GENWiki

Network Working Group S. Williamson Request for Comments: 1261 L. Nobile

                                                     Network Solutions
                                                        September 1991

                     TRANSITION OF NIC SERVICES

Status of this Memo

 This memo provides information for the Internet community.  It does
 not specify an Internet standard.  Distribution of this memo is
 unlimited.

Discussion

 The transition of the Network Information Center from SRI
 International in Menlo Park, CA, to Government Systems Inc. in
 Chantilly, VA, is officially scheduled for 1 October 1991.  This
 includes the transition of services currently offered to DDN and
 Internet users by SRI.  These services include network/user
 registration (i.e., network number and top level domain name
 assignment), on-line information services, and Help Desk operations.
 GSI will also continue RFC and Internet-Draft archive and
 distribution services.

 SRI will continue to provide all NIC services and respond to all user
 calls and requests until 30 September 1991.

 Defense Information System Agency (DISA) and GSI will make every
 effort to ensure a smooth and timely transition of NIC services from
 SRI.  Network users should be minimally impacted.  With a few minor
 exceptions, all on-line services currently offered by SRI will appear
 the same to the user when a connection is established to the new
 (GSI) NIC host.  These exceptions are due to the change from the
 TOPS20 operating system to the SunOS operating system.  The new NIC
 host is a Sun 470 SPARCserver running SunOS 4.1.  All users on the
 DDN and the Internet should carefully note the following changes:

 U.S. Postal Address:      Government Systems, Inc.
                           Attn: Network Information Center
                           14200 Park Meadow Drive
                           Suite 200
                           Chantilly, VA  22021

Williamson & Nobile [Page 1]  RFC 1261 Transition of NIC Services September 1991

 Help Desk Telephone Numbers:

                           1-800-365-3642 (1-800-365-DNIC)
                           1-703-802-4535

 Help Desk Hours of Operation:

                           7:00 am to 7:00 pm Eastern Time

 Fax Number:               1-703-802-8376

 Network Address:          192.112.36.5 (NIC.DDN.MIL)

 Root Domain Server:       192.112.36.4 (NS.NIC.DDN.MIL)

 During the period of 26 to 30 September 1991 the ID (WHOIS) database
 will not be changed.  All registration actions for this five day
 period will be suspended.  This action is necessary in order to
 transfer the master database to GSI.  Starting 26 September 1991, all
 U.S. mail and fax requests should be directed to the GSI address and
 fax number shown above.  All electronic mail requests should continue
 to be directed to the "HOSTMASTER" and "REGISTRAR" mailboxes at
 NIC.DDN.MIL.  As appropriate, SRI will redirect electronic mail to
 GSI.  On 1 October 1991 all registration activities will resume.

 We hope that the transition and its accompanying changes will not
 greatly inconvenience network users, and we thank you in advance for
 your patience and understanding.  For general questions regarding the
 transition, users may call the new NIC Help Desk after September 1,
 1991 at 1-800-365-3642/703-802-4535 or send an e-mail message to
 nic@diis.ddn.mil.

Security Considerations

 Security issues are not discussed in this memo.

Williamson & Nobile [Page 2]  RFC 1261 Transition of NIC Services September 1991

Authors' Addresses

 Scott Williamson
 Network Solutions, Inc.
 505 Huntmar Park Drive
 Herndon, VA 22070

 Phone: (703) 802-8405

 EMail: scottw@DIIS.DDN.MIL

 Leslie Nobile
 Network Solutions, Inc.
 505 Huntmar Park Drive
 Herndon, VA 22070

 Phone: (703) 802-8456

 leslie@DIIS.DDN.MIL

Williamson & Nobile [Page 3]