RFC 1017 (rfc1017) - Page 2 of 19
Network requirements for scientific research: Internet task force on scientific computing
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
RFC 1017 Requirements for Scientific Research August 1987
which is chartered to investigate advanced networking requirements
that result from scientific applications. Work reported herein was
supported in part by Cooperative Agreement NCC 2-387 from the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to the
Universities Space Research Association (USRA).
1. NETWORK FUNCTIONS
This section addresses the functions and capabilities that networks
and particularly internetworks should be expected to support in the
near term future.
Near Term Requirements
There are many functions that are currently available to subsets of
the user community. These functions should be made available to the
broad scientific community.
User/Resource Connectivity
Undoubtedly the first order of business in networking is to provide
interconnectivity of users and the resources they need. The goal in
the near term for internetworking should be to extend the
connectivity as widely as possible, i.e. to provide ubiquitous
connectivity among users and between users and resources. Note that
the existence of a network path between sites does not necessarily
imply interoperability between communities and or resources using
non-compatible protocol suites. However, a minimal set of functions
should be provided across the entire user community, independent of
the protocol suite being used. These typically include electronic
mail at a minimum, file transfer and remote login capabilities must
also be provided.
Home Usage
One condition that could enhance current scientific computing would
be to extend to the home the same level of network support that the
scientist has available in his office environment. As network access
becomes increasingly widespread, the extension to the home will allow
the user to continue his computing at home without dramatic changes
in his work habits, based on limited access.
Charging
The scientific user should not have to worry about the costs of data
communications any more than he worries about voice communications
(his office telephone), so that data communications becomes an
integral and low-cost part of our national infrastructure. This
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