CENTERS AND CONTACTS Page 65
SECTION 9. NETWORK SERVICE CENTERS AND CONTACTS
The three main service centers on the DDN are:
* The DDN Network Information Center (NIC)
* The DDN Network Monitoring Centers (NMC) for the United States,
Pacific, and European areas
* The Defense Information Systems Agency's Defense Network Systems
Organization (DISA DNSO).
This section of the Guide describes the services provided by these
organizations and gives a list of key contacts for each.
This section also tells you how to obtain the names of other key network
contacts, including the following:
* Host Administrators
* Node Site Coordinators
* Military Communications and Operations Command Contacts.
These people and places are sources of network-related information and help,
so it is important for you to familiarize yourself with them.
9.1 The DDN Network Information Center (NIC)
The DDN Network Information Center (NIC) is located at Government Systems,
Inc. (GSI) headquarters in Chantilly, Virginia. The NIC is funded by the
Defense Information Systems Agency's Defense Network Systems Organization
(DISA DNSO). Its mission is to provide general reference services to DDN
users via telephone, electronic mail, and U.S. mail. The NIC is the first
place to turn to if you are not sure who provides the service you need or
who is the right person to contact. Section 6 describes the NIC services in
detail.
9.1.1 General Reference Service Provided by the NIC
The NIC provides several kinds of user assistance. Its main Help Desk phone
numbers are
1 (800) 365-DNIC (inside the U.S.)
1 (703) 802-4535 (outside the U.S. and in the
Washington, DC, metro area)
The first number is toll-free. Service is available Monday through Friday,
from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Eastern time.
The NIC Help Desk assists those who experience problems with the network and
with terminal-to-TAC use. In addition, the NIC is happy to answer questions
about any other service outlined in this section.
NIC online services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The NIC
host computer's hostname and its network address are as follows:
NIC.DDN.MIL 192.112.36.5
NIC 60001, February 1993
NETWORK SERVICE CENTERS AND CONTACTS Page 66
9.1.2 NIC Online Contacts
The NIC supports several online mailboxes to provide assistance in specific
areas.
Type of Inquiry Network Mailbox
---------------------------------------------------------------
General User Assistance NIC@NIC.DDN.MIL
TAC and Non-TAC User Registration REGISTRAR@NIC.DDN.MIL
Urgent Security Matters NIC-ALERT@NIC.DDN.MIL
Host, Domain, and Net Registration HOSTMASTER@NIC.DDN.MIL
NIC.DDN.MIL Computer Operations ACTION@NIC.DDN.MIL
Comments on NIC Publications, Services SUGGESTIONS@NIC.DDN.MIL
Security Concerns and Questions SCC@NIC.DDN.MIL
Usage-Sensitive Billing Questions BILLING@NIC.DDN.MIL
Automatic Mail Service SERVICE@NIC.DDN.MIL
Reporting NIC Software Bugs BUG-SERVICE@NIC.DDN.MIL
9.1.3 NIC U.S. Mail Address
Network Information Center
14200 Park Meadow Drive, Suite 200
Chantilly, VA 22021-2219
9.2 Network Monitoring Centers (NMCs)
The three Network Monitoring Centers are:
* The CONUS MILNET Monitoring Center (CMMC) located at DISA
headquarters in Washington, DC. The CMMC provides a toll-free
hotline Trouble Desk phone number for quick reporting of network
problems.
* The Pacific MILNET Monitoring Center (PMMC) located at Wheeler AFB
in Hawaii.
* The European MILNET Monitoring Center (EMMC) located in Patch
Barracks, Vaihingen, Germany.
All NMCs provide operations support for several DoD packet-switching
networks. The NMCs concentrate on real-time network management, with the
primary objective of maximizing each network's operating efficiency. In
addition, they receive the first DDN security incident reports.
Bolt Beranek and Newman, Inc., Communications Division (BBNCD) provides DDN
with operations and technical support, configuration management, software
maintenance and enhancement, hardware maintenance, and required hardware.
9.2.1 NMC Services
NMC services include remote status monitoring, coordination of network outage
troubleshooting efforts, and 24-hours-per-day, 7-days-per-week technical
assistance to users. The NMCs typically work on backbone-related outages
consisting of node and circuit problems; they provide help in determining
whether host connectivity problems are network related.
NIC 60001, February 1993
NETWORK SERVICE CENTERS AND CONTACTS Page 67
Your Host Administrator contacts the appropriate NMC for all network hardware
problems, hardware field service, problems with host interfaces, suspected
node software problems, or DDN security problems.
