REFERENCE

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NBS TECHNICAL NOTE 801

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE/ National Bureau of Standards

Research Considerations in

Computer Networking to

Expand Resource Sharing
NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

The National Bureau of Standards' was established by an act of Congress March 3, 1901. The Bureau's overall goal is to strengthen and advance the Nation's science and technology

and facilitate their effective application for public benefit. To this end, the Bureau conducts

research and provides: (1) a basis for the Nation's physical measurement system, (2) scientific and technological services for industry and government, (3) a technical basis for equity in trade, and (4) technical services to promote public safety. The Bureau consists of the Institute for Basic Standards, the Institute for Materials Research, the Institute for Applied Technology,

the Institute for Computer Sciences and Technology, and the Office for Information Programs.

THE INSTITUTE FOR BASIC STANDARDS provides the central basis within the United

States of a complete and consistent system of physical measurement; coordinates that system

with measurement systems of other nations; and furnishes essential services leading to accurate and uniform physical measurements throughout the Nation's scientific community, industry, and commerce. The Institute consists of a Center for Radiation Research, an Office of Measurement Services and the following divisions: Applied Mathematics — Electricity — Mechanics — Heat — Optical Physics — Nuclear

Sciences a — Applied Radiation " — Quantum Electronics 1 — Electromagnetics — Time

and Frequency 3 — Laboratory Astrophysics " — Cryogenics ". THE INSTITUTE FOR MATERIALS RESEARCH conducts materials research leading to improved methods of measurement, standards, and data on the properties of well-characterized materials needed by industry, commerce, educational institutions, and Government; provides

advisory and research services to other Government agencies; and develops, produces, and

distributes standard reference materials. The Institute consists of the Office of Standard Reference Materials and the following divisions: Analytical Chemistry — Polymers — Metallurgy — Inorganic Materials — Reactor

Radiation — Physical Chemistry.

THE INSTITUTE FOR APPLIED TECHNOLOGY provides technical services to promote

the use of available technology and to facilitate technological innovation in industry and Government; cooperates with public and private organizations leading to the development of

technological standards (including mandatory safety standards), codes and methods of test; and provides technical advice and services to Government agencies upon request. The Institute consists of a Center for Building Technology and the following divisions and offices: Engineering and Product Standards — Weights and Measures — Invention and Innovation — Product Evaluation Technology — Electronic Technology — Technical Analysis — Measurement Engineering — Structures, Materials, and Life Safety * — Building

Environm«it * — Technical Evaluation and Application * — Fire Technology.

THE INSTITUTE FOR COMPUTER SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY conducts research and provides technical services designed to aid Government agencies in improving cost effec- tiveness in the conduct of their programs through the selection, acquisition, and effective

utilization of automatic data processing equipment; and serves as the principal focus within

the executive branch for the development of Federal standards for automatic data processing

equipment, techniques, and computer languages. The Institute consists of the following

divisions: Computer Services — Systems and Software — Computer Systems Engineering — Information Technology.

THE OFFICE FOR INFORMATION PROGRAMS promotes optimum dissemination and

accessibility of scientific information generated within NBS and other agencies of the Federal Government; promotes the development of the National Standard Reference Data System and

a system of information analysis centers dealing with the broader aspects of the National Measurement System; provides appropriate services to ensure that the NBS staff has optimum

accessibility to the scientific information of the world. The Office consists of the following

organizational units: Office of Standard Reference Data — Office of Information Activities — Office of Technical

Publications — Library — Office of International Relations.

1 Headquarters and Laboratories at Gaithersburg, Maryland, unless otherwise noted; mailing address Washington, D.C. 20234.

a Part of the Center for Radiation Research.

3 Located at Boulder, Colorado 80302.

* Part of the Center for Building Technology.
al Bureau of Standard

1 4 1974

l o , - "ReV

753 Research Considerations in Computer

Networking to Expand Resource Sharing

Dennis W. Fife

Systems and Software Division

Institute for Computer Sciences and Technology

(J , 5 , National Bureau of Standards

Washington, D.C. 20234

^'TecUyucaJ ncfre. no. $01

Sponsored by:

National Science Foundation

18th and G Street, N. W.

Washington, D.C. 20550

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, Frederick B. Dent, Secretary

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS, Richard W. Roberts, Director

Issued June 1974
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 74-600089

National Bureau of Standards Technical Note 801

Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.), Tech. Note 801, 24 pages (June 1974) CODEN: NBTNAE

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON: 1974

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402 (Order by SD Catalog No. C13.46:801). Price 60 cents.
FOREWORD

The author is grateful for review assistance from Al Neumann,

Jim Dei Rossi, and particularly Mike Keplinger, who suggested reference

[12].

