Realizing the Information Future -- Copyright -- Preface -- Contents -- Summary and Recommendations -- COMMITTEE AND IT'S TASKS -- THE VISION OF AN OPEN DATA NETWORK -- DEVELOPING AN OPEN DATA NETWORK ARCHITECTURE -- Configuring the Components -- Defining NII Compliance and Setting Standards -- Factoring in the International Aspect -- DEPLOYING THE OPEN DATA NETWORK -- Research and Education Concerns -- Infrastructure Financing: Investments for Research and Education -- THE GOVERNMENT ROLE -- Long-term Strategy, Management, and Wise Investment -- Leadership in Education -- Technology Research and Development -- RECOMMENDATIONS -- The Vision of an Open Data Network -- RECOMMENDATION 1: Leadership and Guidance -- RECOMMENDATION 2: Technology Deployment -- RECOMMENDATION 3: Transitional Support -- RECOMMENDATION 4: K-12 Education -- RECOMMENDATION 5: Network Research -- 1 U.S. Networking: The Past Is Prologue -- WHERE WE ARE TODAY -- Existing Communications Networks and Increasing Focus on Infrastructure -- How We Got Here -- Today in Transition -- VISIONS OF THE INFORMATION FUTURE WHAT MIGHT IT BE? -- The Internet-based Vision -- The Entertainment-based Vision -- The Clinton-Gore Administration's Vision -- Possible Scenarios for Development of a National Information Infrastructure -- The Committee's Vision: An Integrated National Information Infrastructure -- CONVERGING THE VISIONS OF THE FUTURE -- Technology Impetus -- Benefits to the Nation-Last-mile Economics -- How Can We Converge the Visions? -- STRUCTURE AND CONTENT OF THIS REPORT -- NOTES -- 2 The Open Data Network: Achieving the Vision of an Integrated National Information Infrastructure -- THE OPEN DATA NETWORK -- Criteria for an Open Data Network -- Technical, Operational, and Organizational Objectives -- Benefits of an Open Data Network -- OPEN DATA NETWORK ARCHITECTURE.

An Architectural Proposal in Four Layers -- The Centrality of the Bearer Service -- Characterizing the Bearer Service -- Middleware: A New Set of Network Services -- Defining the Higher-level Services -- Basic Higher-level Services -- More Demanding Higher-level Services -- QUALITY OF SERVICE: OPTIONS FOR THE ODN BEARER SERVICE -- Best-Effort and Reserved Bandwidth Service -- Assuring the Service -- NII COMPLIANCE -- STANDARDS -- Role of Network Standards -- Factors That Complicate Setting Standards -- Network Function Has Moved Outside the Network -- It Is Hard to Set Standards Without a Recognized Mandate -- A Bottom-up Process Cannot Easily Set Long-term Direction -- A Top-down Approach No Longer Appears Workable -- Commercial Forces May Distort the Standards-Setting Process -- Setting Standards for the NII-Planning for Change Is Difficult But Necessary -- ISSUES OF SCALE IN THE NII -- Addressing and Naming -- Mobility as the Computing Paradigm of the Future -- Management Systems -- Measurement and Monitoring -- SECURITY AND THE OPEN DATA NETWORK -- Securing the Network, the Host, and Information -- Developing a Security Architecture -- Security Objectives and Current Approaches for Reaching Them -- Computer System Protection -- Protection of Information in the Host -- Protection of Information in the Network -- Authenticating Users -- Control of Authorized Users -- Taking a Comprehensive Approach to Ensuring Security -- FINDING AND BALANCING OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD TOWARD CONVERGENCE -- Development of Standards for Television-An Example -- Reengineering of the Nation's Access Circuits -- Cost and Function in Access Circuits -- Options for Incorporating the ODN Bearer Service -- Need for Government Action in Balancing Objectives -- ACTING NOW TO REALIZE A UNIFIED NII -- RECOMMENDATION: Technology Deployment.