9.2.2 NMC Contacts
Title Telephone Network Mailbox
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONUS MMC 1 (800) 451-7413 DCA-MMC@DCA-EMS.DCA.MIL
1 (703) 692-2268
1 (703) 692-5726
European MMC 011 49 711 687 7766 STT-CONTROL@FRG.BBN.COM
Pacific MMC 1 (808) 656-1472 PMMC@PAC-MILNET-MC.DCA.MIL
9.2.3 NMC U.S. Mail Addresses
CONUS MILNET Monitoring Center
DISA Headquarters
Attn: MILNET Manager
701 South Courthouse Rd.
Arlington, VA 22204-2199
Pacific MILNET Monitoring Center
Defense Information Systems Agency, Pacific
Attn: P-600
Wheeler AFB, HI 96854-5000
European MILNET Monitoring Center
BBNCD, DISA-Europe
Box 1000, Attn: DED
APO AE 09131-4103
9.3 Host Administrators and Node Site Coordinators
Each host has a representative who serves as its technical and administrative
contact--the Host Administrator. The Host Administrator provides important
host-related services such as the following:
* Collaborates with the DDN PMO on security matters involving hosts,
* Interprets network policies as they apply to his/her host,
* Decides which users may access the network (within the guidelines set
by the DDN PMO),
* Authorizes user access to the MILNET Terminal Access Controllers
(TACs) and Mini-TACs,
* Helps network users with technical problems involving hosts, and
* Works with the Network Information Center and the Network Monitoring
Centers to provide information and technical assistance.
NIC 60001, February 1993
NETWORK SERVICE CENTERS AND CONTACTS Page 68
Each network node, or PSN, has a Node Site Coordinator (NSC). The Node Site
Coordinator is the local site representative who has access control,
accountability, and coordination responsibility for the DDN-owned network
hardware, software, and circuits located at the node site.
Occasionally, one person serves both roles. A Host Administrator or Node
Site Coordinator may also designate an alternate who can assist with the
administrative or technical demands of the position.
To find the names, addresses, telephone numbers, and network mailboxes for
these contacts, see Section 6.3.
9.4 Military Communications and Operations Command Contacts
Each military department has designated an organization to serve as the
primary DDN Point of Contact. Requests for information or assistance should
be directed to the following organizations:
Service Address Telephone DSN
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air Force AFDDN PMO 1 (205) 279-4075/3290 446-4075
Gunter AFS, AL 36224-6340
Army USAISC, AS-PLN-RF 1 (602) 538-6915 879-6915
Fort Huachuca, AZ 85613-5000
Navy COMNAVTELCOM, Code N521 1 (202) 282-0381/2 292-0381
Washington, DC 20390-5290
9.5 Defense Information Systems Agency, Defense Network Systems Organization
(DISA DNSO)
[NOTE: The Defense Communications Agency, DCA, became the DISA in
1991; in the same year, the Defense Communications System
Organization became the DNSO.]
The Defense Information Systems Agency, Defense Network Systems Organization
(DISA DNSO) is responsible for overall management of the Defense Data Network
(DDN). DDN Newsletter 58, available online as DDN-NEWS/DDN-NEWS-58.TXT from
the NIC.DDN.MIL host, contains the most current listing of DISA DNSO personnel
and their areas of responsibility. Contact the NIC to ensure that this
newsletter still reflects the most current information on DNSO staff
contacts.
9.6 If You Have a Network Use Problem
For Questions on: Contact:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Terminal settings Host Administrator or User Representative
Host login Host Administrator or User Representative
MILNET TAC access Host Administrator for your primary MILNET host
TAC login procedure Network Information Center
TAC line problems TAC Node Site Coordinator or the Monitoring Center
TAC phone numbers NIC TACNEWS program
General DDN information Network Information Center
Host line problems Respective Network Monitoring Center
NIC 60001, February 1993
BIBLIOGRAPHY Page 69
SECTION 10. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Many of the manuals and documents listed below are cited in this Guide;
others provide information that should be helpful to you as users of the DDN.
When available, ordering numbers are given for items that can be ordered from
the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC)* or from DISA. Hardcopies of
some of the documents are available from SRI International, Menlo Park, CA.
If the NIC offers online versions, the filenames are shown in brackets.
Cited References
1. AC Users' Guide. DCAC 310-P70-74. June 1988.
2. DN Subscriber Interface Guide. Defense Data Network, Program
Management Office, Defense Information Systems Agency, 701 S.
Courthouse Rd, Arlington, VA 22204-2199. 1983. (AD-A132 877/2).
3. DeLauer, R.D., DoD Policy on Standardization of Host-to-Host Protocols
for Data Communications Networks. Office of the Secretary of Defense,
Washington, D.C., 1982 March. [ien/ien-207.txt]
4. Carlucci, F. C., "Autodin II Termination," Memorandum for Secretaries of
the Military Departments, Deputy Secretary of Defense, Washington, D.C.,
April 1982.
5. Defense Information Systems Agency, DDN Network Systems Organization.
Defense Data Network Management Bulletin 76, "TAC User Registration
Clarification." Menlo Park, CA. SRI International. 24 August 1990.
1 p. [ddn-news/ddn-mgt-bulletin-76.txt]
6. RFC 1169, Explaining the Role of GOSIP. August 1990. 15 p.
[rfc/rfc1169.txt.]
