textfiles/bbs/FIDONET/concept.txt

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Network Concepts
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
NODE A bulletin board system that calls another
bulletin board system (a hub) in order to
transfer mail. A node doesn't receive its mail
directly from any other BBS (that is, no one
calls it to transfer mail.)
HUB A bulletin board system which may or may not
call another hub system in order to transfer
mail, but is called by one or more nodes to
transfer mail.
REGIONAL HUB A hub which calls another hub in order to
transfer mail. It's called a regional hub
because when designing a network, a hub is
usually placed in each of the major regions
serviced in order to minimize long distance
phone charges.
For example :
P&BNetHub
/ \ \
/ \ \
/ \ \
RUBYS BBS1 BBS2
/ \
/ \
BBS3 BBS4
P&BNetHub is the NATIONAL HUB because it does not call anyone for mail.
BBS1 and BBS2 are NODES, directly linked to P&BNetHub. BBS3 and BBS4 are
nodes connected to RUBYS. RUBYS is a node of P&BNetHub and also a
REGIONAL HUB since it calls P&BNetHub to transfer mail.
Each hub that is a regional hub has a HUB ID. This ID is used by the
regional hub to identify itself when it calls the hub "above" it to
transfer mail. The network shown above would consist of four nodes, one
regional hub and one national hub (P&BNetHub).