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Network Working Group                                     Bob ThomasRFC # 504                                                 BBNNIC # 16155                                               April 30, 1973Workshop AnnouncementTitle: Automated Resource Sharing on the ARPANETDate:  Monday May 21, 1973Time:  9:00 AM to 5:00 PMPlace: Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc., Cambridge, Mass.Hosts: TENEX and TIP Groups at BBNTheme:-----This workshop will focus on various aspects of the question:    What steps can be taken to automate access to the distributed    resources on the ARPANET?In particular, how can we move from where we are today toward anenvironment which facilitates resource sharing by moving the burden ofdealing with the network from the human user to processes which act onhis behalf?  Additionally, operating systems themselves perform variousoperations not directly initiated by human users which could better beperformed with the availability of resources on other systems (e.g.file system backup); how can we move toward an environment whichfacilitates such system-system cooperation?Objectives of Workshop:----------------------1.  To identify and clarify the issues raised by automated resource    sharing.    What are the obstacles preventing more widespread resource sharing    on the ARPANET?  Are they technical, political, administrative in    nature?  Is it that there are few resources worth sharing (we don't    think so)?  Is automated sharing a bad idea (We don't think so)?Thomas                                                          [Page 1]

RFC 504                  Workshop Announcement                April 19732.  To identify resources at various network sites appropriate for    automated sharing; and to identify the need for resources which    don't but should exist.3.  To formulate a series of experiments for the purpose of evaluating    relative merits and disadvantages of different approaches to    automating resource sharing.    The intent of such experimentation is to gain experience through    construction and use of prototype systems which support automated    sharing.Format of Workshop:------------------Morning:In order to get the workshop "up to speed", each participant will beexpected to give a brief presentation of relevant work he (his site) iscurrently engaged in, is planning to do, or to identify and discussissues he feels are relevant to the subject.  Time will be allowed forbrief discussion after each presentation.Afternoon:General discussion of the issues raised during the morning session.Possible subjects for discussion include (but need not be limited to):1.  Identification of possible multi-site "services".    Intersite mail, terminal linking, status information are some    examples - what are others?2.  Identification of resources appropriate for remote utilization.    File systems, compilers, on-line query systems, manuscript    preparation systems are some examples - what are others?3.  Access to remote resources.    Possibility of access paths other than the standard logger port.  To    what extent (if at all) can the access paths to a variety of    different resources be standardized?  How can resources which may    move from Host to Host or may be available on several Hosts be    dynamically located and selected for use?  The need for    (desirability of) a "broadcast ICP".4.  Problems of accounting for resource utilization.    Some form of network wide accounting would be a great convenience.    For example, it would be nice if a user could use the same account    at many (all?) sites.  What are the problems (if any) preventing    this?Thomas                                                          [Page 2]

RFC 504                  Workshop Announcement                April 19735.  Problems of security and access control.    Authentication of users/processes attempting to use resources.  As    with network wide accounts, the ability to use the same name and    password at all sites would be convenient.  How can a user's    password and other sensitive data be protected in such an    environment?    The notion of a third party password validation and user    authentication service.6.  Approaches to automating resource sharing.    It is possible without difficulty to identify several which on the    surface appear to be different:    a.  Multi-site executive programs which make resources accessible to        the user at the command language level; e.g.  the inter-site,        user-user interaction and file maintenance activity supported by        the RSEXEC.    b.  A programming language environment designed to facilitate        resource sharing; e.g. LISP is a machine independent language -        one could imagine a multi-computer LISP system which supported        automated resource sharing.    c.  The "collect a resource" approach - identify an Editor here,        file storage service there, a compiler somewhere else, etc; and        build a "workshop" environment which provides convenient access        to these resources.    What are the relative merits and disadvantages of these approaches?    What aspects do these approaches have in common?  Is it possible to    identify a common base capable of supporting them all?7.  Protocols to support automated resource sharing.    It would be inappropriate to attempt to generate a detailed protocol    specification at this workshop. However, it is appropriate to    discuss the kinds of activity a protocol should support. Existing    protocols (excepting Host-Host protocol and possibly, the new TELNET    protocol) appear to be oriented toward human users. Automated    resource sharing suggests processes acting on behalf of human users    to interface to remote resources; this in turn suggests that the    protocols should be highly process oriented. For example, because    there should be minimal human intervention in error recovery, the    protocols should be extremely robust; e.g., include well specified    time outs, etc.Thomas                                                          [Page 3]

RFC 504                  Workshop Announcement                April 1973Arrangements:------------If you are planning to attend the workshop, please notify Bob Thomas atBBN (send net mail to BTHOMAS@BBN, telephone (617) 491-1850, x483).  Ifyou would like us to make motel reservations for you (at the homesteadInn at Fresh Pond) call Mrs Terry Bernier at BBN (x545).It is possible that a single day will prove to be insufficient for thisworkshop.  If that is the consensus of the attendees, the workshop willcontinue through Tuesday May 22.Position papers, memos, notes, etc. prepared by participants in advanceof the workshop will help contribute to the success of the workshop andare requested.  All such papers received before May 11 will bedistributed, in advance, to workshop attendees.The following questions may be helpful in focusing your thinking:- What resources would your site be willing to make available for use in  automated resource sharing experiments?- Under what conditions would your site be willing or able to  participate in such experiments?- What administrative and/or technical considerations would prevent your  site from entering into a network wide resource sharing agreement?- If you employ accounting Procedures that require cost recovery, how,  if at all, should they be modified to work in a network resource  sharing environment?Reading List:------------We are aware of little that has been written on the subject of automatedresource sharing.  However, the following items are relevant (at leastmarginally) to the workshop.  Please inform us of others of which youare aware.1.  ARPANET NEWS, Issue 2, Report on COMPCON 73 "Birds of a Feather    Session" on Resource Sharing Networks, NIC 15337.2.  "A Resource Sharing Executive for the ARPANET", R. Thomas, Preprint    of paper for 1973 National Computer Conference, BBN Report 2522, NIC    #14689.3.  "Terminal Access to the ARPANET - Experience and Improvements", N.    Mimno, B. Cosell, Walden, et. al., COMPCON 73 Proceedings, NIC    14791.4.  "A Tentative Proposal for a Modified User Protocol", M. Padlipsky,RFC 451, NIC #14135.Thomas                                                          [Page 4]

RFC 504                  Workshop Announcement                April 19735.  "Interentity Communication - An experiment", R. Bressler, R. Thomas,RFC 441, NIC 13773.6.  "Netbank", J. Postel,RFC 408, NIC #12390.       [ This RFC was put into machine readable form for entry ]       [ into the online RFC archives by Alex McKenzie with    ]       [ support from GTE, formerly BBN Corp.             9/99 ]Thomas                                                          [Page 5]