7. Defense Information Systems Agency, Defense Network Systems
Organization. Defense Data Network Security Bulletin 9003, "Security
Violation Reporting." Menlo Park, CA: SRI International, DDN Security
Coordination Center; February 1990; DDN Security Bul. 9003. 2 p.
[scc/ddn-security-9003]
8. RFC 1177, FYI on Questions and Answers: Answers to commonly asked "new
Internet user" questions. August 1990. 24 p. (Also FYI 4)
[rfc/rfc1177.txt]
9. Defense Information Systems Agency, DDN Network Systems Organization.
Defense Data Network Management Bulletin 101, "MILNET TAC User
Validation and Registration." Chantilly, VA. GSI, Inc., 24 September
1992. 5 p. [ddn-news/ddn-mgt-bulletin-101.txt]
General References
Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc.
A History of the ARPANET: the First Decade.
Report No. 4799, Defense Advanced Research
Agency, Arlington, VA, 1981. [AD-A1115 440].
NIC 60001, February 1993
BIBLIOGRAPHY Page 70
Cerf, V. and Lyons, R. "Military Requirements for Packet-Switched
Networks and Their Implications for Protocol
Standardization." Computer Networks. 7(5):
293-306; 1983 October.
Chou, W. (Ed.). Computer Communications: Principles. Englewood
Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.; 1983.
Comer, D.E. Internetworking with TCP/IP: Principles,
Protocols, and Architecture. Englewood Cliffs, NJ:
Prentice-Hall, Inc.; 1988. 382 p.
DDN Defense Data Network Brochure. Defense Information Systems Agency,
Defense Network Systems Organization, Washington, DC, 1984.
DDN Protocol Handbook, 4 Volumes. SRI International (NIC), Menlo Park, CA.
1985.
DDN Subscriber Security Guide. Defense Data Network, Program Management
Office, Defense Information Systems Agency, Washington, D.C. 1983.
[AD-A152 524]
Frey, D.; Adams, R. !%@:: A Directory of Electronic Mail Addressing
and Networks. Newton, MA: O'Reilly and
Associates; August 1989. 284 p.
FYI 2; FYI on a network management tool catalog: Tools for monitoring and
debugging TCP/IP internets and interconnected devices. April 1990. 126 p.
(Also RFC 1147) [FYI/FYI2.TXT]
FYI 3; FYI on where to start: A bibliography of internetworking information.
August 1990. 42 p. (Also RFC 1175) [fyi/fyi3.txt]
Hinden, R., Haverty, J.
and Sheltzer, A. "The DARPA Internet: Interconnecting
Heterogenous Computer Networks with Gateways."
Computer. 16(9): 38-48; September 1983.
Jennings, D.M., et al "Computer Networking for Scientists." Science.
Vol 231: 943-950; February 1986.
LaQuey, T.L. (Ed.) Users' Directory of Computer Networks. Bedford,
MA: Digital Press; 1990. 630 p.
Network Protocol Implementations and Vendors Guide. SRI International
(former DDN NIC), Menlo Park, CA. 1990. [netinfo/vendors-guide.doc]
Partridge, C. (Ed.) Innovations in Internetworking. Norwood, MA:
Artech House; 1988.
Perry, D.G., et al The ARPANET and the DARPA Internet. Library Hi
Tech. 6(2): 51-62; 1988 April.
Quarterman, J.S. Matrix: Computer Networks and Conferencing Systems
Worldwide. Bedford, MA: Digital Press; 1989.
719 p.
Ubois, J. "Defense Data Network." National Defense. Vol.74:
33-35; February 1990.
NIC 60001, February 1993
GLOSSARY Page 71
SECTION 11. GLOSSARY
acoustic coupler A type of modem that converts digital signals into
sound for transmission through telephone lines and
performs the reverse operation when receiving such
signals. Acoustic couplers generally have cups into
which the telephone handset is placed to make the
connection.
anonymous login convention
Standard username (anonymous) and password (guest) that
allows a user to log in within FTP for the purpose of
retrieving an unprotected public access file.
ARPANET Packet-switched network developed by the Defense Advanced
Research Projects Agency.
ASN Autonomous System Number. A number assigned by the NIC
to an autonomous network that request connection to the
Internet.
backbone The nodes (PSNs), the TACs, and the telephone lines
connecting them that form the core of the DDN.
BBNCD Bolt Beranek and Newman, Inc., Communications Division;
a major hardware and software developer for the DDN.
bps Bits per second. The unit used for measuring line speed,
i.e., the number of information units transmitted per
second.
case sensitive Software differentiation between uppercase and lowercase
characters.
CERT Computer Emergency Response Team, the DARPA-sponsored
group responsible for coordinating many security incident
response efforts.
circuit-switched A type of network connection. A circuit-switched
connection is a continuous electrical connection
established between sending and receiving users for
their exclusive use. The connection remains active
until it is closed by the using parties.
concentrator A gateway; that is, a computer that interconnects
networks.
connection An access path between two ports on a network,
established for data transmission between the ports.
