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+Network Working Group Marshall D. Abrams
+Request for Comments: 364 National Bureau of Standards
+NIC 10606 July 11, 1972
+References: NIC 6801
+
+
+ Serving Remote Users on the ARPANET
+
+Problem Statement
+
+ Second only to the unavailability of the serving host, the most
+ vexing problem encountered in attempting to use the service hosts on
+ the NET has been the inadequacy of administrative procedure and
+ information dissemination for remote users. This paper explores the
+ problem and proposes solutions.
+
+ When computer systems begin to service remote users, some of the
+ operating procedures which produced a functioning environment for
+ local users may not be satisfactory for those who are off-site. It
+ may be that these procedures were already inadequate, but the local
+ community developed a set of informal procedures to augment the
+ formal ones. It may also be true that the established formal
+ procedures were completely satisfactory for local users, but failed
+ when an attempt was made to extend them to the remote user. In either
+ case, this paper asserts that a problem exists and offers a set of
+ suggestions for its amelioration.
+
+
+Existing Information
+
+ Having used (or attempted to use) the information currently
+ available, I should first summarize the existing sources and indicate
+ that they don't meet total needs. There is the resource notebook
+ index. The index is an ordered list of attributes which refer one to
+ the appropriate main entry for hosts exhibiting that attribute. When
+ the index is completed, it will reference the main entries in the
+ resource notebook, to which we now turn out attention. On the whole,
+ the main entry contains a summary of the hardware and software
+ services available. At this site, these entries serve as a "shopping
+ list" from which we may select the service center hosts which may be
+ suitable for the computing we wish to undertake. Some administrative
+ information is also provided. Using the outline of a host-site
+ subsection, this information consists of: I. Personnel; V.B. Rate
+ structure; V.D. Long-term storage; VII. Login; VIII. Operator
+ Communication; IX. Miscellaneous; and X. Programs. The discussion
+ under "IX. Miscellaneous" included a statement of intention to
+ include an elaborated documentation section in a future revision of
+ the resource book. This is most urgently required. This paper
+
+
+
+Abrams [Page 1]
+
+RFC 364 11 July 1972
+
+
+ contains a proposal which might constitute the outline for that
+ section.
+
+ Another source of information concerning serving hosts is the NIC.
+ Some sites have submitted existing documentation to the NIC; some
+ have even written special documents to assist network users. There
+ are several problems however: It may be difficult to learn about said
+ documents, especially for someone new to the ARPANET and/or the NIC.
+ NIC policy is to lend the documents, which is fine for browsing but
+ unacceptable for reference.
+
+
+Information Required
+
+ Employing a questionnaire format, I will now present additional
+ outline entries which might be used to supplement NIC 6801.
+
+ XI. Administrative Procedures relating to Financial Arrangements
+
+ Who does a prospective user contact?
+
+ Is there a way to sample using the system (gratis)?
+
+ How does one open an account for computer services?
+
+ How does one obtain the necessary blank administrative forms?
+
+ Can all expenses (e.g., manuals, postage) be charged to the
+ computer services account?
+
+ How does one determine the status of his account?
+
+ What is the relationship of a number of users to accounts?
+
+ How can one determine the charges accruing during a session?
+
+ How often are account statements issued?
+
+ How current are account statements when issued?
+
+
+ XII. Information Dissemination
+
+ A. Documentation
+
+ Is there a "beginners pocket"? Does it contain examples?
+
+ Is there a list of documents available? Where?
+
+
+
+Abrams [Page 2]
+
+RFC 364 11 July 1972
+
+
+ Where are published documents sold?
+
+ How does the remote user obtain these documents?
+
+ May document purchases be charged to the account?
+
+ How are errata sheets distributed?
+
+ How often are manuals updated? How are updates announced?
+
+ What local documentation is available/necessary?
+
+ What manufacturer hardware/software documentation is
+ available/necessary?
+
+ Is manufacturer documentation available from the same source as
+ local documentation and with the same arrangements?
+
+ What is the mechanism for resolution of conflicts amongst
+ manuals?
+
+ Is documentation available for each subsystem and application
+ program?
+
+ Is there a printed newsletter or equivalent? If so, what is the
+ procedure for becoming a subscriber? For obtaining back issues?
+
+ Is there a "message of the day" automatically presented?
+
+ How does an irregular user keep informed of past "messages of
+ the day"?
