Hi Tracy,

*********** Tracy Said ****************
That's funny. NIPRNET already exists why the duplication????
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I'm not familiar with NIPRNET, but I would not be surprised to see the new network used by the Department of Homeland Security duplicate functionality already in place in many other government networks. Only since the recent elections has President Bush obtain the votes he needed to push through legislation to create the new organization.

The backbone of the new network will use infrastructure of 3000 National Graud networks already in place. The new network is to be developed over the next six to nine months, so there could be many changes from the currently conceived plans as everything is worked out. The network will be based on VPNs according to the article. It will use SNTP to excange XML information between Federal, State and Local Governments I suppose it will required a great deal of interoperability, but as long as the fed, state, and local government use a standard method to connect, it will work. I can't remember the name of the individual Persident Bush appointed to head the agency, but it seems like he had something to do with IBM and various computer standard ceration boards.