CONUS Military acronym for the Continental United States.
DARPA Defense Advanced Research Project Agency. The agency
that created and administered the ARPANET.
NIC 60001, February 1993
GLOSSARY Page 72
DCA DCSO Defense Communications Agency, Defense Communications
System Organization; the group responsible for
administering the DDN. (Now known as the Defense
Information Systems Agency, Defense Network Systems
Organization--DISA DNSO.)
DDN Defense Data Network. The DoD long-haul, packet-switched
computer communications network that includes the MILNET
as one of its subnetworks.
DIIS The DDN Installation and Information Services contract,
which encompasses the NIC and its services. Also the NIC
handle of the DIIS.DDN.MIL host.
DISA DNSO Defense Information Systems Agency, Defense Network
Systems Organization. Formerly the DCA DCSO (see above).
DNS Domain Name System. The hierarchical, distributed
database used for host name and address resolution that
has replaced the need for a centralized host table.
DoD Department of Defense.
DRI Defense Research Internet. A network that will provide
state-of-the-art internetworking services for the DoD.
It is still in the planning stages.
DSN Defense Switched Network. A proprietary Government
telephone network.
DTIC Defense Technical Information Center, Cameron Station,
Alexandria, VA 22314. A depository for many DoD
technical reports.
FQDN Fully Qualified Domain Name. The complete hostname that
reflects the domains of which the host is a part.
FTP File Transfer Protocol. A network utility for copying
files across the network; defined in RFC 959.
FYI A "For Your Information" document, issued also as an RFC,
that contains information of general interest to the
Internet community.
gateway A computer that interconnects networks.
GOSIP Government Open Systems Interconnection Profile. A
document that addresses the DDN's planned transition from
TCP/IP protocols to OSI protocols.
handle Unique character string identifier assigned to each entry
in the NIC WHOIS database.
host A computer connected to a PSN on the DDN.
hostname A name that officially identifies each computer attached
to the DDN.
IMP Interface Message Processor; see PSN.
NIC 60001, February 1993
GLOSSARY Page 73
INCC The Internet Control Center. The service center that
provides help to Air Force concentrator users.
Internet The specific IP-based internetwork of which the DDN is a
part.
internetwork A network, such as the DDN, that consists of many
interconnected networks.
IP Internet Protocol. A DoD standard protocol that allows
dissimilar hosts to connect to each other through the
DDN, defined in RFC 791.
IR Internet Registry. The function at the NIC that assigns
official IP network numbers.
Kermit An error-checking file-transfer protocol used to copy
files from one computer to another. Also the name given
to the public domain software, distributed by Columbia
University, that supports this protocol.
LAN Local Area Network. A network of directly connected
machines usually located within 10 miles of one another.
long-haul net A network spanning long geographic distances, usually
connected by telephone lines or satellite radio links.
mailbridge A gateway between the MILNET and the Internet, through
which mail and other data passes.
MIL STD Military Standard. The official military version of a
specification.
MILNET The DDN unclassified operational military network.
modem A device that converts digital signals into analog
signals (and back) for transmission over telephone lines
(modulator/demodulator).
MTAC Or Mini-TAC. A new, improved machine that allows remote
network access in essentially the same manner as a TAC,
but accommodates a wider variety of operating systems.
NETINFO The name of the publicly accessible directory on the
NIC.DDN.MIL host that stores many files of interest to
users of the network.
network The hardware, software, and connections needed to
distribute the processing of data in a reliable and
efficient manner and to enable users to exchange and
share that data.
NIC DDN Network Information Center, located at GSI
headquarters in Chantilly, VA.
NIC.DDN.MIL The hostname of the NIC host. Its network address is
192.112.36.5.
NICNAME See WHOIS.
NIC/Query A general information program on NIC.DDN.MIL.
NIC 60001, February 1993
GLOSSARY Page 74
NMC Network Monitoring Center. The CONUS MILNET NMC is
located at 701 S. Courthouse Rd., Arlington, VA
22204-2199. Others are located in Europe and Hawaii.
NNSC The National Science Foundation's Network Service
Center. The center that provides support for the
NSFNet backbone. The NNSC also publishes the Internet
Resource Guide.
node On the DDN, a packet switch or PSN. A computer that
handles network message traffic.
NREN The National Research and Education Network, the planned
high-speed national network that will provide a platform
for research and educational networking efforts.
NSC Node Site Coordinator. The local DDN contact responsible
for node or TAC equipment.
NSFNet The packet-switched network that is the backbone of much
of the Internet.
NSO Network Security Officer. The NSO is responsible for
setting DDN security policy and overseeing its
implementation.
NTIS National Technical Information Service, U.S. Department
of Commerce, Springfield, VA 22151, (703) 487-4650. A
national depository for unclassified technical documents.
OCONUS A military acronym for "Outside the Continental U.S."
operating system Software that supervises and controls tasks on a
computer.
