rfc1302.txt

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   information will be solicited from each NIC and placed in a database
   called "nic-profiles".  This database will be available to all NICs.
   Such shared information among NICs ensures that Internet users will
   be referred promptly to the correct information resource.  For
   information regarding joining or using the nic-profiles database,
   send a message to [e-mail].

5.4  Support the NIC Infrastructure

   It is essential that each NIC take an active part in supporting the
   NIC/Internet infrastructure.  Two means of providing such support are
   suggested here.

     - Attend the IETF User Services Working Group (USWG).
       NICs are encouraged to participate in the USWG, an
       ongoing working group of the IETF, which is
       chartered to identify, discuss, and recommend
       solutions to user service issues.  The group meets
       regularly at the IETF meetings.  (Information about
       IETF meeting schedules, etc., is available for
       anonymous FTP from nnsc.nsf.net.  The directory is
       ietf.)  The USWG has spawned a variety of working
       groups dealing with specific user service topics.
       To join the USWG mailing list send an e-mail request



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RFC 1302                          NISI                     February 1992


       to [e-mail].

     - Participate in nic-forum.  An electronic mailing
       list, "nic-forum", will provide NIC personnel with a
       means of soliciting information from other NICs,
       offering solutions to common problems, and posting
       information of general interest.  A NIC can register
       in the nic-forum, as well as provide information for
       the nic-profiles database, by sending a message to
       [e-mail].

6. EXAMPLES OF PRESENT NIC SERVICES

   There are a variety of ways through which existing NICs fulfill the
   basic requirements previously indicated under "Essential NIC
   Functions".

   Today's Internet NICs provide network users with a wide array of
   value-added services.  The types and levels of services vary for any
   particular NIC depending on a number of issues such as funding,
   audience served, available resources, and mission of the network
   organization.

   An overview of some of the services offered today by Internet NICs is
   listed below.  This overview provides examples of the essential
   services recommended earlier, and also gives a flavor of the many
   avenues through which value-added user services are provided.  This
   section provides examples, not recommendations.

6.1  Direct User Support

   The main objective of a Network Information Center is to provide
   support for network users.  Most NICs provide both telephone and
   electronic mail hotlines for convenient user access.  Existing NICs
   also often serve as intermediaries between users and the technical
   experts who provide specific information.  Because NICs interact
   directly with end-users, they can frequently evaluate their services,
   and modify them to accommodate changing user needs.

6.1.1 Referrals.  Today's NICs are aware of other Internet resources
      and keep such referral information as up-to-date as possible.

6.1.2 User-to-User Communication.  NICs can facilitate interactions
      between network users.  Often this is done through conferencing
      or electronic mail.  For example, a NIC can set up a computer
      conference dealing with a specific discipline or perhaps a
      specific topic so that users can share ideas and information
      with each other.  Some NICs establish special interest groups and



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      hold in-person meetings to promote the exchange of information
      between their users.

6.1.3 Application Support.  NICs often provide user support for
      specific host applications in addition to providing information
      and support about the network to which the host is attached.

6.1.4 Technical Support.  Technical experts are available at NIC
      locations or elsewhere to trouble shoot user problems.  The range
      and variety of technical expertise varies with the organization.

6.1.5 Emergency Services.  Most NICs provide immediate notification to
      users of impending events that may affect their network usage.
      This is often done through electronic mail bulletins which state
      the particular event, its impact, and its duration.

6.2  User Training Services

   NICs sponsor seminars, classes, and training workshops intended to
   assist users in understanding the network environment.  These
   training events range from general "what is the Internet" to
   workshops on specific topics such as how to use a super-computer
   application.

6.3  Marketing and Public Relations Services

6.3.1 Newsletters.  Some Internet NICs publish newsletters which are
      used to inform subscribers about network developments and tools,
      and as marketing documents to try to get more organizations to
      attach to the network.

6.3.2 Other Publications.  Many NICs also produce a variety of
      general purpose brochures and "how-to" documents which are
      distributed to potential network users.

6.3.3 PR Activities.  NICs may be involved in a variety of public
      relations activities from writing and distributing press releases
      about new network developments to holding press conferences to
      announce significant technological events.

6.4  Information Repository Services

   An important activity of NICs is producing and/or collecting
   information of interest to their users.  Most NICs provide
   hardware to store such information online and distribute the
   information to their users both electronically and in hard-copy
   form.




