CA*net Networking, Inc.

Introduction to CA*net

CA*net is a Canadian national backbone network established by ten founding regional Internet Service Providers. Its history begins before its inauguration in 1990. Now, CA*net member service providers provide network connectivity and associated services across Canada.

CA*net's mission is to make available a national network to facilitate open, ubiquitous and affordable access to national and international information resources. CA*net Strategic Plan, 1994

CA*net's goals include:

• providing network connectivity and associated services within Canada and to international networks.
• improving access to networks in all sectors of Canadian society and to all parts of Canada.
• promoting co-operation and understanding in the Canadian networking community.
• promoting the growth of networking in Canada.
• facilitating, promoting and co-ordinating open networking standards in Canada.
• representing the Canadian Internet community to national and international networking organizations, agencies and initiatives.

Getting Connected to the Internet via CA*net

For an organization to get connected to the Internet via CA*net several things must happen. The interested customer must:

• obtain a registered IP network number,
• contact a CA*net member service provider and obtain a network connection from them
• obtain a registered CA Domain Name
• have the member service provider (not the customer) enter a request to CA*net to obtain connected status.
• have their network announced to CA*net by the CA*net member service provider via a dynamic routing protocol
• complete the IN-ADDR.ARPA Domain Name System registration of their assigned network number with the INTERNIC Registration Service

Many CA*net service providers offer dialup connection for individuals to the Internet that do not require this process.

More General Information About CA*net

More information about CA*net Networking's backbone network can be found in:

• the geographical map of CA*net.
• the IP topology map for CA*net.
• the Acceptable Use Policy for CA*net.
• Traffic Statistics from 1992 to date.
• Contact addresses are available for each of the member network service providers. This section is under construction.

The CA*net Network Operations Centre

The CA*net Operator provides a Network Operations Centre on contract to CA*net, Inc. It generates several reports:

• a monthly summary report of traffic, reliability, availability and notable events, entitled the CA*net Operator's Report:
  1. December 1993
  2. January 1994
  3. February 1994
  4. March 1994
  5. April 1994
  6. May 1994
  7. June 1994
  8. July 1994
  9. August 1994
  10. September 1994
  11. October 1994
  12. November 1994
  13. December 1994
  14. January 1995
• a monthly report of all operational events from 1990 to date.

Problems with network service should be reported to your member service provider.

CA*net Routing Coordination

The CA*net Operator provides coordination of the routing information between each of the member service providers, and also with its international peers, such as the NSFNet and CA*net's new US connectivity provider, MCI Internet Transit Service (ITS).

Routing information is registered in the CA*net Routing Coordination Database (CRCD). This database may be queried by using the whois command. For example, to see the route registered for the University of Toronto:

An authorized agent of the member service provider that the customer is connected to obtains connected status in the CRCD by submitting a configuration template via email to the CA*net Routing Coordinator. The entire process that a member service provider administrator needs to be aware of is documented in a companion document. This process is currently under revision, and more information will be posted here as it becomes available.

The Canadian IP Address Registry

The Canadian IP Address Registry handles the allocation of IP addresses for all of Canada. To get one or more IP addresses assigned to you, retrieve the Network Number Application form, complete it, and submit it via email or fax to:

EMail submissions allow us to automatically process the application and will therefore result in the request being processed in a shorter time than if the request is submitted by fax. Please do not send requests to the INTERNIC in the USA. They will be forwarded by the INTERNIC to the Canadian IP Registry office who will then process the request. You will lose a considerable amount of time if you send your request to the INTERNIC.

The Canadian Domain Name Registry

The CA Domain provides a domain name space for all Canadian computing systems to register under. It is administered by the CA Domain Committee and the University of British Columbia.

To apply for a CA Domain name, fill out the application template and submit it according to the instructions.

Additional information available from the CA Domain Registry include:

• Searching the CA registered organizations via NSTN.
• CA Registrations by domain hierarchy.
• Statistics for the CA Domain Registry.
• A graph of CA subdomain registrations statistics.