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RFC 590 UNKNOWN INFRASTRUCTURE · OPERATIONS

MULTICS address change

Notice of a planned change to the MIT-Multics network address.

On rfc-editor.org ↗
PUBLISHED
November 1973
AUTHORS
M.A. Padlipsky
STREAM
Legacy
PREVIOUS ADDRESS
6
NEW ADDRESS
44
PLANNED CHANGEOVER
December 17, 1973
DOI
10.17487/RFC0590

RFC text

Original text · RFC Editor View on rfc-editor.org ↗ 
Network Working Group                                       M. Padlipsky
Request for Comments: 590                                    MIT-Multics
NIC: 20326                                              19 November 1973


                         Multics Address Change

   We will be changing the Network address of MIT-Multics from 6 to 44
   (decimal) on Monday, December 17, 1973.  Please make any necessary
   table and program changes then, and accept our apologies for the
   inconvenience.

   The change was necessitated by the fact that 1) there were some nine
   uses for the four ports on IMP 6, making the second MIT IMP
   desirable; 2) there were four very active Hosts on IMP 6, making the
   shift of at least one of them to the new, less busy IMP desirable;
   and 3) the new Multics machine is some 2000 feet from the old IMP,
   making it the logical candidate for the move.

   It is likely that we will have one or two additional test sessions on
   the new IMP prior to the changeover date.  These will be announced in
   our "message of the day", and would only affect -- temporarily --
   users who cannot employ numeric Host addresses directly.


   RECEIVED AT NIC 11-21-73


         [ This RFC was put into machine readable form for entry ]
          [ into the online RFC archives by Lorrie Shiota 1/02 ]

ISO Plain Language

On this page
PROBLEMThe existing MIT IMP had several uses competing for its ports and four very active hosts, and MIT wanted to make a second IMP available.
MECHANISMMIT-Multics was scheduled to change its network address from 6 to 44, with users asked to update their tables and programs.
THE CHANGEThe RFC gives the planned changeover date and says one or two test sessions might occur beforehand.

§1A New MIT-Multics Address

The RFC announces that MIT-Multics would change its network address from 6 to 44 (decimal) on Monday, December 17, 1973. It asks users to make the necessary changes to their tables and programs by then.

MIT-Multics planned to use a new network address. Users needed to update any tables or programs that referred to its old address.

§2Why the Address Was Changing

The RFC gives three reasons for the change: the four ports on IMP 6 had some nine uses; a second MIT IMP was desirable; and IMP 6 already served four very active hosts, making it desirable to move at least one to a less busy IMP. The new Multics machine was about 2,000 feet from the old IMP, making it the logical candidate for the move.

MIT wanted another IMP because the existing one was busy. The new Multics machine's location also made it a suitable host to move.

§3Testing Before the Changeover

The announcement says one or two test sessions on the new IMP were likely before the changeover. MIT would announce them in its message of the day. They would temporarily affect users who could not use numeric host addresses directly.

MIT planned test sessions before the address change and would announce them to users. The note says the tests would temporarily affect people unable to use numeric host addresses directly.