This report is one of a series completed by NBS with support of the

National Science Foundation, Office of Computing Activities, Grant

AG-350. A complete listing follows:

1. Primary Issues in User Needs

D. W. Fife

Chapter 10 in Networks for Research and Education:

Sharing of Computer and Information Resources

Nationwide

MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass.

Expected Publication in 1974.

2. Some Technical Considerations for Improved Service

to Computer Users

T. N. Pyke, Jr.

COMPCON, 1973

Seventh Annual IEEE Computer Society International

Conference

3. Computer Networking Technology - A State-of-the-Art

Review

R. P. Blanc and T. N. Pyke, Jr.

COMPUTER Magazine, Augost 1973.

Computer Society of the TFTTl

"4. Review of Network Management Problems and Issues

A. J. Neumann

NBS Technical Note 795

October 1973

5. Annotated Bibliography of the Literature on

Resource Sharing Computer Networks

R. P. Blanc, I. W. Cotton, T. N. Pyke, Jr., and

S. W. Watkins

NBS Special Publication 384

September 1973

6. Network Management Survey

I. W. Cotton

NBS Technical Note 805

February 1974

in
7. User Procedures Standardization for Network Access

A. J. Neumann

NBS Technical Note 799

October 1973

8. Review of Computer Networking Technology

R. P. Blanc

NBS Technical Note 804

January 1974

9. Microeconomics and the Market for Computer Services

I. W. Cotton

Submitted to Computing Surveys

10. Cost Analyses for Computer Communications

R. P. Blanc

NBS Technical Note

May 1974

11. Network User Information Support

A. J. Neumann

NBS Technical Note 802

December 1973

12. Computer Networking: Approaches to Quality Service

Assurance

R. B. Stillman

NBS Technical Note 800

January 1974

13. A Guide to Networking Terminology

A. J. Neumann

NBS Technical Note 803

March 1974

14. Research Considerations in Computer Networking

to Expand Resource Sharing

D. W. Fife

NBS Technical Note 801

April 1974

15. Network Management for Expanded Resource Sharing

D. W. Fife

Facts and Futures

Proc. EDUCOM Fall Conference 1973

IV
16. Networking Challenges: The Users Viewpoint

R. P. Blanc

Facts and Futures

Proc. EDUCOM Fall Conference 1973

17. Availability and Usability of Computer

Cojimunication Networks

R. P. Blanc

Proc. Seventh International Conference on

System Sciences,

January 1974
CONTENTS

Page

1. BACKGROUND 1

2

NETWORK MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS 2

3. PROGRESSIVE STAGES OF RESOURCE SHARING 4

4. NETWORK MANAGEMENT EVALUATION 5

5. CONCLUSIONS 12

6FUTURE RESEARCH AND EXPERIMENTATION 13

VI
RESEARCH CONSIDERATIONS IN COMPUTER NETWORKING TO

EXPAND RESOURCE SHARING

Dennis W. Fife

Computer networking technology is adequately developed

now to support research and experimentation to expand com- puting resource sharing. Whether progress will be made

depends upon organizational initiative among multiple institutions, to pool personnel and capital so as to effectively

address the major issues in management approach, support,

and software design that limit the feasible interdependence

of computing operations. The organizational requirements

are partially revealed by examining progressive stages of

resource sharing in organizational and operational terms

rather than such technical aspects as load sharing or program sharing that have been introduced in the past. Five

stages are identified, ranging from simply establishing

multiple service access to the advanced stage where multiple

institutions organize for joint development of new resources.

A preliminary evaluation framework for new management ar- rangements results when these stages are mapped against the

four functional levels inherent in computer network management. Future needs for networking experimentation and

research are briefly described, and other NBS technical

results are identified in context.

Keywords: Computer network management; computer networking

research; management evaluation; resource sharing.

1. BACKGROUND

Remote access computing via data communications facilities has

grown tremendously over the past decade, and is now established as one

of the important future growth areas for the computing business. The

more recent connotation — resource sharing — has been fostered by

Government-funded projects emphasizing either computing service distribution and user support, e.g. NSF regional networking projects [1], or

innovative, communications facilities, e..g. ARPANET. The future availability of suitable communications capabilities for resource-sharing is

very promising. A variety of techniques and systems have emerged as operationally successful [2], and commercial development activity is

high on the part of common carriers, specialized carriers, value-added

/network enterprises, and the newly-announced ventures to commercially

exploit the ARPANET technology.

