Responsibilities of host and network managers: A summary of the "oral tradition" of the Internet
RFC 1173
Network Working Group J. Van Bokkelen
Request for Comments: 1173 FTP Software, Inc.
August 1990
Responsibilities of Host and Network Managers
A Summary of the "Oral Tradition" of the Internet
Status of this Memo
This informational RFC describes the conventions to be followed by
those in charge of networks and hosts in the Internet. It is a
summary of the "oral tradition" of the Internet on this subject.
[RFC Editor's note: This memo is a contribution by the author of his
view of these conventions. It is expected that this RFC will provide
a basis for the development of official policies in the future.]
These conventions may be supplemented or amended by the policies of
specific local and regional components of the Internet. This RFC
does not specify a standard, or a policy of the IAB. Distribution of
this memo is unlimited.
Table of Contents
Status of this Memo .............................................. 1
1. Basic Responsibilities......................................... 1
2. Responsibilities of Network Managers........................... 2
3. Responsibilities of Host System Managers....................... 2
4. Postmaster@foo.bar.baz......................................... 3
5. Problems and Resolutions....................................... 3
6. The Illusion of Security....................................... 4
7. Summary........................................................ 5
8. Security Considerations........................................ 5
9. Author's Address............................................... 5
1. Basic Responsibilities
The Internet is a co-operative endeavor, and its usefulness depends
on reasonable behaviour from every user, host and router in the
Internet. It follows that people in charge of the components of the
Internet MUST be aware of their responsibilities and attentive to
local conditions. Furthermore, they MUST be accessible via both
Internet mail and telephone, and responsive to problem reports and
diagnostic initiatives from other participants.
Even local problems as simple and transient as system crashes or
power failures may have widespread effects elsewhere in the net.
Problems which require co-operation between two or more responsible
individuals to diagnose and correct are relatively common. Likewise,
Van Bokkelen [Page 1]
RFC 1173 Responsibilities of Host and Network Managers August 1990
the tools, access and experience needed for efficient analysis may
not all exist at a single site.
This communal approach to Internet management and maintenance is
dictated by the present decentralized organizational structure. The
structure, in turn, exists because it is inexpensive and responsive
to diverse local needs. Furthermore, for the near term, it is our
only choice; I don't see any prospect of either the government or
private enterprise building a monolithic, centralized, ubiquitous "Ma
Datagram" network provider in this century.
2. Responsibilities of Network Managers
One or more individuals are responsible for every IP net or subnet
which is connected to the Internet. Their names, phone numbers and
postal addresses MUST be supplied to the Internet NIC (or to the
local or regional transit network's NIC) prior to the network's
initial connection to the Internet, and updates and corrections MUST
be provided in a timely manner for as long as the net remains
connected.
In order to adequately deal with problems that may arise, a network
manager must have either:
A. System management access privileges on every host and router
connected to the local network, or:
B. The authority and access to either power off, re-boot,
physically disconnect or disable forwarding IP datagrams from
any individual host system that may be misbehaving.
For all networks, a network manager capable of exercising this level
of control MUST be accessible via telephone 8 hours a day, 5 days a
week. For nets carrying transit traffic, a network manager SHOULD be
accessible via telephone 24 hours a day.
3. Responsibilities of Host System Managers
One or more individuals must be responsible for every host connected
to the Internet. This person MUST have the authority, access and
tools necessary to configure, operate and control access to the
system. For important timesharing hosts, primary domain name servers
and mail relays or gateways, responsible individual(s) SHOULD be
accessible via telephone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
For less-important timesharing hosts or single-user PCs or
workstations, the responsible individual(s) MUST be prepared for the
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