RFC 1302 (rfc1302) - Page 2 of 13
Building a Network Information Services Infrastructure
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
RFC 1302 NISI February 1992
Table of Contents
1. PURPOSE........................................................ 2
2. DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES......................................... 3
3. DEFINITION OF A NIC AND A NOC.................................. 3
4. HISTORY........................................................ 3
5. ESSENTIAL NIC FUNCTIONS........................................ 5
5.1 Provide Information Resources................................. 5
5.2 Support End-Users............................................. 6
5.3 Collect and Maintain NIC Referral Information................. 7
5.4 Support the NIC Infrastructure................................ 7
6. EXAMPLES OF PRESENT NIC SERVICES............................... 8
6.1 Direct User Support........................................... 8
6.1.1 Referrals................................................... 8
6.1.2 User-to-User Communication.................................. 8
6.1.3 Application Support......................................... 9
6.1.4 Technical Support........................................... 9
6.1.5 Emergency Services.......................................... 9
6.2 User Training Services........................................ 9
6.3 Marketing and Public Relations Services....................... 9
6.3.1 Newsletters................................................. 9
6.3.2 Other Publications.......................................... 9
6.3.3 PR Activities............................................... 9
6.4 Information Repository Services............................... 9
6.5 Administrative Services....................................... 10
7. EXAMPLES OF PRESENT INFORMATION DELIVERY MECHANISMS............ 10
8. DATABASE ACCURACY ISSUES....................................... 11
9. SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS........................................ 12
10. AUTHORS' ADDRESSES............................................ 13
1. PURPOSE
The purpose of this document is to define the role of NICs in the
Internet and establish guidelines for new and existing NICs regarding
the user services they provide. This document is also a move toward
standardizing NIC services, which will aid in the development of an
overall information infrastructure that will allow NICs to easily and
routinely cooperate in assisting users.
NICs for networks that are part of the Internet may be called upon to
serve users of the greater Internet as well as those of their own
networks. This responsibility brings with it the added challenge of
coordinating services with other NICs to better serve the general
Internet community. Toward that end, this document also proposes
some easily implemented changes to facilitate the exchange of
information and services between NICs.
Sitzler, Smith, & Marine