IP: On the Internet in a Disaster (Natl Academy study)

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

> Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2001 19:27:09 -0800
> To: farber () cis upenn edu
> From: Bob Hinden <hinden () iprg nokia com>
>
> For IP if appropriate (and note the last paragraph).
>
> Bob
>
> ----------------
>
> >          On the Internet In a Disaster
> >              Call For Participation
> September 11th 2001 was an interesting day on the Internet.  The collapse 
> of the World Trade Center towers damaged communications lines.  Many 
> people turned to Web sites on the Internet for news and emergency 
> information. For some people in New York, the Internet was used as a 
> replacement communications system while the phone service was out.  Some 
> firms had to start providing their internet services from backup locations.
>
> What makes the events of September 11th special are not the individual 
> events. Communications links have been severed before, and Web flash 
> crowds have overloaded Web sites.  Rather it is the combination of events 
> that collectively represents the Internet's experience in a disaster.
>
> How the Internet does and can respond to a disaster is of great interest 
> to relief agencies and other crisis responders, governments, national 
> security entities, businesses, and the general public.
>
> To better understand exactly how the Internet did respond to September 
> 11th, the National Research Council's Computer Science and 
> Telecommunications Board is convening a workshop to be held in March 2002 
> in Washington, DC. This call solicits participants and written 
> contributions for the workshop.  The workshop is being organized by a 
> small committee of Internet experts.  It will draw on the workshop to 
> produce a short, summary and synthesis report, which will be subject to a 
> rigorous review process supervised by the National Research Council.
>
> The workshop will be small (approximately 25-35 participants) 
> meeting.  The meeting will consist of two days of a mix of presentations 
> and discussions. The focus of the presentations will be quantitative 
> information (measurements, analysis) of how portions of the Internet 
> behaved on September 11th 2001. Participants should note that our 
> definition of Internet is quite broad: beyond measurements of packet 
> traffic or outages, we welcome data for Web sites, dialup statistics, 
> wireless access, experiences of backup data sites, and the like.  We want 
> to assemble the broadest possible picture of data communications and how 
> it evolved in response to the disaster.
>
> Some of the workshop participants will be invited to expand their 
> presentations at the workshop into papers, to be included in the workshop 
> report as reference material.
>
> This workshop will not be open to the public.  It will engage only the 
> participants and NRC/CSTB staff in the discussions.  Furthermore, 
> submissions for participation will not be distributed outside the set of 
> workshop organizers and attendees.  CSTB expects that the closed nature of 
> the meeting will encourage the candor necessary to fully assess the data 
> from September 11th.
>
> Parties interested in participating in the workshop are invited to submit 
> a 3- to 6-page white paper.  White papers should describe in some detail 
> the data or analysis (or both) from September 11th or its aftermath that 
> the participant would like to present at the workshop.  Please also 
> include a one-paragraph biography of the participant.  Participants should 
> note that our definition of Internet is quite broad: beyond measurements 
> of packet traffic or outages, we welcome data for Web sites, dialup 
> statistics, wireless access, experiences of backup data sites, and the 
> like.  We want to assemble the broadest possible picture of data 
> communications and how it evolved in response to the disaster.
>
> > Submissions are due January 10, 2002 and should be sent to:
> >
> >            Mr. D.C. Drake/Internet Under Crisis Conditions
> >            Computer Science and Telecommunications Board
> >            National Research Council
> >            2101 Constitution Avenue, NW
> >            Washington, DC 20418
> >
> >            ddrake () nas edu
> >            202-334-2605
> >
> > Note: In light of mail difficulties in Washington arising from anthrax 
> > incidents, please call to confirm snail-mail details before mailing. An 
> > alternate address may be recommended.  Participants will receive an 
> > invitation by January 24th.

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