Network Working Group J.D. Burchfiel RFC# 603 BBN-TENEX NIC # 21022 31 December, 1973
Response to RFC# 597: Host Status
I have several questions about the November 1973 ARPANET topographical map:
1. AMES is 4-connected, i.e. four network connections will go down if the IMP fails. Is there some aspiration that IMPs should be no more than three connected?
2. The seven IMPS in the Washington area are arranged into a loop. This guarantees that local communication can take place even if one connection fails, and is PRobably a worthwhile preparation for area routing. On the other hand, for example, a break between MIT-ipC and MIT-MAC will require them to communicate through a 12-hop path through Washington. This can be remedied by a short (ineXPensive) connection between Harvard and Lincoln Labs. Is there a plan to pull the Boston area, the San Francisco area, and the Los Angeles area into loops like the Washington area?
[ This RFCwas put into machine readable form for entry ] [ into the online RFCarchives by Alex McKenzie with ] [ support from GTE, formerly BBN Corp. 10/99 ]
