Internet Host: nic.cerf.net
Directory: farnet
Subdirectory: farnet_docs
Filename: nwnet-press-rel
Last Updated: Nov 11, 1991
For more information: Eric S. Hood
Executive Director
NorthWestNet
[email protected]
(206) 562-3000
--PRESS RELEASE--
PNWER LEGISLATIVE LEADERS AGREE TO PROMOTE TCP/IP PROTOCOLS
At the annual meeting of the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER)
earlier this month, legislative leaders from six northwestern states and
provinces agreed to work in partnership with NorthWestNet to promote the
TCP/IP protocol as a standard means of digital communication. This
resolution will affect agencies in the PNWER states and provinces of
Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Alberta, and British Columbia.
"This is significant progress," said Dr. Eric Hood, NorthWestNet Executive
Director, who addressed the issue of computer networking at the meeting.
"The adoption of this standard will allow key government agencies in
northwestern states to participate fully in the national networking
community."
Once their computers start using TCP/IP, the standard communications
protocols for the national Internet, PNWER state agencies will be able to
access the major informational resources of federal agencies such as NASA,
DARPA, and the Department of Energy. Internet resources, including
databases and archives of software and documents at these sites, will be
available for use by state libraries, educational institutions, and other
such organizations; state research institutions will be able to process
vast amounts of data on supercomputers around the country. Additionally,
communication features such as electronic mail, news groups, and real-time
electronic conferencing will help staff at these agencies to communicate
and collaborate with each other across state and provincial lines.
Although computer networks exist today within many state agencies,
inter-agency and inter-state communications are often difficult if not
impossible because of differing protocol standards. Hood compares the use
of different communication protocols on today's computer networks to the
early railroad system in America. "An appropriate historical analogy
links America's economic growth and the development of the West in the
19th century to the standardization of railroad track size and gauge." He
explained that prior to the adoption of these standards, different models
of engines and cars were needed by railroad companies using different
sizes and types of track. Cargo often had to be manually transferred from
one train to another, resulting in significant loss of time and money.
The adoption of standards within the railroad industry enabled a more
efficient national transportation system. "PNWER's resolution to adopt
TCP/IP protocol standards will reduce today's need for gateways between
disparate networks and will facilitate more effective communication and
efficient information transfer," said Hood.
The National Science Foundation Network (NSFNET) is a key component of
today's Internet. One of the early goals in building the NSFNET was to
provide researchers around the country access to a half dozen
supercomputer centers. "In my mind supercomputer access seems like a
fringe benefit compared to the to the real goal of electronic
communication," said Dan Jordt, NorthWestNet Director of Technical
Services. "We're trying to build an infrastructure similar to the
telephone network or the highway system. Getting state governments
involved will help speed this process tremendously."
The Washington State Information Services Board recently acknowledged the
value of the Internet and its potential for the advancement of
inter-agency communication when it adopted TCP/IP protocols as a standard.
This decision will become effective in January 1992 and will be
implemented through purchasing regulations.
Speaker of the Washington State House of Representatives Joe King met
recently with Hood to discuss the benefits of telecomputing and digital
communications and their significance in promoting regional development,
technology transfer, and economic competitiveness. According to Hood,
their conversation also focused on solidifying the role of the State of
Washington in the National Research and Education Network (NREN), which
also uses TCP/IP protocols as its communication standard.
The NREN is a national, high-speed network designed to interconnect
America's educational institutions and its knowledge and information
centers. It has received significant national attention as a component of
President Bush's technology initiative entitled, "Grand Challenges: High
Performance in Computing and Communications."
Within the NREN vision, "elementary schools, high schools, two and four
year colleges, and universities will be linked with research centers and
laboratories so that all may share access to: libraries, databases, and
diverse scientific instruments such as supercomputers, telescopes, and
particle accelerators."1 In his FY1992 budget, Bush allocated $91.9
million for the development and implementation of the NREN.
"NorthWestNet intends to take an active role in working with state
agencies to implement their connection to the NREN and hence the
Internet," said Hood. "This collaborative activity is consistent with
NorthWestNet's mission to 'promote research, education and economic
vitality by providing access to network communications, computing and
electronic information resources and services throughout the Northwest.'"
1"Grand Challenges: High Performance Computing and Communications, The FY
1992 U.S. Research and Development Program." A Report by the Committee on
Physical, Mathematical, and Engineering Sciences of the Federal
Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and Technology, a
supplement to the President's Fiscal Year 1992 Budget. Office of Science
and Technology Policy, Washington, D.C.: 18-19.
