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- [ PROTOCOLS:OSDIR-7-87.TXT ] [ 1/88, REF]
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- OSD DIRECTIVE 2 JUL 1987
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- ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
- Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence
- Washington, D.C. 20301-3040
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- MEMORANDUM FOR SECRETARIES OF THE MILITARY DEPARTMENTS
- CHAIRMAN, JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF
- DIRECTORS, DEFENSE AGENCIES
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- SUBJECT: Open Systems Interconnection Protocols
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- There has been recent rapid progress in the specification and
- implementation of computer protocols based on the International
- Organization for Standardization model for Open Systems Interconnection
- (OSI). The Government OSI Profile (GOSIP), dated 22 April 1987,
- contains sufficient information to specify adequately and acquire
- interoperable vendor implementations of OSI message handling and file
- transfer capabilities. Therefore, the policy on standardization of
- host-to-host protocols for data communications, promulgated by USDR&E
- memo of 23 March 1982, is modified as follows. The OSI message handling
- and file transfer protocols, together with their underlying protocols as
- defined in GOSIP, are adopted as experimental co-standards to the DoD
- protocols which provide similar services (MIL-STDs 1777, 1778, 1780, and
- 1781). These OSI protocols may be specified in addition to, in lieu of,
- or as an optional alternative to DoD protocols, in cases where the
- current DoD protocol applicability statements apply. They are
- designated as experimental because of the limited operational experience
- currently available with the OSI protocols and the limited operational,
- testing, and security environment currently defined in GOSIP. Services
- and agencies choosing to implement OSI protocols at this time should
- carefully evaluate these factors and be prepared to deal with the
- complications which may accompany the introduction of new technology.
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- It is intended to adopt the OSI protocols as a full co-standard with
- the DoD protocols when GOSIP is formally approved as a Federal
- Information Processing Standard. Two years thereafter, the OSI
- protocols would become the sole mandatory interoperable protocol suite;
- however, a capability for interoperation with DoD protocols would be
- provided for the expected life of systems supporting the DoD protocols.
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- In order to extend the OSI protocol capabilities and provide
- interoperability between the DoD and OSI protocols as rapidly as
- possible, the following actions are requested:
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- a. The Directory, Defense Communications Agency, as the DoD
- Executive Agent for Data Communications Protocol Standards, should:
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- - Publish by November 1987 the DoD-OSI Interoperability and
- Transition Plan. The plan should provide for interoperation of the DoD
- and OSI protocols at the application level. A capability for
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- OSD DIRECTIVE 2 JUL 1987
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- experimental interoperability of DoD and OSI message handling and file
- transfer capabilities should be provided by March 1988, and a limited
- operational capability by January 1989.
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- - Join the Corporation for Open Systems (COS) as the Department of
- Defense representative. COS is a non-profit consortium formed to deal
- with testing and other operational issues relating to OSI protocols. At
- the request of the Office of Management and Budget, the Services and
- other defense agencies should not join COS directly, but may participate
- as the agents of DCA on appropriate COS committees.
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- - Coordinate Service and agency participation, in accordance with
- existing directives, in groups developing OSI standards, specifications,
- and operating and management procedures. These groups include the
- Government OSI User's Group, the National Bureau of Standards OSI
- Implementor's Workshops, the Corporation for Open Systems, the
- Manufacturing and Automation Protocol (MAP) and Technical and Office
- Protocol (TOP) user's groups, the American National Standards Institute
- X3S3 and X3T5 committees, and the NATO Tri-Service Group on
- Communications and Electronic Equipment, Sub-Group 9 (Data Processing
- and Distribution).
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- b. The Director, National Security Agency should assure that the
- efforts of the ongoing Secure Data Network Systems program can be used
- to provide the security extensions defined as future work items in
- GOSIP.
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- c. The Services and defense agencies should share the results and
- experience of early implementations under the experimental coexistence
- policy by actively participating in the groups indicated above, under DCA
- coordination. This experience should be particularly valuable in
- assuring that military requirements can be satisfied by the developing
- OSI standards, specifications, and procedures.
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- This guidance provides for the interim steps necessary to continue
- progress toward implementation of OSI standards. As the technology
- matures and DoD gains additional experience, the final implementation
- details will be provided in a DoD directive.
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- [Signed] Donald C. Latham
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