Optimizing our TCP/IP Environment

                         Meeting Minutes
                             3/22/95

Attending:  Bob, Dave, Justin


1. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss what resources and processes
   are needed to improve our TCP/IP-based network services.  First, we listed
   those TCP/IP services that we need to be concerned about:

   - NetNews (UseNet or news groups)
   - DNS (domain name service for looking up IP numeric addresses when you
          have an IP name address; example:  www.potsdam.edu is 137.143.111.2)
   - BootP (provides your computer with an assigned IP address when you connect
        to the campus network)
   - Email
   - WWW
   - Gopher
   - CSO (the database/directory of students and faculty)
   - interactive UNIX accounts


2.  NetNews presents some technical and policy issues.  First, because our
    news server does not require a usercode/password, anyone can post messages
    to news groups around the world *anonymously*.  However, the posting will
    indicate that the message came from SUNY Potsdam.  We will investigate this
    problem and see if there is a way to control this better (we recently had
    an incident where a student's brother posted a "get-rich-quick" message
    to news groups around the world!  Arghhhh!)

    - Dave will contact someone he knows at Clarkson to see how they handle this
    - Bob will talk to Russ Nelson (NOTE:  Done.  Russ says this is the nature
      of the "beast" and that it has not been abused--much.  Our setup is the
      same as anyone else on the 'Net.  Bob sighed.)
    - Justin will talk to John Bradley at Plattsburgh to see how they intend to
      handle this.  (NOTE:  Justin did discover that some news servers do 
      require a user account/password before reading/posting messages)

    
    We also discussed "filtered" news groups.  Dave will determine what news
    groups we filter out from Buffalo.  PLEASE keep this information 
    CONFIDENTIAL at this time.


3.  Below is our initial plan for optimizing services based upon the host for
    the service and who takes "ownership" of each service (primary 
    responsibility):

                                                                      Mission
"Owner"    TCP/IP Service      Mac     Ultrix     Sun 5      Sun 20?  Critical
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Dave           DNS                                BKUP         x       yes
 Dave           Bootp                              BKUP         x       yes
 Dave           Email                              BKUP         x       yes
 Dave           CSO                                BKUP         x       yes
 Dave           Interactive Unix          x                             no
 Justin         WWW             x                                       no
 Justin         Gopher          x                                       no      
 Russ           NetNews                   x                             no



4.  Next meeting:  Friday, 3/24/95 @ 1:30pm (Kellas 217)

    AGENDA items:
        - POP
        - Remote Access
        - VMS (email)
        - IMAP
        - preparation for meeting with Russ, Erik, Bill Jaeger to configure
          another Sun Sparcstation (noted as Sun 20? above) to be purchased
          SOON!