Internet Info 1997 December/Internet_Info_CD-ROM_Walnut_Creek_December_1997.iso/ietf/93nov/area.userservices.93nov.txt

Text File | 1994-02-23 | 11KB | 242 lines

User Services Area

Director:


   o Joyce Reynolds:  [e-mail]


Area Summary reported by Joyce Reyolds/Information Sciences Institute

Ten working groups in the User Services Area of the IETF met in Houston,
Texas.


Integrated Directory Services Working Group (IDS)

The IDS Working Group is chartered to facilitate the integration and
interoperability of current and future directory services into a unified
directory service.  This work will unite directory services based on a
heterogeneous set of directory services protocols (X.500, WHOIS++,
etc.).  In addition to specifying technical requirements for the
integration, IDS will also contribute to the administrative and
maintenance issues of directory service offerings by publishing
guidelines on directory data integrity, maintenance, security, and
privacy and legal issues for users and administrators of directories.

The IDS Working Group reviewed, discussed and/or progressed the
following documents:


   o ``X.500 Implementation Survey'' - held up, pending more vendor
     responses.

   o ``X.500 Pilot Project Catalog'' - held up, pending a query to
     Paradise.


Coming ``soon'' (within the next month):


   o ``WHOIS++ Implementation Catalog''
   o ``Model for Information Privacy of Directories''
   o ``Legal Issues for Directories in Europe''
   o ``Data Management Issues''
   o ``Overview of Directory Services''


Also discussed was the inclusion of the CSO nameserver protocol in the
IDS effort (consensus was to include it), and the more general issue of
how to make all these directory services work together (lots of ideas,
but no solid conclusions, yet).


Integration of Internet Information Resources Working Group (IIIR)

IIIR is chartered to facilitate interoperability between Internet
Information Services, and to develop, specify, and align protocols
designed to integrate the plethora of Internet information services
(WAIS, archie, Prospero, etc.)  into a single ``virtually unified
information service.''

Clifford Lynch discussed his paper on using the Z39.50.  Margaret St.
Pierre discussed the Internet-Draft, ``WAIS over Z39.50 1988.''  This
document is being considered as an Informational RFC profiling the use
of Z39.50 version 1988 by the traditional WAIS protocol.  The idea of
quality assurance was discussed.  Quality assurance in this context
addresses such issues as invalid pointers to data objects,
interoperability among the current information systems and the ability
to contact information maintenance personnel.  A mailing list is now
established called [e-mail].  The idea of a data types
registry was discussed and Greg Vaudreuil agreed to write a document on
using the MIME content type registry in Amsterdam, but that document was
never posted to the IIIR list.  Applications co-Area Director John
Klensin indicated that the document had been denied by the IESG based on
the fact that it undermined an existing RFC.


Internet School Networking Working Group (ISN)

The Internet School Networking Working Group is chartered to facilitate
the connection of the United States' K-12 (Kindergarten-12th Grade)
schools, public and private, to the Internet, and school networking in
general.

After a period for introductions of those attending and a statement of
their interest in ISN, the group launched into a discussion of whether
it should continue to exist.  With a tentative decision to continue
activities, a revision of the body of the charter began.  This was
accomplished, and minor refinements and word-smithing will take place on
the list.  April Marine reported on her action item to investigate the
InterNIC's ability and willingness to maintain a directory of people in
primary and secondary school education who are involved in networking.
The group then defined a set of milestones which will take the group
through March, 1995 and was therefore permitted to go to lunch.  April's
report was considered in crafting the milestones.


Network Information Services Infrastructure Working Group (NISI)

NISI is exploring the requirements for common, shared Internet-wide
network information services.  The goal is to develop an understanding
for what is required to implement an information services
``infrastructure'' for the Internet.


   o Documents:  The Internet-Draft on international NIC structures and
     RFC 1302/FYI 12 will be completed/revised by the Seattle meeting.

   o NIC-Profiles:  This information will be revived, working in
     cooperation with the InterNIC.

   o NISI Future:  There was good discussion about the scope and role of
     NISI including possible future projects.  Various plans were
     discussed, including the possibility of ending the group and having
     a new group emerge if needed, with a different name and focus.
     Further discussion will take place on the list followed by action
     in Seattle.


Network Training Materials Working Group (TRAINMAT)

The Network Training Materials Working Group is chartered to enable the
research community to make better use of networked services.  Towards
this end, the working group will work to provide a comprehensive package
of ``mix and match'' training materials for the broad academic community
which will:  1) enable user support staff to train users to use the
networked services and 2) provide users with self-paced learning
material.  In the first instance, it will not deal with operational
training.  This working group is the IETF component of a joint RARE/IETF
group working on Network Training Materials.