On the other hand, the future character of resource sharing is

quite uncertain regarding long-term cooperative commitments among auton- omous institutions and expanded support for research computing capabilities that are not commercially appealing. Current experience suggests
that significant cost savings will not develop without large-scale

service aggregation and reorganization that normally is achievable only

under strong central management. Also, remote access tends to aggravate

the users' operational problems unless there are well-planned, additional

steps in documentation, training, etc. Such observations illustrate

that important issues and research problems exist in broad areas of

network management, remote user support, and associated software design

and management practices. The new NSF research initiative in networking

[3,4] addresses these unresolved problems in research studies and - through experimental network operations taking on a supra-regional or

national orientation.

The early regional networks were dominated by one major institution

with sharable computing resources and expertise, which naturally provided a central management structure. One highly significant distinction

in nationally-oriented experiments will be the collaboration of several

major institutions, each with appreciable computing capability to offer.

Also, financial investments from several major institutions may well be

needed to supplement research grants in initiating an experimental

network. These factors imply that future networking experiments must

involve high-level management initiative and careful negotiation to

form an acceptable management organization. A leading concern will be

to preserve the autonomy and investments of the participants, while

giving active leadership to reach the operational goals.

A carefully prepared network management plan appears then to be

one of the most important elements of a networking experiment. It will

help to estimate the potential success of the experiment, and also

guide other experimenters toward pertinent criteria and commitments.

To encourage innovation and to accomodate the varying needs of participants, it is not advisable to delineate one management structure as uniformly desirable. Even so, there is a range of management issues,

taking on different interpretations according to the extent of resource

sharing intended, that should be addressed in a proposed solution.

The organization and characterization of these issues as they might be

considered in a management plan is a principal goal of this report.

The report thereby gives a preliminary evaluation mechanism for network

management, inasmuch as it aids an initial review of completeness and

pertinence, prior to a detailed evaluation of the specific considerations

of an experiment.

2 . NETWORK MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS

In an environment of resource sharing among multiple institutions,

network management must encompass four directive functions. These are identified by reviewing the management organizations of existing network

operations [5] and the traditional functions of complex service organizations. Neumann [6] defines them in relation to alternative organizational hierarchies, which perhaps would be the most prevalent implementation form, although not the only one possible. The basic motivation
and objective for each function aid in understanding our subsequent

expression of management issues.

Policy Direction . Participating institutions will require continuing review and directive authority to ensure that the goals and policies

in a networking project are consistent with their objectives, philosophies,

and requirements . A common approach is to establish a policy committee

or board of trustees composed of high-level officials (agency director,

dean, or provost) who represent institutional responsibility for the

project. Policymakers would seek to preserve control over the means

to satisfy their institution's computing requirements, and to optimize

the computing capability available for their requirements, considering

required costs and investment.

Executive/Technical Direction. Translation of general goals and

policy into specific accomplishments will require effective leadership

to formulate specific objectives and approaches, to assign or distribute

resources, and to monitor progress against required performance.

Ideally, executive direction would be assigned to one individual on

behalf of all participants, but co-equal directors and committees have

been accepted compromises. Having overall responsibility for realization

of the technical facilities and objectives, the executive director is

motivated to obtain sufficient resources and support for development

and operation, and to meet participant requirements expeditiously

within the available support.

Operations Direction . The technical complexity and workload usually

involved in the daily provision of remote access service demands a skilled

and responsible individual to manage the operations and maintenance staff.

Although each computer center will have an operations manager, coordination problems and the interaction with data communications operations

may require a "network" operations manager or coordinator responsible

for overall service. The principal objective would be to maintain high

reliability and service effectiveness according to established performance criteria and within assigned resource capacity. But operations

should also help identify unfulfilled requirements and service limitations, for future development or resolution.

User Assistance/Marketing Direction

From both an administrative

and technical standpoint, remote users require a basic amount of assistance in gaining access to a service and some continuing aid in solving

operational problems. As a very limited and easily consumed resource,

the available time and skills of consultants, aids, and training

specialists must be judiciously assigned to scheduled and unscheduled

activities. In commercial services, the responsibility is usually

assigned to an individual manager. In academia and Government that

approach has also been employed, as well as less formal means such as volunteer coordinators. The objective of the "marketing" group is to

develop user awareness and dexterity regarding basic operating procedures

and available services, within their capacity. They may also stimulate
recognition of new resource sharing approaches that better serve user

needs.