OSD Office of the Secretary of Defense.
packet switching A data transmission system that uses addressed packets,
and in which a communications channel is occupied only
for the duration of the packet transmission.
pathname A character string that fully identifies a file.
Pathnames normally contain (or imply) device and/or
directory names and a filename specification. FTP,
TELNET, and electronic mail do not specify a standard
pathname convention. Each user must follow the file
naming conventions of the file systems he wishes to use.
packet The basic unit of data transmitted over the DDN. Each
packet contains a header, which consists of addressing
and other control information and, optionally, any
associated data destined for a network user process.
POC Point of Contact.
protocol Technical specifications governing the format and timing
of information exchange between two communicating
software processes.
PSN Packet Switch Node. A store-and-forward packet switch
(formerly called an IMP).
NIC 60001, February 1993
GLOSSARY Page 75
RFC Request For Comment. A series of technical notes
describing DARPA and DDN research and development,
particularly in the areas of protocol design and
internetworking. Available for anonymous FTP at
NIC.DDN.MIL in the /rfc directory.
SCC The Security Coordination Center, located at the NIC,
that is responsible for collecting security-related
information, cooperating with the NSO in security
incident response, and issuing DDN Security Bulletins.
server A process providing a generalized service to subscribing
user processes. Server processes normally "listen" on a
network address, ready to respond to an incoming service
request. The FTP Server is such a process; it responds
to file transfer requests from FTP users.
SERVICE The name of the NIC's automatic mail server,
SERVICE@NIC.DDN.MIL. Send a message to
SERVICE@NIC.DDN.MIL with subject: HELP for more
information.
session The time during which a connection remains open between a
user and server port on a network. For example, in an
FTP session, the end-user invokes FTP, names the server
host he wishes to connect with, issues FTP commands, and
logs off.
SIG Special Interest Group. An online mailing group whose
members exchange information on a particular topic.
site Organization or facility where a host is located.
SMTP Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. Defined in RFC 821.
socket Logical address of a communications access point to a
specific device or program on a host.
SRI SRI International, Menlo Park, CA, former location of the
DDN Network Information Center and early contributor to
the development of the DDN.
SunOS Sun Microcomputer Systems' proprietary UNIX-based
operating system. The operating system used by the NIC
host.
TAC Terminal Access Controller. A special type of computer
attached to a PSN. It allows direct terminal access to
the DDN backbone.
TAC Access Code Password assigned to MILNET TAC users for TAC login.
TAC Userid Alphanumeric character string that identifies a TAC user
upon TAC login.
TACACS TAC Access Control System. A password system that limits
use of TACs to authorized users.
TACNEWS NIC program for reading DDN Newsletters, Bulletins, and
other items of interest to TAC users.
NIC 60001, February 1993
GLOSSARY Page 76
TCP/IP Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. DoD
standard network protocols defined in RFC 793 (TCP) and
RFC 791 (IP).
TELNET A protocol for opening a transparent connection to a
distant host; defined in RFC 854.
terminal A communication device that lets a user send information
to a computer by typing on a keyboard. It prints
responses from the computer on paper or a screen.
TIP Terminal Interface Processor. A predecessor of the TAC,
serving a similar function. See TAC.
UNIX An AT & T Bell Laboratories proprietary operating system
that runs on large and small computers. It has become
widely used in the scientific research and development
community.
user A human end-user or an automated user process authorized
to access network services.
WHOIS NIC program used to access the NIC electronic white pages
database.
NIC 60001, February 1993
APPENDIX A Page 77
APPENDIX A. NETWORK RESOURCES
One of the questions new users frequently ask when they finally get access to
the network is, "Now what? What's out there?" This section lists a few
places you can look for more information about what is available to Internet
users.
Special Interest Groups
An important part of the Internet are its many online Special Interest Groups
(SIGs), which discuss topics ranging from artificial intelligence to Zenith
PCs. A SIG is an electronic mailing list dedicated to the discussion of a
particular topic. SIGs are a good way for a new user to learn more about the
network. Anyone can contribute to a SIG by simply sending mail, and most
SIGs are open for anyone to join. Information on network SIGs can be found
in a file nicknamed the List-of-Lists, a master list of SIGs with a brief
description of each group and how to join it.
For users who have never done a file transfer before, this is a perfect
first opportunity. You can use FTP to copy the List-of-Lists from the
FTP.NISC.SRI.COM host by logging in with "USERID anonymous" and "PASSWORD
guest" and using the pathname NETINFO:INTEREST-GROUPS.
Note that many individual hosts redistribute mail for their users--that is,
mailing list messages or digests are delivered once to a single local mailbox,
and then they are announced or forwarded to a list of interested local users.
Mail redistribution eliminates the need for the local mailer to process myriad
copies of the same message directed to different users and so conserves local
computer resources. Before adding your name to a SIG distribution list, ask
your Host Administrator or User Representative if SIG or digest mail is
redistributed on your host or posted in a centralized place to be read by all
local users.
