Realizing the Information Future: The Internet and Beyond

• EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
  • Committee and Its 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

• APPENDIX A. FEDERAL NETWORKING: THE PATH TO THE INTERNET
• APPENDIX B. SAMPLE PRINCIPLE SETS
• APPENDIX C. USER SUPPORT SERVICES
• APPENDIX D. STATE AND REGIONAL NETWORKS
• APPENDIX E. INTERNATIONAL ISSUES
• APPENDIX F. KEY TERMS

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