3. PROGEESSIVE STAGES OF RESOURCE SHARING

When the scope or type of resource sharing being undertaken is

recognized, the above definitions can be extended to delineate more

specific concerns for each function. However, the past identified

types of resource sharing — eog. load sharing, data sharing, program

sharing — are not particularly helpful since they relate more to

software than to management considerations. Five new categories are proposed here to describe evolutionary stages in resource sharing

development, beginning from the now prevalent posture of institutional

self-sufficiency in computing. Each is a necessary stage preceding its

successor, although it also is apparent that a given network could

be implemented to pass directly through one or more stages . As a first

level classification, it requires judgement to place a given network

within an appropriate category, by deciding the relative importance of

different aspects of its operation.

Mutual Service Access . This initial phase of resource sharing only

establishes possible access by individual users to multiple remote com- puter systems. All participating institutions thus permit the cooperating external services to compete with their local computer centers to

meet their users' needs — but perhaps not in free competition. Policy

modifications and management action may frequently be necessary to

revise outside procurement rules and funding procedures. The user

would deal directly with each available service regarding his needs.

There would be minimal management interaction with users or computer

centers.

Mutual Support . This phase develops when each organization establishes formal assistance mechanisms regarding accounts, documents,

training, and usage problems, to aid its members in using all available

computer systems. Some mutual support in financial transactions, e.g.

billing and collection, would be appropriate also. The independence of

computer centers would be preserved.

Operations Coordination . This phase requires each organization

to arrange basic operational or management procedures and criteria in

agreement with other centers , to provide more . uniformity and ease of

user access to various systems. Common accounting criteria, protocol

elements, and control/communications factors (e.g. prompting characters)

would be typical considerations. The aggregate service and resources

offered by each computer center would be of its choice, but demand levels

could change with easier access and use. Explicit methods for load

sharing and balancing might be introduced at this stage, but each computer center would be expected to have independent discretion in setting

service priorities with respect to the market.
Service Alignment. This stage arises when organizations recognize

unique services that each can provide, and then mutually contract to provide complementing resources to meet the major needs of their total market.* Computer centers thus will specialize in certain types of service,

and organizations will become mutually dependent in satisfying their composite needs. Such dependence would be significant financially, for an

institution may require an assured market to support its investment in

offered services.

Joint Resource Ownership. This stage evolves when organizations

mutually invest capital and personnel resources to develop a new computing resource for their common use. An institution would thereby

acquire a vested interest in another organization's computer center. As

a result, participants become most strongly committed to resource sharing

through joint ownership, and the operating independence of joint computing centers is more constrained than in other forms of resource

sharing.

4. NETWORK MANAGEMENT EVALUATION

In order to conceive an effective network management organization,

the responsible parties must first recognize the tangible products of

management activity that are pertinent to their intended scope of resource sharing. Then acceptable approaches for each activity can be

negotiated, and organizational responsibilities and procedures defined.

Network management of course includes traditional activities such as personnel selection, work scheduling, budgeting, etc. but these do not

need particular discussion unless the resource sharing goals warrant a

unique innovative approach.

The above stages of resource sharing generally indicate progressive

goals, extending from the now prevailing case of institutional selfsufficiency in computing. The earlier definition of management directive

functions gives the other dimension needed in order to identify needed

management results in specific terms useful to initiate management planning or to evaluate a management plan. A self-explanatory description

of the major products necessary has been carefully created in Table I

to V. For ease of comparison and interpretation, each result is keyed

as either: D - development, i.e. principally a result of research and

planning; A - action, denoting the major continuing work activity;

or R - review, involving mostly monitoring and evaluation for input to

other functions or action. In framing each table, the accomplishments

of preceding stages are assumed and not repeated, consistent with the

envisioned progression of the stages. For brevity, a rationale for each

requirement will not be given, but may be inferred from the following

discussion of the evolution of each management function.

*PotentiaT "restraint of trade" questions may have to be resolved, see

[12].
Policy Direction

At the initiation of resource sharing, policy

direction likely stems from previously designated officials of each

participating organization, acting with occasional discussion and co- ordination. Their basic problem, which is undiminished perhaps until

the stage of Joint Ownership, is to ensure a rational, stable market

for computing services, favoring or at least protecting their own organization and adequately responding to its members ' needs. Policy direction must establish basic controls and criteria to this end, and probably

evolve or at least approve the fundamental concepts and practices in

such areas as finance or institutional roles and prerogatives. The

complexity and intensity of the effort in the Operations Coordination and

Services Alignment stages may require a formal board (e.g. secretariat,

regular meetings, published minutes), while in the Joint Ownership stage

a distinguished board of trustees is implied.

