MHSnet
Encyclopedia
MHSnet is a store-and-forward
messaging system for wide area networks. MHSnet and its precursor, SUN3, were used to implement the Australian Computer Science network (ACSnet
).
The system was originally developed at the University of Sydney
by Piers Lauder and Bob Kummerfeld and was originally known as SUN3 (Sydney University Network version 3). Technically, it is similar in concept to UUCP
in that it enabled the transfer of email, netnews, and files in an efficient manner over non-dedicated links. In addition, it supported dynamic routing and a hierarchical name space avoiding the limitations of hardwired network addresses.
MHSnet was a key technology in the introduction of Internet
access in Australia
. Due to the prohibitive costs of telecommunications structure, and the small amount of bandwidth available both internally and to other countries, MHSnet provided a system that could more efficiently utilise network resources. Gateways between the MHSnet system and the Internet were provided by many universities, and access to non-academic users was granted in the early 1990s.
Store and forward
Store and forward is a telecommunications technique in which information is sent to an intermediate station where it is kept and sent at a later time to the final destination or to another intermediate station. The intermediate station, or node in a networking context, verifies the integrity of...
messaging system for wide area networks. MHSnet and its precursor, SUN3, were used to implement the Australian Computer Science network (ACSnet
ACSnet
The Australian Computer Science Network was a store-and-forward network used to connect Australia's Universities to each other and to ARPANET...
).
The system was originally developed at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
by Piers Lauder and Bob Kummerfeld and was originally known as SUN3 (Sydney University Network version 3). Technically, it is similar in concept to UUCP
UUCP
UUCP is an abbreviation for Unix-to-Unix Copy. The term generally refers to a suite of computer programs and protocols allowing remote execution of commands and transfer of files, email and netnews between computers. Specifically, a command named uucp is one of the programs in the suite; it...
in that it enabled the transfer of email, netnews, and files in an efficient manner over non-dedicated links. In addition, it supported dynamic routing and a hierarchical name space avoiding the limitations of hardwired network addresses.
MHSnet was a key technology in the introduction of Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
access in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Due to the prohibitive costs of telecommunications structure, and the small amount of bandwidth available both internally and to other countries, MHSnet provided a system that could more efficiently utilise network resources. Gateways between the MHSnet system and the Internet were provided by many universities, and access to non-academic users was granted in the early 1990s.