In addition, all traffic on the MILNET is subject to usage-sensitive billing,
so before adding your name to a SIG, be sure that the mail traffic you would
generate is consistent with the usage policies of your host.
NNSC Internet Resource Guide
The NSF Network Service Center (NNSC) compiles and makes available an Internet
Resource Guide. The goal of the guide is to increase the visibility of
various Internet resources that might help users do their work better. While
not yet an exhaustive list, the guide is a useful compendium of many resources
and can be very helpful to a new user.
In the NNSC guide, resources are grouped into sections by type. Current
sections include descriptions of online library catalogs, data archives,
online white pages directory services, networks, network information centers,
and computational resources such as supercomputers. Each entry contains the
following information:
* a description of the resource,
* an identification of who can use the resource,
* an explanation of how to reach the resource network via the
Internet,
* a list of contacts for more information.
NIC 60001, February 1993
APPENDIX A Page 78
The NNSC distributes the list electronically. To receive a guide, or to get
on a mailing list that alerts you when it is updated, send a message to
RESOURCE-GUIDE-REQUEST@NNSC.NSF.NET.
FYI Documents
"FYIs" are a series of special RFCs. The FYI documents address information
that is of general interest to the Internet user community. They do not
define standards or contain protocol specifications. Rather, they address
more general topics, provide insight into Internet conventions, answer
commonly asked questions, contain background or historical information, or
provide resource information such as bibliographies or descriptions of
software. Some FYIs are addressed specifically to new users.
Because FYIs are also RFCs, they are listed along with all the other RFCs in
the RFC Index. However, the file fyi/fyi-index.txt on the NIC host lists only
the FYIs. Each index notes both the FYI number and the RFC number of each
FYI. You can obtain the FYI Index online by FTPing it or by requesting it
through the SERVICE@NIC.DDN.MIL mail service. See Section 5.1.2 for FTP
guidelines and Section 6.3.5 for directions on retrieving information via
SERVICE.
NIC Contacts Files
Often users need to communicate with the official Point of Contact
(POC) responsible for a specific network or domain. While this information
is available via the WHOIS program on the NIC host, as described in Section
6.3.1, the NIC also provides files that contain compilations of the contacts
for domains and networks. These files are updated weekly and provide a
central resource for useful domain and network POC information.
* netinfo/network-contacts.txt lists all assigned networks by number
and lists the name of the network, plus the name, phone number,
and electronic mailbox for each POC.
* netinfo/domain-contacts.txt is organized by domain name and lists
the name, phone number, and electronic mailbox for each domain
POC.
With the network information sources and contacts just outlined and the tools
introduced in the previous section, you are now ready to explore the network
on your own.
NIC 60001, February 1993
APPENDIX B Page 79
APPENDIX B. COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Here are answers to some of the questions most commonly asked by users. The
selections were made from questions addressed to the DDN Network Information
Center. (See Sections 6.1 for NIC network and U.S. mail addresses.)
1. I want to send mail to my colleague, John Smith. What is his
network mailbox?
Answer:
The NIC provides an online program called WHOIS (or NICNAME) that
contains the names, addresses, phone numbers, and online mailboxes of
many network users. Since some Host Administrators install this program
on their host, you should ask him/her if it is available locally.
Alternatively, you may make a TELNET connection to NIC.DDN.MIL and use
the WHOIS program running on the NIC host. (Login to NIC.DDN.MIL is not
required.) The WHOIS program may also be accessed via electronic mail.
Send a message to SERVICE@NIC.DDN.MIL and include the word WHOIS and the
item you wish to search for in the subject line of your message. You
will receive an answer overnight. For more information on using SERVICE,
see Section 6.3.5.
2. This TAC phone number doesn't work. What should I do?
Answer:
The Network Information Center can try to access the TAC from its site
to determine if the problem is in the TAC or if it relates to your
equipment or the procedure you are using. If the problem is the TAC, we
can give you phone numbers for other TACs. We can help you coordinate
with the MILNET Monitoring Center to report the TAC problem.
3. I will be traveling and need to log in to read my mail. How can I find
a TAC phone number to use while I'm on the road?
Answer:
You can locate TAC phone numbers in several ways. The back of your
TAC card lists many of them. The TACNEWS program available on the
NIC.DDN.MIL host has a menu option that will show you the three TACs
closest to a phone number you provide. TACNEWS also provides lists of
phone numbers for TACs both within and outside the U.S. See Section
6.3.2.1 for an example of TACNEWS usage. In addition, if you call the
NIC Help Desk, we will be happy to provide you with phone numbers of
TACs.
4. What is the difference between the MILNET and the DDN?
Answer:
The MILNET is a wide area network that constitutes one subnetwork of
the DDN. The MILNET carries unclassified operational data. It is the
segment of the DDN that is connected to the Internet. The other
subnetworks of the DDN carry classified information and are standalone
networks.
