Birth Of The Internet
1973 – TCP/IP is Born
In 1973 a research program was initiated to investigate the possibility of interlinking separate packet networks. This program was driven by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the objective was to create a communications technology that would allow computers to interact transparently across multiple linked packet networks. This communication over separate networks was referred to as Internetting, and the system of networks used became called the Internet.
Bob Kahn and Vint Cerf discussed the issues faced when connecting networks that were not identical and together developed the concept of Transmission Control Protocol (TPC). This concept was presented to the International Networking Group and was endorsed.
The two technologies that made this all possible were Transmission Control Protocol and IP Protocol (TCP/IP).
1975 – TCP Prototype and Satellite Internet
A communications test of a two network TCP/IP connection was performed in 1975. The prototype link was between University College London and Stanford University. The connection was made via satellite and the test proved the viability of the TCP/IP protocols over desperate networks.
1977 – Three Network Test
With the successful test of TCP/IP over two network connection, a three network test was made in 1977. The test simulated military grade communications with extremely complex data and was routed in what would appear to be a purposefully chaotic manner. The original message was sent from a computer in a van being driven down a freeway in San Francisco via a 400 baud modem over a radio. The message was received by an ARPANET gateway at BBN in Boston and routed via satellite to a computer in Norway. From here the message was routed through London, back to Boston and on to Southern California.
The test was a complete success.
1979 – The ICCB is Formed
ARPA established the Internet Configuration Control Board (ICCB) in 1979. The ICCB eventually became know as the Internet Architecture Board (IAB) and is in charge of oversight of the development of the Internet by the Internet Society (ISOC).
The IAB has undergone many changes over the years and been reorganized several times. Currently the two primary components of the IAB are the Internet Research Task Force and the Internet Engineering Task Force. The Engineering Task Force focuses on the further evolution of TCP/IP while the research group explores advanced networking concepts.
1987 – UUNET
UUNET was founded in 1987 to provide commercial Usenet access. It became one of the largest Internet Providers in the world and one of nine Tier One Networks. The company provided Internet services to over 70,000 business customers all over the world that included Internet access, hosting, managed security, VPN, and more.
WorldCom purchased UUNET in 1996 and was fully integrated by 2001. Verizon now owns what was UUNET and operates it under the Verizon Business name.
1988 - Black Thursday
November 3rd 1988 is referred to by many system administrators as Black Thursday. Inexplicably computers all over the world became overloaded with mysterious processes and slowed them to a crawl. Early attempts to clean and reboot the systems failed as the processes returned after each purge. This was the first appearance of a widespread Internet worm. A worm is a program that uses the resources of one machine to attack another machine while propagating itself across a network.
This was the first time the Internet had been attacked this way and it certainly got everyone’s attention. Although viruses were well known, the worm was new method of attack that had system administrators scrambling for help and it took some time before this problem could be dealt with.