Executive/Technical Direction . At the initiation of resource sharing,

executive direction may be a quite dispersed function emanating from

middle level managers concerned with enforcing policy direction and providing associated guidance to computing users. However, leadership is

essential at the outset, to effectively present resource sharing needs

for policy resolution. The leadership responsibility continues to grow

in subsequent stages, transcending or assimilating individual organizational concerns, and contributing the initiative and direction for creating essential tools and practices. The need for a strong executive

function is apparent for Operations Coordination and its successors,

where difficult issues may need forceful resolution. The Joint Ownership

stage, as a corporate activity, calls for an individual executive with

abilities as a fund-raiser and financial manager.

Operations Direction . Initially, each computing center contributes

independently to realize the overall operations direction function. As

Mutual Support is introduced, regular information exchange and coordination become necessary. At the Operations Coordination stage, formal

procedures and perhaps a Network Operations Director seem advisable

because of the active technical coordination involved, especially if a

load sharing concept is adopted. As resource sharing evolves, further,

emphasis on high quality, easily accessible service grows correspondingly.

Operations direction should be competitive and innovative in these

aspects, emerging in the Services Alignment and Joint Ownership stages

as a strong proponent of new resource offerings and developments.

User Aid/Marketing Direction . Initially, each computing center

provides independent assistance to its customers, local or remote,

attempting to meet their essential needs within competitive economic

limits and to extend the acceptability of its service in the remote

market. From the Mutual Support phase onward, the burden of user

assistance and market development is assumed to fall on a local "marketing" group attached to each participating organization. (This focuses

on non-commercial networking where widespread aggressive service

marketing would be unappreciated. ) Very close interchange becomes
critical between the local support groups and the operations staff of

the individual computing centers, so that the user aides are themselves

properly trained and have the technical sources for problem solving.

A role for a network-wide assistance coordinator perhaps emerges. By

the time resource sharing reaches the Joint Ownership Stage, user

assistance practice should be well developed, so that joint investment,

of itself, would introduce no fundamental changes.

Table I. Management Results for Mutual Service Access

Policy Direction

Acceptable needs criteria for external services.

Market entry agreements with external services.

Usage factors affecting computing economy, fiscal balance.

*(D)

(A)

(R)

Executive/Technical Direction

(D): Revised procurement and funding practice for computing

services (by individual institutions )

(A): Usage and needs reporting for policy review.

(R): Selection factors in using available services.

Operations Direction

(D): Competitive service improvements, e.g. reliability.

(A): Service scheduling and reliable operation for remote users'

needs

(R): Problems on remote equipment or in service acceptance.

User Aid/Marketing Direction

(D)

(A)

(R)

Technical guidelines on innovative service applications.

Economical assistance practice for remote user group.

Service effectiveness and acceptance.

*D = Development, A = Action, R = Review, see Section 4, page 5,
Table II. Management Results for Mutual Support

Policy Direction

(D): Goals for user satisfaction with support and services.

(A): Joint support and funding agreements among services.

(R): Support factors affecting service economy and external

demand.

Executive/Technical Direction

(D)

(A)

(R)

Budgeting and priority guidance for support activities.

Reporting and evaluation of service and support effectiveness,

Technical support innovations and costs.

Operations Direction

(D): Competitive improvements in user support.

(A): Training, documentation, and assistance to remote support

group.

(R): Quality and competitive balance of remote support activities.

User Aid/Marketing Direction

(D)

(A)

(R)

Automated assistance requirements to facilitate user support.

Mutual assistance practice, especially in problem diagnosis.

User satisfaction with support concepts and techniques.
Table III. Management Results for Operations Coordination

Policy Direction

(D): Acceptability and priority of operations standards, for.

economic feasibility and user satisfaction.

(A): Agreements for coordination, including financial considerations for added overhead and development.

(R): Criteria for load sharing pertinent to networking objectives

and revenue requirements.

Executive/Technical Direction

(D): Formulation and assessment of uniform operations plans.

(A): Standardization of pertinent technical elements, billing and

accounting practice, and workload measurement and reporting

practice

(R): Service demand trends and cost-benefit factors in uniform

operations

Operations Direction

(D): Competitive improvements in operational simplicity; design

and evaluation of candidate system modifications.

(A): Implementation of uniform interfaces, controls, and user

aids; load sharing and balancing.

(R): Workload and overhead factors in uniform operations.

User Aid/Marketing Direction

(D)

(A)

(R)

User needs and recommendations for operational uniformity.

Uniform assistance practice and facilities.