NIC 60001, February 1993
APPENDIX B Page 80
5. What is the difference between the MILNET and the Internet?
Answer:
The Internet is a collection of TCP/IP-based wide area and local area
networks that are interconnected by various gateways so that users on
one network can communicate to users on any of the other networks. In
addition, some non-TCP/IP-based networks, such as BITNET, are accessible
to Internet users via electronic mail. These networks are usually not
strictly considered a part of "the Internet." The MILNET is a wide area
network that is connected to the Internet via connections called the
Federal Inter-agency Exchanges (FIXs).
6. I see a connection on my host from a network number I don't recognize.
How can I find the number of someone to contact on that network to check
on this connection?
Answer:
Every IP network number assigned by the Internet Registry at the NIC has
a registered Point of Contact (POC) who is responsible for that network.
To find a particular POC, you can look up the number of the network via
the NIC's WHOIS program. Search only on the network portion of the
number and type the local portions as zeroes. (See Section 8.4 for a
brief explanation of network addressing. See Section 6.3.1 for how to
use WHOIS.) In addition, the NIC provides a publicly accessible,
regularly updated file that lists all the POCs for each network number
assigned. The file is netinfo/network-contacts.txt. The POC
information is listed by network number.
7. How do I get a TAC card?
Answer:
Before you can get a TAC card, you must have an account on a host. Then
the Host Administrator of a MILNET host (that is, a host whose address
is on network 26) must approve a TAC card for you. See Section 4 for a
more complete explanation of TAC cards and TAC usage.
8. What is an RFC?
Answer:
As RFC 1177 [8] explains, the Request for Comments documents (RFCs) are
working notes of the Internet research and development community. A
document in this series may be on essentially any topic related to
computer communication, and may consist of anything from a meeting
report to the specification of a standard. Most RFCs are descriptions
of network protocols or services, often giving detailed procedures and
formats. These RFCs generally provide information in sufficient
technical detail to enable developers to create implementations. Other
RFCs report on the results of policy studies or summarize the work of
technical committees or workshops. Currently, all Internet standards
are published as RFCs, but not all RFCs are standards. RFCs are
publicly available on the NIC.DDN.MIL host. Indexes of RFCs organized
by number (in reverse order with the most current RFC at the top), by
author, or by title are available from the NIC as well. Hardcopies are
available from SRI International in Menlo Park, CA (the former NIC).
NIC 60001, February 1993
APPENDIX B Page 81
9. May I be registered in the WHOIS database?
Answer:
Any TAC user must be registered with the NIC. In addition, any other
MILNET user can be added to the WHOIS database if he has a working
network mailbox. Information regarding a registered user, such as his
address and network mailbox, is visible via the WHOIS program. Thus,
WHOIS acts as a "white pages" directory of network users, enabling other
users to ascertain where to send mail to them, either electronically or
via the U.S. postal service. To register in the database, fill out the
template provided in Section 6.2.1 (or the version currently approved
and located in the NIC templates directory) and return it online to
REGISTRAR@NIC.DDN.MIL. The NIC depends on users to send updated
information whenever their addresses or mailboxes change. Changes
involving TAC access or registrations of new TAC users must be forwarded
by an authorized Host Administrator, however.
NIC 60001, February 1993
INDEX Page 82
INDEX
Access Code (TAC) 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19
security 54
Acoustic coupler 7, 15
ARPANET 1, 2
definition of 7, 8
Billing, usage-sensitive 37, 57
Circuit-switched network 5
CMMC (CONUS MILNET Monitoring Center) 66, 67
Code ownership 55
Code commercial use 555
Communications network 5, 7, 8
Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) 54
Concentrator 10, 11, 13, 58, 59
Configuration, for PCs 11
Control Characters 3, 18, 21, 22
DARPA 7, 8
DCA (see DISA)
DDN 1, 5
legitimate access 53
MILNET 1, 7, 79, 80
Network Information Center (NIC) 35-52, 65-66
New User Guide, The 50
Protocols 24
Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) ii, 7-9, 14, 35, 53, 62, 65,
67, 68
Defense Network Systems Organization (DNSO) 7-9, 35, 65, 68
Defense Research Internet (DRI) 8
