A New Kind of Network

One project the IPTO was asked to investigate was the feasibility of a new kind of network.

At the time, the dominant model of a network was that of the nation's only telephone company, AT&T. This network was a centralized network, meaning that all of the nodes (points on the network) communicated through a central switch point.

This was a circuit-switching network: in order for one person to talk to another via telephone, an electrical connection had to be created between the telephone lines of each person. In old-time movies, this was done by a human operator who "patched through the call," thereby creating a temporary, physical electrical circuit over which sounds could travel. When the call was completed, the circuit was given to two other callers. Later, this connecting and breaking of circuits was handled by machines.

However, such a system was extremely vulnerable to catastrophe; if the central switching point failed—e.g., if it were struck by a single Soviet missile—the entire network would be unable to function. How would the nation be able to defend itself if it could not communicate?

The researchers at IPTO concluded that the Cold War called for a new kind of network.

This chapter was written by Jeff Nyhoff and Joel Adams. Copy editing by Nancy Zylstra
©2005 Calvin University (formerly Calvin College), All Rights Reserved

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