1. PURPOSE

The purpose of this document is to define the role of NICs in the Internet and establish guidelines for new and existing NICs regarding the user services they provide. This document is also a move toward standardizing NIC services, which will aid in the development of an overall information infrastructure that will allow NICs to easily and routinely cooperate in assisting users.

NICs for networks that are part of the Internet may be called upon to serve users of the greater Internet as well as those of their own networks. This responsibility brings with it the added challenge of coordinating services with other NICs to better serve the general Internet community. Toward that end, this document also proposes some easily implemented changes to facilitate the exchange of information and services between NICs.