Continuation of MHS co-ordination services provided by SWITCH under the COSINE project - on behalf of DANTE 1993 - 1998
Objective(s)	To support mail routing between X.400 networks and to provide seamless interconnection with RFC-822 based networks. To provide MHS managers with necessary technical information to support international co-operation. To trace and co-ordinate the solution of international problems. Assist new networks joining the MHS community. Liaise between the MHS community and external network organisations.
Achievements	The MailFLOW service offered: Co-ordination: Collecting and distributing information to enable participating networks to exchange X.400 messages. Collecting and distributing information to enable gateways between X.400 and RFC 822 communities. Verifying the correctness of routing and mapping information. Analysing traffic statistics provided by participating networks. Support: A helpdesk to trace and help solving international problems. An information server containing technical data to support MHS managers such as mapping and routing documents, operational procedures, reports and tools. Technical support for networks that joined the coordination service. Communication: Organising meetings for X.400 managers. Running a mailing list for MHS managers.
Milestones/Developments	Early 1993: SWITCH contracted by RARE (Operational Unit) to offer MHS co-ordination as an operational service. 1994: service ran smoothly but the relevance of X.400 diminished in favour of SMTP and MIME. 1995: a number of NRENs stopped using X.400. 1996: MailFLOW service reduced to a core service, consisting of the provision of mapping tables, routing information and a helpdesk. 1997-1998: service further slimmed down, with only seven customers remaining. April 1998: DANTE took on provision of MailFLOW service in-house to the four remaining customers.

Continuation of MHS co-ordination services provided by SWITCH under the COSINE project - on behalf of DANTE
1993 - 1998

Objective(s)

To support mail routing between X.400 networks and to provide seamless interconnection with RFC-822 based networks.
To provide MHS managers with necessary technical information to support international co-operation.
To trace and co-ordinate the solution of international problems.
Assist new networks joining the MHS community.
Liaise between the MHS community and external network organisations.

Achievements

The MailFLOW service offered:

Co-ordination:

Collecting and distributing information to enable participating networks to exchange X.400 messages.
Collecting and distributing information to enable gateways between X.400 and RFC 822 communities.
Verifying the correctness of routing and mapping information.
Analysing traffic statistics provided by participating networks.

Support:

A helpdesk to trace and help solving international problems.
An information server containing technical data to support MHS managers such as mapping and routing documents, operational procedures, reports and tools.
Technical support for networks that joined the coordination service.

Communication:

Organising meetings for X.400 managers.
Running a mailing list for MHS managers.

Milestones/Developments

Early 1993: SWITCH contracted by RARE (Operational Unit) to offer MHS co-ordination as an operational service.
1994: service ran smoothly but the relevance of X.400 diminished in favour of SMTP and MIME.
1995: a number of NRENs stopped using X.400.
1996: MailFLOW service reduced to a core service, consisting of the provision of mapping tables, routing information and a helpdesk.
1997-1998: service further slimmed down, with only seven customers remaining.
April 1998: DANTE took on provision of MailFLOW service in-house to the four remaining customers.