+
+ Is there an on-line information service like a newspaper? How
+ does one obtain "back issues" of the "newspaper"?
+
+
+ B. User Assistance
+
+ Is there a (required) single point of contact for remote users?
+
+ What is his level of technical competence?
+
+ What is his level of administrative responsibility?
+
+ When the contact person cannot answer a question will he follow
+ it up with the appropriate in-house person? Will the remote user
+ be referred to the in-house person?
+
+
+
+
+Abrams [Page 3]
+
+RFC 364 11 July 1972
+
+
+ To what extent will a remote user be permitted or denied access
+ to technical and administrative staff?
+
+ What priority does the local user have relative to the remote
+ user?
+
+ Is there a telephone service for answering questions?
+
+ Is INWATS or equivalent provided?
+
+ What are the service hours?
+
+ Is there an on-line assistance mechanism? How does it work?
+
+ Is there a mechanism for sending messages to an off-line user
+ consultant?
+
+
+ C. Technical Capabilities and Requirements
+
+ Is there an index of system capabilities?
+
+ 1. Communications
+
+ How do you log in (or whatever it is called)?
+
+ What device assumptions are made concerning lines per
+ page, columns per line, (seperate) line feed, (seperate)
+ carriage return, (combined) carriage return line feed,
+ horizontal tab, vertical tab, form feed, and back space?
+
+ Have any of the non-printing ASCII characters been
+ assigned non-standard functions?
+
+ 2. Command language
+
+ What is the minimum set of control statements required?
+
+ Where are the control statements documented?
+
+ What are the installation defaults on control statements?
+
+ 3. File System and Editor(s)
+
+ What are the attributes of the file system? Describe the
+ naming conventions of the defaults.
+
+ How is a set, subset, and superset of "files" defined,
+
+
+
+Abrams [Page 4]
+
+RFC 364 11 July 1972
+
+
+ related and named?
+
+ What is the minimum information about the file system that
+ is required in order to use the editor(s) and language
+ processors?
+
+ Are names divided into adjectival qualifiers? What are
+ these called? Are there restrictions? Defaults?
+
+ Describe the editor(s) characteristics. What documentation
+ is available?
+
+ Are there in-line editing features (e.g., erase
+ immediately preceding character, erase entire line)?
+ Describe.
+
+ 4. Languages
+
+ What language processors are available?
+
+ How are the processors implemented (e.g., batch compiler,
+ interpreter, incremental computer)? What difference does
+ it made to the user?
+
+ What is the compitability of your language dialect(s) with
+ the standard and with other dialects?
+
+ To what extent can program units written in different
+ languages communicate? Discuss data types,
+ representations, and structures as well as subroutine
+ linkage conventions.
+
+
+ XIII. Operations
+
+ What measures are in effect to preserve the security of one's
+ files and accounts?
+
+ Can a remote user direct printing, punched cards, plotting, etc.
+ to an on-site device? How does he get his output mailed to him?
+
+ What off-line secondary storage is available? How is it used?
+ What does it cost?
+
+ How does the remote user request, renew, release, mount and
+ demount tapes and disk packs?
+
+ What arrangements are there for mailing off-line storage media?
+
+
+
+Abrams [Page 5]
+
+RFC 364 11 July 1972
+
+
+ Is the operating staff aware that there are remote users?
+
+ Are there services available to local users not available to
+ remote users; and conversely?
+
+ Is there on-line file storage? What does it cost? What limits
+ are imposed? How often is it backed-up?
+
+ Does the announced operating schedule consider users in
+ different time zones?
+
+ Is the announced schedule closely followed?
+
+ How are remote users notified of changes in the schedule?
+
+
+Implementation
+
+ Much of the information suggested herein as being beneficial for
+ remote user would also apply to local users. Perhaps much of it
+ already exists in local documentation. I assert that the remote user
+ is usually unable to easily find the information, especially when he
+ works with several remote hosts. Presenting the information in a
+ format that followed a standard outline would certainly be a service.
+ I also recognize that preparation of this information might involve a
+ duplication of effort, and would possibly produce two documents which
+ had to be updated when changes occurred. One solution is to follow
+ the outline in producing a guide to the literature available from the
+ host site.
+
+
+ [ This RFC was put into machine readable form for entry ]
+ [ into the online RFC archives by Alan Ford 10/99 ]
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
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+
+
+
+Abrams [Page 6]
+