Network UNIX

Network UNIX is the formal name for a version of UNIX produced in 1974-75 for use with the ARPANET. It was reportedly the first networked UNIX; it used the NCP protocol. Work started with UNIX V5, but it was initially distributed UNIX V6. I

The work was at the Center for Advanced Computation at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It was originally written mostly by Gary R. Grossman and Steve F. Holmgren; many others later contributed fixes and improvements. The code rapidly spread among computer science centers which were connected to the ARPANET.

The code is divided into three main sections: code for the kernel, which handled sending and receiving ordinary user data (further divided into device drivers, and code common to all methods of interfacing to the ARPANET); a daemon which ran as a process, which handled the more complex, and rare protocol operations (e.g. listening for incoming connection requests; the Initial Connection Protocol used to open a connection; closing connections); and programs (also run as processes) to implement applications such as FTP and TELNET.

External links

• Steve Holmgren, The Network UNIX System; Center for Advanced Computation, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Urbana, Illinois; 1975
• Karl C Kelley, Richard Balocca, Jody Kravitz; A Network Unix System for the ARPANET: Volume 1 - The Network Control Program; Center for Advanced Computation and Computing Services Office, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Urbana, Illinois; 1978
• S. Holmgren, Network UNIX - RFC 681, May 1975
• SRI-NOSC - complete source code (kernel, daemon and applications)