The NISI Working Group will explore the requirements for common, shared
Internet-wide network information services. The goal is to develop an
understanding for what is required to implement an information services
``infrastructure'' for the Internet. The work will begin with existing
NIC functions and services and should build upon work already being
done within the Internet community. A primary goal of the group is to
facilitate the development of relationships between NICs that will
result in the presentation of a seamless user support service. NISI
will work with all NICs, including the InterNIC, to achieve the goal of
a fully-functioning, cooperative mesh of worldwide NICs. In addition
to creating policies for interaction, NISI will address areas such as
common information formats, methods of access, user interface, and
issues relating to security and privacy of Internet databases.
Milestones
Date
Milestone
Associated documents
Dec 1993
Submit the NIC-Profiles paper for consideration as an FYI RFC.
Dec 1993
Submit the NIC Interelationship document for consideration as an FYI RFC.
Dec 1993
Submit the User Handoff procedures for consideration as an FYI RFC.
Jun 1993
Post an Internet-Draft of a NIC user handoff procedure based on the UCP work.
Done milestones
Date
Milestone
Associated documents
Done
Complete draft for phase 2 suggesting cooperative agreements for NICs.
Done
Post an Internet-Draft describing NIC interelationships.
Done
Post an Internet-Draft describing accessing the nic-profiles data in the X.500 database at Merit.
Done
Write a document explaining the security issues of privacy and accuracy in Internet databases. Publish as an Informational RFC.
Done
First document released as Informational RFC. Outline and discuss new NISI tasks at IETF meeting.
Done
Working group discussed current Internet-Draft and suggested minor revisions. Decision made to continue Working Group activity beyond this document.
Done
Document submitted as Internet-Draft for comment from a wider Internet audience.
Done
Revised draft document ready for working group review. Document defines NIC functions and suggests some standardizations for NIC services, as well as offers new mechanisms for exchanging information between NICs.
Done
Review draft for phase 1 and begin discussions for completing the second phase which is to define a basic set of `cooperative agreements' which will allow NICs to work together more effectively to serve users.