RESEARCH ON THE NII-ENSURING NECESSARY TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT -- Research to Develop Network Architecture -- Defining the Bearer Service -- Issues for the Lower Levels: Scale, Robustness, and Operations -- Addressing and Routing -- Quality of Service -- New Approaches to Transport Protocols -- Network Control Functions -- Mobility as the Computing Paradigm of the Future -- Management Systems-Monitoring and Control -- New Technology for Access Circuits -- Middleware and Information Services Support -- Navigation and Filtering Tools -- Intellectual Property Rights -- Computer and Communications Security -- Research in the Development of Software -- Experimental Network Research -- Experimental Research in Middleware and Application Services -- Rights Management Testbed -- Research to Characterize Effects of Change -- RECOMMENDATION: Network Research -- NOTES -- 3 Research, Education, and Libraries -- RESEARCH -- HIGHER EDUCATION -- K-12 EDUCATION -- LIFELONG EDUCATION -- LIBRARIES AND THE BROADENING OF PUBLIC INTEREST NETWORKING -- CROSS-CUTTING OBSERVATIONS -- NOTES -- 4 Principles and Practice -- EQUITABLE ACCESS -- FLOW OF INFORMATION -- Government Information -- PRIVACY -- FIRST AMENDMENT -- INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PROTECTION -- BROADER CONSIDERATION OF ETHICS -- NOTES -- 5 Financial Issues -- FEDERAL AND OTHER FUNDING FOR NETWORKING TO DATE -- COST OF NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE -- PAYING THE PRICE -- Imminent Short-term Increases -- RECOMMENDATION: Transitional Support -- Costs of Local Infrastructure and Access to Services -- Usage-based Pricing -- Flat-fee Pricing -- Covering User Charges (Subsidies and Mechanisms) -- Deriving Specific Funds -- Equity -- NOTES -- 6 Government Roles and Opportunities -- LEADERSHIP AND VISION -- Leadership in Development and Deployment of Infrastructure -- Leadership in Education -- RECOMMENDATION: K-12 Education.

BALANCING OF INTERESTS -- Diverse and Fragmented Public and Private Interests -- Coordination and Management -- Uncertain Technical Expertise -- Cross-agency and Uncertain Structure -- RECOMMENDATION: Leadership and Guidance -- INFLUENCING THE SHAPE OF THE INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE -- Influence on Architecture and Standards -- Influence Through Procurement -- Influence on Future Oversight of the Internet -- Influence on Network Deployment and Technology Development -- Support for Experimental Networks -- Approach to Operational Networks and Intermediate Technologies -- Research and Development -- CONCLUSION -- NOTES -- APPENDIXES -- APPENDIX A Federal Networking: The Path to the Internet -- DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH OF THE INTERNET-A THUMBNAIL SKETCH -- The Federal Networking Legacy -- NSFNET-The Research and Education Communities' Link to the Internet -- Synergistic Growth of NSFNET and the Internet -- Continuing Evolution of Provisions for Research and Education Networking -- The National Research and Education Network Program- Expansion from the Internet Base and Earlier... -- Growth of Internet Use and Development Beyond the Research Community -- Transition to a New Era in Networking -- THE INTERNET TODAY-WHAT IT IS AND HOW IT WORKS -- Features and Use of the Internet -- The Internet's Services -- How Can One Attach to the Internet? -- What Does It Mean to Be a Part of the Internet? -- Internal Components of the Internet -- National and Global Interconnection of Internet Users -- Oversight of the Internet -- Internet Society -- U.S. Federal Government -- Paying for Use of the Internet -- NOTES -- APPENDIX B Sample Principle Sets -- APPENDIX C User Support Services -- NOTES -- APPENDIX D State and Regional Networks -- NOTES -- APPENDIX E International Issues -- IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERNATIONAL CONNECTIVITY -- Intercontinental Transmission.

Local Infrastructure -- Foreign Research Networking -- COST AND PRICING OF TRANSMISSION CAPACITY -- STANDARDS FOR GLOBAL INTERCONNECTIVITY -- EXPORT CONTROLS AND INTERNATIONAL NETWORKING -- CONCLUSIONS -- NOTES -- APPENDIX F Key Terms -- Index.