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RFC 1302                          NISI                     February 1992


6.5  Administrative Services

   Many NICs perform registration services, such as registering user
   information in a white pages database, keeping a record of hosts on
   their networks, or keeping a record of contacts for hosts, networks,
   or domains.

7. EXAMPLES OF PRESENT INFORMATION DELIVERY MECHANISMS

   Information is delivered to network users via a wide variety of
   mechanisms.  The most common methods are electronic mail and file
   transfer protocol (FTP); however, information is also relayed via the
   telephone, FAX machines, U.S. mail, and in-person seminars, as well
   as via electronic bulletin boards and remote database access.  NICs
   are always looking for ways of making information broadly accessible
   so that the maximum number of network users can use it effectively.

   The following table lists the various information delivery methods
   used in the Internet today, and notes the kind of information
   distributed using each method.


______________________________________________________________________


            Table 1: AVAILABLE INFORMATION AND DELIVERY MECHANISMS


  Delivery Mechanism               Type of Information Available
  ------------------------------------------------------------------

  FTP                              Network maps, functional specs,
                                   draft RFCs, newsletters,
                                   protocols, any information in
                                   a file: ASCII, binary, etc.

  electronic mail                  General information, newsletters,
                                   announcements, security alerts,
                                   network status information

  bulletin board                   General information, announcements,
                                   source code

  hard copy                        Newsletters, user guides, resource
                                   guides, press releases, promotional
                                   information





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  presentations/seminars           Network applications, technology
                                   trends, technical overviews,
                                   general information about Internet
                                   environment, TCP/IP overviews

  Telnet                           Remote systems, applications

  person-to-person                 Answers to specific questions,
                                   contact information, referrals

  electronic conference            Other users, discipline-specific
                                   information

  information services             General information, promotional
                                   information, local interest
                                   information

  directory services               Phone book information (white
                                   pages, and eventually yellow pages)

  library services                 Bibliographies, full text,
                                   references

  phone                            Specific requests, contacts,
                                   referrals, connecting assistance

  U.S. mail                        Newsletters, user guides

  FAX                              Variety of printed material

  Finger, whois                    User data


 ______________________________________________________________________

8. DATABASE ACCURACY ISSUES

   As has been mentioned elsewhere in this paper, NICs often are the
   sites of databases of various types of information, which are
   maintained for various reasons.  It is recommended that NICs
   emphasize the importance of keeping such data as accurate as
   possible.  In addition, it is important to allow people some control
   over personal information about them that may reside in a NIC
   database, especially if the information will be available publicly.

   It is recommended that, as part of the process of collecting
   information for a database, a NIC should disclose the following
   information to those supplying data:



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      - Why the information is being collected and how it will be used.
      - What the consequences are of not providing the asked for data or
        of revoking data in a database.
      - Which information asked for is mandatory and which is optional.
      - Which information will be made public.
      - How the data can be updated and who may provide updates.
      - How and how often the NIC will solicit for data updates.

   A NIC should actively seek updates to its data at least once a year.
   The date publicly available data was last updated should be part of
   the public information available about that data.  In general, users
   should know when personal information about them is available in a
   public database, and have the opportunity to change it or revoke it.

9. SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS

   Because NICs interact directly with network users, they will have to
   deal with network and host security issues at times.  NICs should be
   aware of those agencies and groups on the Internet that have the
   responsibility of handling security incidents so that users can be
   properly referred when necessary, and so the NICs themselves have
   resources to call on should a major incident occur.  NICs should be
   aware of security issues and security information resources, such as
   network mailing lists and the Site Security Handbook (FYI 8, RFC
   1244), and advocate the importance of security considerations to
   their users.  NICs should have explicit procedures in place to follow
   in the event of a security incident.  Such procedures will probably
   include the means of interacting with both response centers and NOCs,
   as well as with users.






















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RFC 1302                          NISI                     February 1992


10. AUTHORS' ADDRESSES

   Dana D. Sitzler
   Merit Network, Inc
   1075 Beal Avenue
   Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2112

   Phone:  [phone]
   EMail: [e-mail]


   Patricia G. Smith
   Merit Network, Inc
   1075 Beal Avenue
   Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2112

   Phone:  [phone]
   EMail:  [e-mail]


   April N. Marine
   SRI International
   Network Information Systems Center
   333 Ravenswood Avenue, EJ294
   Menlo Park, CA 94025-3493

   Phone:  [phone]
   EMail: [e-mail]























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