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THE ROOTS OF NORDIC NETWORKING. The worlds first international, multiprotocol network. Rolf Nordhagen University of Oslo. The beginning. An Open network is a network that follows a common, open standard, OSI National academic networks, UNINETT 1978, SUNET 1980, Centernet, X25 packet switched
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THE ROOTS OF NORDIC NETWORKING The worlds first international, multiprotocol network Rolf Nordhagen University of Oslo
The beginning • An Open network is a network that follows a common, open standard, OSI • National academic networks, UNINETT 1978, SUNET 1980, Centernet, X25 packet switched • ARPANET to NORSAR, Kjeller, Norway 1973 • Minicomputers, Timesharing, KOM Stockholm, Oslo • International Dial-up
Enter NORDUNET • Nordic Council of Ministers, NORDFORSK Bjørn Grønlund • The first meeting 1980, Dalarne, Sweden • 1983-84, the NORDUNET application • May 1985 9.2 Mill.NOK for 4 years • Initially NORDFORSK, then Stockholm QZ/SICS, Mats Brunell • Technical manager Einar Løvdal, Oslo
The requirements • A stable, operating computer network, connecting Nordic Education and Research • Build on existing university networks • Use the Nordic telecommunication networks and international standards for tele- and data-communication. • Make a common use of data-resources, programs and databases available througout the Nordic area. Users shall be given access to Nordic and international networks and information services • Give the same opportunities for collaboration and information exchange as in European countries and the North American research communities
Cooperation • Establish a common Nordic infrastructure for the NR&E community by connecting the national nets. • New competence and services be created for the smaller communities. • The resources to be found in the national network organisations, with the local, university services operating the net. • A computer network would greatly increase bridging the large geographical distances caracteristic in the Nordic countries. Thus opportunities for research in remote communities would be greatly improved.
Interim services • In 1984, IBM donated machines and leased lines for EARN, European Academic Research Network (modelled on Bitnet) • Local Ethernets, private networks X.25, PAD services - chaos • Make popular services Nordic wide, X.400 mail EAN • EARN to Europe, DECnet/HEPNET for physics • Work to local groups, EARN in UNI-C, EAN in UNINETT etc.
Difficult challenges • Firm belief and political pressure for CO OSI-protocols. • Standards slow in coming from ISO and CCIT • Slow development of common services. • Independent development of services in NORDUNET regarded as unrealistic • Reorientation of original goals
Reorientation strategy • Continued support of interim solutions, but prepare for OSI migration (!) • Interim solutions to connect to international networks, EARN, UUCP, DECnet and Internet • Active participation in European OSI-efforts in RARE and COSINE, to build competence • Migration pilots, file transfer, base for further work, JANET coloured books, ISODE (X.25 over IP) ? • Reliable standards and services still regarded as 10 years off (JANET)
In 1987 new possibilities • No continuation of support for the EARN leased lines. NORDUNET urged to connect the main Nordic nodes. • A major technological breakthrough, bridges to run Ethernet over slow lines, Vitalink bridges. • Sudden realisation of a possible Nordic Ethernet connecting the major nodes • National Ethernets based on the same technology connect to a clean Nordic net. • Institutional Ethernets on national nets connect users. • The X.EARN project quickly adopted early 1988
The NORDUNET multiprotocol plug • the basic X.25 service • EARN and RSCS • DECnet • TCP/IP The challenge not technolgy but organisation The distributed service concept An international, multiprotocol network
NORDUnet,the operational net • One stop shop for lines, Scantele • 64 kb/s Copenhagen, Helsinki, Stockholm, Trondheim, 9.2 Reykjavik • Central node KTH, Stockholm • US NSFnet to Princeton via satellite, 56 kb/s • KTH connected Europe, EARN, HEPnet • Peering with EUnet • European interchange, GIX • Operating late 1988, official opening Oct.89
Not only a network • Inter-Nordic work-groups created competence on many levels • Catalytic effect on national networks and early commercial introduction • Joint activities creating international recognition and status in international bodies
International recognition • The first DNS root-server outside US • RIPE as European Internet coordinator • Participating and forming IEPG and IETF Operation WG, other IETF work, MIME • In RARE WG8-management introducing open support of protocols and services, including TCP/IP as well as ISO OSI work (controversial!)
Europe and TCP/IP • Work on service harmonisation and OSI migration continued • Einar Løvdals urge for TCP/IP migration met with mixed reactions (Trieste 1989) • Support from research communities collaborating w. US and Canada • RIPE formed 1989, RIPE NCC in 1992 • Large European communities forged ahead with OSI based services - and fell behind -
Nordic Internet penetration 1999 97 1999 97 1 Canada 42,82 7 8 Australia 34,33 5 2 Sweden 41,42 8 9 Singapore 31,08 9 3 Finland 40,80 1 10 N.Zealand 26,49 6 4 U.S. 40,65 4 11 Netherland 25,56 13 5 Iceland 40,35 3 12 Switzerland 24,58 11 6 Denmark 39,60 10 13 United • Norway 37,96 2 Kingdom 23,64 12 % per capita
And finally TCP/IP US link The rest is history !
NORDUnet is now a limited company NORDUnet A/S,owned and financed by Nordic states or state institutions DK - UNI-C NO - UNINETT FI - Ministry of education SE - Högskoleverket IS - University of Iceland Yearly budgets 20 M$ Small secretariat Director Peter Villemoes 10 M$ All work done by partners
KPNQwest The network in 2001 USA 1866 1344 622 NETNOD D-GIX 45 34 16 12 1 Géant
Communication is Cooperation • Services could not be done by one provider alone • The necessary level of competence could not be reached on a country by country basis • Institutional groups too small both in • people with interest and knowledge • resources and demanding users • Development cooperation required on all levels
The NORDUNET lesson • Many institutions scattered across several countries worked together by each getting major responsibilities • Distributed projects create joint enthusiasm and work towards common goals • Shared responsibilities • All got benefit from building competence • Network communication is working together
Networks are communication Communication is cooperation etworks are cooperation
"Skalat madr rúnar rísta, nema ráda vel kunni” Egill Skallagrimsson