The Commercial and Government paths to the Internet
Have you heard of the IBM Information Network (IBM IN)? The IBM Information Network was the first network specifically designed and implemented to interconnect all networks worldwide and to be open permitting to any authorized electronic communication. Thus, the 1983 IBM information Network is the business model the government adopted in 1988 for their Internet business model. That is the year the United States government officially documented that they recognized their networking activity could not compete with the commercial business model. They thus adopted the IBM IN open commercial business model.
Sadly, few people know that IBM IN made significant contributions toward the origination of the Internet and remote computing. Between the announcement in February 2, 1982, to being sold to ATT in 1996, it became the worldwide leader in providing Internet type services. It pioneered the development and delivery of both interconnected network services and remote computing services which are now referred to as the Internet or cloud computing.
“Reprint Courtesy of IBM Corporation ©“
IBM’s contribution to the Internet should not be lost
Without the use of formal documentation, the IBM IN contribution to the development of the Internet may be lost to history just as Gustave Whitehead’s contribution to aviation is lost. However, with supporting documentation, the IBM IN contribution to the development of the Internet may be recognized just as Nikola Tesla’s story was revived.
The included historical documentation from the period are self-explaining. My commentary does not replace but simply supplements the historical documents.
Don E Sprague
IBM IN: A Brief History
IBM IN became the fastest growing of all network service providers. It was the most successful pre-IP internet type service provider of all the various VANs and online service providers. It continued the growth through the 1980s and 1990s. It eventually changed protocol from IBM SNA to IP. The act of changing protocol did not make it an internet provider. It was an internet provider when it was a VAN before it changed to IP to become an ISP.
During the rapid growth pre-IP phase, it acquired a competing Value-Added Network that was delivered by Sears. The combined larger VAN became known as Advantis. After a short period as Advantis, it became the IBM Global Network. Before it made the switch to IP to becoming another ISP in the 1990s, it was the biggest customer of the three largest telephone companies in the USA. In addition to using more transmission facilities of the three phone companies than any of their other customers, it had significant in-house owned transmission facilities. After the conversion to the Internet Protocol, the IBM Global Network operation was purchased by AT&T.