RFC 33 (rfc33) - Page 2 of 19
New Host-Host Protocol
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
RFC 33 New HOST-HOST Protocol 12 February 1970 machines and operating systems involved in the network vary widely. For example, the computers at the first four sites are an XDS 940 (Stanford Research Institute), an IBM 360/75 (University of California, Santa Barbara), an XDS SIGMA-7 (University of California, Los Angeles), and a DEC PDP-10 (University of Utah). The only commonality among the network membership is the use of highly interactive time-sharing systems; but, of course, these are all different in external appearance and implementation. Furthermore, no one node is in control of the network. This has insured reliability but complicates the software. Of the networks which have reached the operational phase and been reported in the literature, none have involved the variety of computers and operating systems found in the ARPA network. For example, the Carnegie-Mellon, Princeton, IBM network consists of 360/67's with identical software. [2] Load sharing among identical batch machines was commonplace at North American Rockwell Corporation in the early 1960's. Therefore, the implementers of the present network have been only slightly influenced by earlier network attempts. However, early time-sharing studies at the University of California at Berkeley, MIT, Lincoln Laboratory, and System Development Corporation (all ARPAA sponsored) have had considerable influence on the design of the network. In some sense, the ARPA network of time- shared computers is a natural extension of earlier time-sharing concepts. The network is seen as a set of data entry and exit points into which individual computers insert messages destined for another (or the same) computer, and from which such messages emerge. The format of such messages and the operation of the network was specified by the network contractor (BB&N) and it became the responsibility of representatives of the various computer sites to impose such additional constraints and provide such protocol as necessary for users at one site to use resources at foreign sites. This paper details the decisions that have been made and the considerations behind these decisions. Several people deserve acknowledgement in this effort. J. Rulifson and W. Duvall of SRI participated in the early design effort of the protocol and in the discussions of NIL. G. Deloche of Thompson-CSF participated in the design effort while he was at UCLA and provided considerable documentation. J. Curry of Utah and P. Rovner of Lincoln Laboratory reviewed the early design and NIL. W. Crowther of Bolt, Beranek and Newman, contributed the idea of a virtual net. The BB&N staff provided substantial assistance and guidance while delivering the network. Crocker, et. al.