User satisfaction with service accessibility.
Table IV. Management Results for Services Alignment

Policy Direction

(D) : Selection considerations for primary resource suppliers

(e.g. largest user, least cost service, offered investment,

etc.) and for alternative resource suppliers, to achieve

quality service, demand distribution, competitive

innovation.

(A) : Marketing agreements and service contracts among participants

including considerations of pricing, royalties, and revenue

sharing.

(R) : Criteria for supply-demand allocation and pricing , for user

satisfaction and financial stability.

Executive/Technical Direction

(D) : Formulation and assessment of service allocation concepts

;

market research and economic analysis.

(A) : Standardization of pricing and financial practices , and

extension of uniform measurement and reporting practice.

(R) : Supplier capabilities and service quality.

Operations Direction

(D) : Competitive improvement in resources and service ; formulation

and proposal of resource offerings.

(A) : Implementation of selected resources and services ; measurements of workload and service quality; load distribution.

(R) : Service economics , viability and synergy of resources

.

User Aid/Marketing Direction

(D): Complementing relationships of quality services that best

meet user needs.

(A) : Technical aid in experimental uses of distributed resources.

(R) : User satisfaction with diversified resources

.

10
Table V. Management Results for Joint Resource Ownership

Policy Direction

(D): Criteria for investment requirements or limitations on

participants

(A) : Selection among resource investment candidates ; execution of

ownership, operating contracts.

(R) : Financial and development progress on network services

Executive/Technical Direction

(D) : Technical and financial evaluation of candidate resource

projects.

(A) : Distribution and monitoring of joint development resources

( capital , personnel , etc . )

(R) : Competitive development approaches and additional funding

sources or opportunities.

Operations Direction

(D) : Formulation and proposal of new resource development projects.

(A): Development and operation of assigned resource capabilities.

(R) : Potential investment and market support for proposed

resources

User Aid/Marketing Direction

(D) : Needs analysis toward new resource definition.

11
5. CONCLUSIONS

This report primarily addresses networking participants who have

computing resources but are motivated to make other complementing resources available to their user population. Cost-sharing arrangements,

e.g. TUCC [7], where outside services are a compatible expansion of the

already offered resource, may fit the stages defined here, but they do

not raise the substantive issues in mutual support, operations coordination, or services alignment. Most resource sharing networks today

exhibit the characteristics of the Mutual Support phase. Only in partial

respects have succeeding stages been explored, which is understandable

in view of the outstanding technical and management problems involved.

For example, Operations Coordination is a difficult challenge from the

aspect of log-on and basic control sequences [8], unless compatible

computer systems are purposely selected. In a similar vein, Services

Alignment is critically dependent on effective service quality control

which remains a fundamental problem in software irrespective of networking [9].

The relevance of the evaluation schema presented here may be

briefly examined in three management cases that are emerging in networking.

These are:

a) wholesale-retail operations, e.g. [10];

b) user support centers, e.g. networking information centers,

or "automated resource sharing" services;

c) trading coalitions, perhaps operating by analogy with international trade procedures.

The wholesale-retail concept is a specific organizational form that

initially relates to mutual support requirements, but which may be

applied in succeeding phases of resource sharing as defined here. Grobstein and Uhlig identify wholesalers as major computer centers; their

management exercises a substantial part of Operations Direction, in our

terms. Retailers may be simply personnel groups performing the user aid/

marketing function at each participating organization. Or, given some management prerogatives and a computer capability for automating access

and interface functions, retailers may participate significantly in

Operations Direction as well as User Aid/Marketing Direction. For example, a retailer may distribute the user load among wholesalers, may

implement a uniform interface language, or may offer a specialized

resource such as a measurement facility. A suggested division of responsibilities among wholesalers, retailers, and the higher levels of network

management can be readily checked against Tables I to V. This would

identify omitted responsibilities, and assist in correlating the assigned

responsibilities with overall resource sharing goals, to judge the

completeness and feasibility of a management plan.

The management of specialized resource centers oriented to user

support, such as a network information center, is not uniquely treated

12
in the preceding, but would have to be considered as it fits in the

overall management plan. If the resource is nearly indispensable to

effective network usage, the management issues underlying Operations

Coordination and Services Alignment are raised. One would expect the

overall management plan to address questions of alternate supply,

service evaluation, and pricing. In particular, if the center is developed by an entrepreneur rather than as a jointly owned facility, the

organizational responsibilities should be examined for effective

Policy and Technical Direction.

Trading coalitions modeled after international trade [11] are

being discussed but none are operating yet. If "free trade" is

envisioned, the likely minimal operational and financial alignments

would put such networks in the Operations Coordination phase. However,

if market specialities or privileged trade agreements also emerge,

then Services Alignment is implied. The international trade analogy

may lead to specific solutions for such issues in Table IV as market

entry conditions, revenue sharing, supply-demand allocation.