The ongoing work towards a training materials catalog was reviewed.  The
template for materials was reviewed, with recent changes, suggested by
Pete Percival, incorporated.  The working group agreed with the newest
version.  Sample entries developed by a team working with Margaret
Isaacs was reviewed, and the working group agreed that the focus should
be on training rather than documentation or resource guides, the latter
which could be included in a bibliography rather than in the main part
of the document.  Sample subject headings were reviewed, with the
agreement that these might change if documentation and guides were
removed from the body of the catalog.  Additional volunteers were
recruited to complete putting materials from the University of Newcastle
catalog into template form, with the goal of adding new materials once
this task is completed---about half the original Newcastle entries are
already in template form.  Updates will be sent to the e-mail list.
Discussion also focused on materials which might need to be developed in
the training area, particularly the usefulness of videos.  The final
segment of the session included discussion of efforts by other groups,
and a roundtable on what attendees are doing in the training area.


Networked Information Retrieval Working Group (NIR)

NIR is chartered to increase the useful base of information about
networked information retrieval tools, their developers, interested
organizations, and other activities that relate to the production,
dissemination, and support of NIR tools.  NIR is a cooperative effort of
the IETF, RARE, and CNI.

Jim Fullton gave the current status of CNIDR. Jill Foster gave an
overview of RARE activities in this area.  The working group split into
small groups to discuss each section of the NIR status report as a final
review.  Section 5, mailing lists and gopher are among the major areas
changed.  It will be sent to the list for final comments.  April Marine
discussed the ``checklist'' history.  She has put together a simple NIR
tool checklist.


Uniform Resource Identifiers Working Group (URI)

URI is chartered to define a set of standards for the encoding of system
independent resource location and identification information for the use
of Internet information services.

The URI Working Group held three sessions in Houston.  The first two
were dedicated to closing work on the Uniform Resource Locators, which
seems to have occurred.  The final session worked on Uniform Resource
Names.  Document drafts have been commissioned to reflect those
discussions.


User Documents Revisions Working Group (USERDOC2)

The USERDOC2 Working Group is preparing a revised bibliography of
on-line and hard copy documents, reference materials, and training tools
addressing general networking information and how to use the Internet.
The target audience includes those individuals who provide services to
end users and end users themselves.

The USERDOC2 Working Group had a small but enthusiastic set of attendees
due to a conflicting applications group meeting that many of the usual
suspects attended.  The group set a new record by having everyone in the
room volunteer to assist in writing and reviewing documents in progress!
A ``Not Quite an Internet Draft'' bibliography was distributed and
discussed which will update RFC 1175.  The new document will focus on
books, journals and other bibliographies rather than all possible
documentation.  A section will be developed to cover RFCs and FYIs.  The
final document is scheduled to be completed before the next IETF. A
second document covering Internet connectivity is almost ready for
review, and will be distributed to the mailing list.  This is a joint
project with the ISN Working Group.


User Services Working Group (USWG)

USWG provides a regular forum for people interested in all user services
to identify and initiate projects designed to improve the quality of
information available to end-users of the Internet.

Gary Malkin briefly discussed the ``DAWG'' (Distribution and
Announcement Working Group) idea that has been sitting on USWG's back
burner for a while.  A BOF will be held at the next IETF to see if there
is further interest in this topic.  Ann Cooper led a talk and discussion
on the US Domain.  Jill Foster and Joyce Reynolds reported on the RARE
ISUS meetings and the EARN Network Services Conference held in Warsaw,
Poland, in which they participated.  Jill announced the INET94/JENC5
Call For Papers---User Information Track to the USWG. Jill was asked to
run this track, and asked Joyce if she would be co-track leader.  There
was continued discussion from the Amsterdam IETF on Bill Manning's
thoughts about how to ``empower'' users to utilize and document tools.


WHOIS and Network Information Lookup Service Working Group (WNILS)

The purpose of WNILS is to expand and define the standard for WHOIS
services, to resolve issues associated with the variations in access,
and to promote a consistent and predictable service across the network.

Peter Deutsch led a discussion on the status of the WHOIS Architecture.
Chris Weider and Simon Spero led a discussion on the status of the
distributed WHOIS++ model and centroids.  Chris described changes to the
draft WHOIS++ document.  Simon Spero described the mechanism for
searching a centroid tree from the bottom, up.  Jim Fullton described
the status of WHOIS ++ Clients.  Jim mentioned the use of WHOIS++ in
support of networked information retrieval and the type of client
development that is occurring as part of other application development.
The session concluded with a discussion on the recommendations and
modifications to the WHOIS Protocol and a discussion of WHOIS++
Implementations by Joan Gargano.