Dial-up 7, 10, 11, 15
modem 15
terminal 7, 10, 11
Directory of files, FTPing 29, 31-32
Document conventions 3
Documents, NIC 50
Domain Name System (DNS) 62-64
electronic mail 63, 64
Fully Qualified Domain Names (FQDN) 63
top level domains 63
EMMC (European MILNET Monitoring Center) 67, 68
Etiquette, network 53-55
File protection 55
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) 10, 28-33
Files
Network contacts 78
NIC online reference 51-52
protection, plagiarism 55
transfer from a TAC 21, 22
transfer via FTP 28-33
transfer via Kermit 49
FYI documents 50, 52, 78
FYI Index 52
NIC 60001, February 1993
INDEX Page 83
Gateway 1, 5, 7, 10-11
concentrators 13, 58
searching for 40
Government Open Systems Interconnection Profile (GOSIP) 64
Hard-wired
TAC connection 16
terminal 7, 10
Host Administrator
identifying (WHOIS) 38, 42-43
online reference files 51
PC users 11
responsibilities 67, 68
security functions 53-55
TAC users 12, 14, 20, 36, 81
Host computer 5-7
as access to network 10
PC as host 11
TAC access to 12, 13
IMP 5
Internet 1, 5, 7, 8, 58, 77, 78, 80
addressing 59-61
official Hostname table 51, 62-64
Internet Control Center (INCC) 59
Internet Resource Guide 77-78
Internet Working Group (IWG) 7
Kermit
online references 52
server (NIC) 49
Keywords, WHOIS search 39-40
LAN 5, 7, 10, 58
List-of-Lists 77
Local Area Network (LAN) 5, 7, 10, 58
Mail
DNS applications 64
electronic 11, 24-28, 36, 38
guidelines, etiquette 55-56
Infomail 27-28
Lists, mailing 56, 77-78
Problems 79
SERVICE program 39, 49-50
through TAC 20
UNIX 25-26
MILNET 1, 79, 80
contacts (CMMC, EMMC, PMMC) 65-67, 68
definition of 1, 7-9
host addresses 59-61, 62
Manager, MILNET 9
NMC (MILNET Network Monitoring Centers) 23, 66-68
online reference files 51
TAC user 12-14
Mini-TAC 22-23
Modem 10-11, 15-16, 19
NIC 60001, February 1993
INDEX Page 84
National Research and Education Network (NREN) 8
National Science Foundation Network (NSFNet) 8, 77
NETINFO, directory 50, 51-52
Network
access 6, 7, 10-12, 53
address 13, 20, 33, 45
address (NIC) 35, 65
addressing 59-62
conduct 53-55
connection 6, 9, 10-12
mailboxes 25, 36, 66
Monitoring Centers (NMC) 66-68
numbering 45, 59-62
registration 36, 62
resource guide 77
security 53-55
tools 24
user address 25, 63-64, 81
Network Monitoring Center
Europe 66, 67
MILNET 66, 67
Pacific area 66, 67
Network, definition of 5
NIC (Network Information Center) 35-52, 65-66
documents 50
general reference services 36, 65
network services 39
online contacts, mailboxes 36, 66
online reference files 51-52
registration services 36-37
Security Coordination Center (SCC) 38, 54
toll-free number 35, 65
FAX number 38
WHOIS database registration 37-38, 81
NIC handle 39-40, 42
NIC/QUERY 46-47
Node Site Coordinator (NSC) 16, 38, 44, 51
definition of 67-68
NSO (Network Security Officer) 38, 54
Packet-switched network 5, 6
Passwords 29 (FTP), 32-33 (TELNET), 53-54
Personal Computer (PC) 11, 15-16, 19
communications software 15, 49
Plagiarism 55
PMMC 66, 67
POC 9, 38, 44, 61, 65-68
Protocols 7, 8, 11, 24, 28-32 (FTP), 49, 50, 64
PSN 5, 39, 40, 44, 51, 58,
IP addresses 59
Query, DNS 62, 63
Questions Commonly Asked 79-81
Registration services 36-37, 65-66
template files 37, 51
RFC 35, 49, 50, 52
definition 80
RFC Index 49, 52
Role mailboxes (NIC) 36, 66
NIC 60001, February 1993
INDEX Page 85
SCC 54
Security Coordination Center 38, 54, 66
Security, network 53-55
Server
DNS 46, 62-64
FTP 29, 30
Hostname 51
Kermit 49
root 62-64
SERVICE mail server program 39, 49-50, 62
Services
NIC general reference 35-37, 65
NMC 66, 67
Special Interest Groups (SIGs) 77
TAC (Terminal Access Controller) 12-23
access card 12-14, 80-81
binary mode 22
connection to host 16-18
file transfer 21-22
flow control 21-22
intercept character 20, 21
login 16-18
login/line problems 18-20, 68
network access via 10
phone numbers 15, 43-44, 68
registration 36-37
user registration 12, 13, 36-37, 81
WHOIS, access from TAC 39
search by TAC keyword 40
search by TAC name 43-44
TAC Users' Guide 14, 18
TACNEWS 15, 46, 47-48, 68
TELNET 10, 24, 32-34, 39
access to NIC/Query 46-47
access to TACNEWS 48
Usage-sensitive billing 37-38, 57-58
role mailbox 36, 66
service desk 37, 57
User registration 12, 13 (TAC), 36-37
mailbox 36, 66
template 37
Userid 10, 12, 14, 17
input 18, 19
security 54
WHOIS access 39
NIC 60001, February 1993
INDEX Page 86
WAN 58
WHOIS database 38-46
accessing 39
keywords 40
netword address info 61
registration 36-37, 51 (user template file)
search
by domain name 46
by handle 42
by hostname 42-43
by network number 45, 61
by partial name 41
by PSN number 44
by TAC name 43
by username 41
TELNET to 34, 39
via SERVICE 50
using 39-40