IMP/TIP
Interface Message Processor / Terminal-IMP
The development of the first Interface Message Processor, or IMP was completed in September 1969 by BBN. Just about one year earlier, in December 1968, BBN was awarded a contract for the development of IMPs, which where the essential technology for the installation of the ARPANET.
After the first IMP was installed in September 1969, three more IMPs followed by December, making up the first four nodes of the ARPANET. The refrigerator sized IMPs, weighing about 400 kg, can be regarded as the precursor of today’s much smaller routers.
After the first IMP was installed in September 1969, three more IMPs followed by December, making up the first four nodes of the ARPANET. The refrigerator sized IMPs, weighing about 400 kg, can be regarded as the precursor of today’s much smaller routers.
Their job was to establish a connection on the lowest session layer between computers (hosts), connected by a telephone line.
During the following month and years some changes and upgrading improved the original IMPs. However the most significant innovation was the TIP (Terminal IMP). In contrast to a simple IMP, a TIP was able to handle the traffic of up to 63 terminals simultaneously, whereas a standard IMP could only connect to four hosts. Thus, many new users could join the network with a TIP, without depending on a host-computer.
During the following month and years some changes and upgrading improved the original IMPs. However the most significant innovation was the TIP (Terminal IMP). In contrast to a simple IMP, a TIP was able to handle the traffic of up to 63 terminals simultaneously, whereas a standard IMP could only connect to four hosts. Thus, many new users could join the network with a TIP, without depending on a host-computer.
IMP/TIP
Short
Facts
Facts
BBN manufactures the first IMP in September 1969
The first IMPs weighed about 400 kg and had the size of a refrigerator
One IMP can connect to four hosts
One TIP can handle the traffic of 63 terminals simultaneously
