RFC 1039 (rfc1039) - Page 2 of 3

DoD statement on Open Systems Interconnection protocols

RFC 1039                A DoD Statement on OSIP             January 1988


   interoperability between the DoD and OSI protocols as rapidly as
   possible, the following actions are requested:

      a.  The Director, Defense Communications Agency, as the DoD
      Executive Agent for Data Communications Protocol Standards,
      should:

      * Publish by November 1987 the DoD-OSI Interoperability and
      Transition Plan.  The plan should provide for interoperation of
      the DoD and OSI protocols at the application level.  A capability
      for experimental interoperability of DoD and OSI message handling
      and file transfer capabilities should be provided by March 1988,
      and a limit operational capability by January 1989.

      * Join the Corporation for Open Systems (COS) as the Department of
      Defense representative.  COS is a non-profit consortium formed to
      deal with testing and other operational issues relating to OSI
      protocols. At the request of the Office of Management and Budget,
      the Services and other defense agencies should not join COS
      directly, but may participate as the agents of DCA on appropriate
      COS committees.

      * Coordinate Service and agency participation, in accordance with
      existing directives, in groups developing OSI standards,
      specifications and operating and management procedures.  These
      groups include the Government OSI User's Group, the National
      Bureau of Standards OSI Implementor's Workshop, the Corporation
      for Open Systems, the Manufacturing and Automation Protocol (MAP)
      and Technical and Office Protocol (TOP) user's groups, the
      American National Standards Institute X3S3 and X3T5 committees,
      and the NATO Tri-Service Group on Communications and Electronic
      Equipment, Sub-Group 9 (Data Processing and Distribution).

      b.  The Director, National Security Agency should assure that the
      efforts of the ongoing Secure Data Network Systems program can be
      used to provide the security extensions defined as future work
      items in GOSIP.

      c.  The Services and defense agencies should share the results and
      experience of early implementations under the experimental
      coexistence policy by actively participating in the groups
      indicated above, under DCA coordination.  This experience should
      be particularly valuable in assuring that military requirements
      can be satisfied by the developing OSI standards, specifications,
      and procedures.

   This guidance provides for the interim steps necessary to continue
   progress toward implementation of OSI standards.  As the technology



Latham