The evaluation approach above thus seems broadly applicable to

networking in qualitative terms. The limitations are obvious, for

much needs to be done in quantitative evaluation of management concepts and techniques. Hopefully, the significance and complexity of

network management issues has become apparent, so that network

management planning will be a prominent aspect of experimental

networking in the future.

6 . FUTURE RESEARCH AND EXPERIMENTATION

The foregoing analysis and other related NBS studies highlight

the following research areas as most important in a foundation for

expanded resouce sharing. Detailed recommendations and additional

suggestions are developed in the referenced reports. Although some issues may best be undertaken as individual research projects,

cooperative research tasks integrated with an experimental network

operation are appealing because the realistic constraints and tradeoffs so introduced may lead to more practical solutions. Indeed,

substantive experiments based on careful prior planning of management

concepts and their operational evaluation would be an ideal approach

for developing model solutions in network management.

Market Research for Service Packaging [6, 13]. Significant

problems exist in identifying applications-oriented software, data

bases , and services that would best serve distinguishable user groups

e.g. in such technical detail as [19-21]. Expected usage or demand projections are rarely available on specific packages or data bases with res- pect to disciplines and types of users. Such data would visibly assist

computer centers in developing related packages and data bases that

comprise a relatively complete, distinct service for an identifiable

13
user group. Estimates of the economic potential of candidate service

packages would be important guidance also. The competitive timesharing business has demonstrated that applications-distinct services

have greater success potential than those based only on low cost

computing power. The evolution of distinctive service packages thus

seems a key factor for expanding resource sharing.

Economic Analyses of Networking [14]. Systematic study is needed

of the overall cost of various computing services through networking,

and of the potential effect on computing revenues of competitive

networking operations. Economic impacts are a continuing concern in

the evolution of resource sharing as portrayed here. Even the

development of a basic forecasting methodology, validated through

a few realistic cases, would be extremely valuable as a tool for

computer center managers to individually assess their economic

fortunes in the fluid environment of networking.

Computer Communications Guidelines [2, 14-16]. Many papers have

been published analyzing communications tariffs and cost trade-offs

in simple data communications arrangements. More detailed analyses

are desirable for hardware and software performance and cost factors,

to provide guidelines for utilizing available technologies. Although

several basic technologies have become established, the field is

very active and emerging capabilities such as commercial packet

switching and common carrier digital networks could have an important

impact on costs and performance. Computing-oriented network planners,

especially in senior positions, would benefit from tutorial aids,

e.g. [16], and engineering analyses that guide the configuring of

experimental networks. One useful result would be a catalog of

interfacing requirements (hardware and software) of existing networks,

and of "off-the-shelf" hardware and software for low-cost access

arrangements among dispersed locations.

Information' Requirements in Networking [17]. Two major factors

create special concern for satisfying the information needs of network

users. They are: the physical separation between resource centers

and users, which inhibits conventional interchange; and, the increased

technical complexity involved in a wider variety of services from

differing systems. Research on innovative communications forms, e.g.

teleconferencing, would be desirable, focusing on their contribution

to effective resource sharing applications and the attendant costs.

Documentation concepts and standards (types of documents, content,

format, media), including a widely acceptable taxonomy and descriptive

standard for network services, would be appropriate development and

research subjects. The use of a network as a primary tool, manifest

in searchable data bases on available services, user application

problems, etc., would be a natural theme in this area.

Service Quality Assurance [8, 9, 18]. The quality, dependability,

and accessibility of network services must clearly be high if users

are to accept growing dependence on them. The quality of software

14
and the performance of systems remain problematical however because

of a lack of accepted, pertinent criteria and of readily applied

measurement and evaluation techniques. Of course, partial results

are emerging from current development or standardization in certain

areas such as mathematical software, compilers for standard languages,

and data communications. An overall effort is needed to integrate

such results and to identify other performance criteria, giving full

coverage to the major network components, i.e., user terminals,

communications support network, and host computer services. Measurement and testing techniques should be developed for system-wide

application by network and service center managers, and also for

individual users to apply in problem diagnosis and applications or

service evaluation. New approaches and mechanisms for user feedback

to system operators on problems encountered could prove very valuable

in organizing dispersed user experience as part of overall testing

methodology and system maintenance.

15
REFERENCES

1. F. W. Weingarten, et. al. , "A Study of Regional Computer Networks",

University of Iowa, September, 1972

.

