General Guidelines for Relay Usage 8/04/86
RELAY provides real-time communication between multiple users at
various
institutions in the BITNET, EARN, and NetNorth networks. Use of
these
networks for any purposes not directly related to the research,
instructional, and/or administrative tasks for which your userid
has
been authorized by your institution may result in the termination
of
your ability to use the Relay.
Depending on the network-access policies of your institution and
the
usage policies of the network in which your institution resides,
such
unauthorized use of these networks may, alternatively, result in
the
termination of your userid or its ability to communicate over
these
networks for ANY purpose.
INTERNAL use, using and/or limiting the Relay conferencing system
for
communication either wholly within one node, or within one
institution
over several nodes and/or servers, is the total responsibility
of that
institution.
NETWORK-WIDE use, using one or more Relay servers to communicate
with
another Relay server(s) at another institution(s), falls under
the
established guidelines presented herein. Failure to adhere to
these
guidelines, or where general network usage guidelines may have
been
violated may result in the loss of your ability to use Relay; or
where
such actions are not administered by the local host institution
may
result in expulsion of that server from the authorized sitelist.
Background Information and User Responsibilities
9/02/86
Relay is a distributed message server which, by selective
switching and
redistribution of messages, provides real-time conferencing
capabilities
while minimizing the overhead on the network links. Since the
potential
load of uncontrolled message traffic on the network can affect
transfer
of files, stringent controls over Relay use are mandatory. Most
control
measures are enforced by Relay automatically, but some are
necessarily
the responsibility of the user. These include:
- Each Relay server provides service to a specific collection
of
one or more nodes designated as a "service area". To
determine
which Relay server(s) you may use, issue the following
command:
In BITNET : TELL RELAY AT BITNIC /SERVERS
In EARN : TELL RELAY AT DEARN /SERVERS
In NetNorth: TELL RELAY AT CANADA01 /SERVERS
- Excessive queries, channel changes, and other commands which
must
be processed by Relay generate considerable overhead in some
cases
and should be kept to a reasonable number. In addition, you
should
direct your queries to only your assigned Relay(s).
- File backlogs, Relay host CPU saturation, link failures, and
node
downtime may make Relay temporarily unavailable or
restricted. In
such instances you should wait until your Relay is
available; it is
not proper to redirect signons or Relay links in such cases
where
the alternate path will generate a greater network load than
the
primary path.
- Proper and considerate behavior should be observed at all
times.
Misuses in this category include, but are not limited to:
- Disguising your identity in a /SIGNUP by not specifying your
full name, or by specifying someone else's name.
- Transmitting rude or obscene language.
- Channel scanning; attempting to locate a private channel
without
first obtaining an invitation from a user on that
channel.
- Annoying other Relay users by transmitting excessive and/or
repetitive messages (including the use of 'picture'
EXECs).
- Failing to cease an activity in response to a request to do
so
from any individual designated as the 'Relay Operator'
for a
Relay server.
Repeated violations of the above may result in the termination
of your
ability to use the Relay.
Relay User Classification System
9/09/86
Due to previously high volumes of message traffic and the
popularity of
the use of Relay for casual conversation, users will be
classified into
one of two distinct classes:
- Public user class. Any user may obtain public access to
Relay by a
standard /SIGNUP command. Public users are limited to the
public
channels 0-999 and are additionally subject to channel
limits, peak
period shutdowns, and limited hours of operation. In
general, the
prime time period (8:00 AM - 6:00 PM local time of the host)
will
be closed to the public.
- General user class. A user may, in certain circumstances,
be given
the general user class for full access to Relay. General
users are
restricted to only academic conferencing activities. Abuse
of the
general class will result in the loss of general user
priviledge.
General user class is usually restricted to
faculty/staff/grads.
General user class can only be granted by the host Relay contact
or his
designate. Users from other institutions must submit adequate
evidence
of authorization to request general classification, usually by
a request
from the listed administrator or contact from the user's
institution.
The host Relay contact (or designate) may require additional
information
or place further constraints on such services.
Corrective Actions -- Relay Operator Responsibilities
8/21/86
The day-to-day maintenance and operation of a Relay server is
carried out
by the "Relay Operator", an individual or group of individuals
who are
responsible to the institution's network administrative
authority. The
Relay Operator is also responsible for implementing corrective
action to
temporarily or permanently terminate a user's access to the Relay
in
cases of violation of the guidelines described in other sections
of this
document.
Actions that can be taken by any Relay Operator against offending
users
of any and all Relay servers:
- sending an offending user a warning notification by message
or mail;
- forcing the offending user from the current Relay session;
- temporary lockout (2 days or less) of the offending user.
Actions that can be taken only by the Relay Operator of the
offending
user's Relay server:
- temporary lockout (over 2 days) of the offending user;
- permanent lockout of the offending user from Relay use.
Any corrective action taken by a Relay Operator against an
offending user
of another institution's Relay server, other than single
instances of an
abusive user being forced as a warning, should be documented by
sending
mail to that server's Relay Operator outlining the reason for the
action.