September 30, 1991
nic.cerf.net


California Education and Research Federation Network 
General Information


(1) Name of resource
California Education and Research Federation Network

(2) USPS address
CERFnet
c/o San Diego Supercomputer Center
P. O. Box 85608
San Diego, CA  92186-9784

(3) Electronic mail
 help@cerf.net

(4)  Telephone
Information (619) 534-5087
Hotline 1 800 876 CERF

(5) Description
The California Education and Research Federation Network, CERFnet, is a data
communications regional network that operates throughout California.  The
purpose of CERFnet is to advance science and education by assisting the
interchange of information among research and educational institutions through
high-speed data communications techniques. 

CERFnet links over 100 of the leading research and education centers in
California at data transfer rates of up to 1.544 Megabits-per-second (T1). 
Membership includes the California Institute of Technology, the twenty
California State University campuses, the San Diego Supercomputer Center
(SDSC), 5 of the University of California campuses (Irvine, Los Angeles, Santa
Barbara, San Diego and Riverside), the University of San Diego, Hughes Aircraft
Company, Xerox Corporation, and Science Applications International Corporation
(SAIC). 
	
CERFnet was launched in the spring of 1989 with a $2.8 million grant from the
National Science Foundation.  This grant is allocated over 4 years.  The grant
provides for the connection of 34 research centers to the network.   Membership
has since grown to over 80. These new memberships are supported through
membership fees. 

CERFnet offers several different connection options.  Membership is open to all
organizations in California, including any university, college, industrial or
government facility, hospital, and library. A CERF 1544 (T1) or CERF 56 (56
kbps) entitles the subscriber to a dedicated leased circuit to the nearest 
backbone node. 

CERFnet also offers DIAL N' CERF, a dial-up IP service to the network.  DIAL
N' CERF subscribers connect to the network by dialing-up the nearest backbone
node and logging on to a CERFnet terminal server.  

The CERFnet backbone nodes are located at UCLA, UC Irvine, SDSC, Caltech and
the UC Office of the President located in Oakland, California. 

CERFnet also provides 24-hour network surveillance and technical consulting, a
telephone hotline (1 800 876 CERF), weekly and monthly reports on network
activity, a bimonthly newsletter, and CERFnet sponsored seminars.  CERFnet also
operates a Network Operations Center, located at the San Diego Supercomputer
Center, and a Network Information Center (NIC).  Various documents, including
miscellaneous information on CERFnet, are available on the CERFnet NIC.  These
are available via anonymous ftp to NIC.CERF.NET.  There are several
subdirectories: cerfnet_news, cerfnet_info, cerfnet_guide and cerfnet_stats,
that contain information such as the CERFnet bimonthly newsletter, acceptable
use policy, brochure, and user's guide. (The CERFnet NIC is a UNIX based
workstation.) 

(6)Network Access
CERFnet supports TCP/IP protocol suite.  Any IP host on the Internet may access 
CERFnet sites.  

(7) Who can use the resource/restrictions
Use of the network is governed by an acceptable use policy.  A copy of this
policy is available on request. 

(8) Miscellaneous
For more information please contact:
	Karen Armstrong McKelvey
	CERFnet
	c/o San Diego Supercomputer Center
	P. O. Box 85608
	San Diego, CA 92186-9784
	(619) 534-5077
	mckelvey@sds.sdsc.edu