2. R. P. Blanc and T. N. Pyke, Jr. , "Computer Networking Technology -

-A State of the Art Review", Computer, IEEE Computer Society,

August 1973.

3. D. D. Aufenkamp, "NSF Activities Related to a National Science

Computer Network", Computer Communications : Impacts arid Implications , Proceedings of First International Conference on Computer

Communications , Washington, D.C., October, 1972.

4. M. Greenberger, et. al. (Editors) , Networks for Research and

Education: Sharing of Computer and Information Resources Nationwide, MIT Press, Expected publication in 1974.

5. I. W. Cotton, "Network Management Survey", NBS Technical Note 805,

February 1974.

6. A. J. Neumann, "Review of Network Management Problems and Issues",

NBS Technical Note 795, October 1973.

7. L. H. Williams, "A Functioning Computer Network for Higher

Education in North Carolina", Proc. FJCC , 1972, 899-904.

8. A. J. Neumann, "User Procedures Standardization for Network Access",

NBS Technical Note 799, October 1973.

9. R. Stillman, "Computer Networking: Approaches to Qualitv Service

Assurance" NBS Technical Note 800, January 1974.

10. D. L. Grobstein and R. P. Uhlig, "A Wholesale Retail Concept

for Computer Network Management" , Proc. FJCC , 1972, 889-898.

11. S. V. Berg, "Networks and Economics: An Application of International Trade Theory", Networks and Disciplines , EDJCOM, 1973,

25-37.

12. D. I. Baker, "Access to Large Computer Systems", Computer Communications: Impacts and Implications , Proceedings of First International Computer Communications Conference, 1972, 431-433.

13. D. Fife, "Primary Issues in User Needs", Networks for Research

and Education: Sharing of Computer and Information Resources

Nationwide , MIT Press, Expected publication in 1974.

14. R. P. Blanc, "Cost Analyses for Computer Communications", NBS

Report in preparation, Expected publication May 1974.

16
15. R. P. Blanc, "Review of Computer Networking Technology", NBS

Technical Note 804, January 1974.

16. A. J. Neumann, "A Guide to Networking Terminology", NBS Technical

Note 803, March 1974.

17. A. J. Neumann, "Network User Information Support", NBS Technical

Note 802, December 1973.

18. T. N. Pyke, Jr., "Some Technical Considerations for Improved

Service to Computer Users", Proc. CCMFCON 1973, IEEE Computer

Society.

19. B. Marron, et. al. , "A Study of Six University-Based Information

Systems", NBS Technical Note 781, June 1973.

20. D. Fife, et al., "A Technical Index to Interactive Information

Systems", NBS Technical Note 819, March 1974.

21. B. Marron, et. al., "A Mechanized Information Services Catalog"

NBS Technical Note 814, February 1974.

17
form NBS-U4A (1-71)

1. PUBLICATION OR REPORT NO. NBS TN-8012. Gov't Accession No.

U.S. DEPT. OF COMM. BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA

SHEET

3. Recipient's Accession No.

4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE

RESEARCH CONSIDERATIONS IN COMPUTER NETWORKING TO

EXPAND RESOURCE SHARING

5. Publication Date June 1974

6. Performing Organization Code

7. AUTHOR(S)

Dennis W. Fife

8. Performing Organization

10. Project/Task/Work Unit No. 640-2415

9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20234

11. Contract/Grant No.

12. Sponsoring Organization Name and Address

Sane as No. 9

13. Type of Report & Period Covered Final

14. Sponsoring Agency Code

15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 74-600089

16. ABSTRACT (A 200-word or less factual summary of most significant information. If document includes a significant

bibliography or literature survey, mention it here.) Computer networking technology is adequately developed now to support research and

experimentation to expand computing resource sharing. Whether progress will be made

depends upon organizational initiative among multiple institutions, to pool personnel

and capital so as to effectively address the major issues in management approach, support

and software design that limit the feasible interdependence of computing operations. The

organizational requirements are partially revealed by examining progressive stages of

resource sharing in organizational and operational terms rather than such technical aspedts

as load sharing or program sharing that have been introduced in the past. Five stages are identified, ranging from simply establishing multiple service access to the advanced

stage where multiple institutions organize for joint development of new resources. A

preliminary evaluation framework for new management arrangements results when these

stages are mapped against the four functional levels inherent in computer network management. Future needs for networking experimentation and research are briefly described,

and other NBS technical results are identified in context.

17. KEY WORDS (Alphabetical order, separated by semicolons)

Computer network management; computer networking research; management evaluation; resource sharing.

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