Early History of the Israeli Internet is an example of true pioneering. It comes to show - How a few dedicated people can make a difference where it really counts. This presentation was edited and presented by its 'Technicsal Father' - Hank Nussbacher & consultant to MACHBA (The Inter University Computation Center) , at the 20th anniversary of the Israeli Internet ceremony - Held on July 14th 2010.

Note: The original presentation was adapted to the web interface and a few clarifications & comments where added. But an effort to keep to its original spirit was made. Personally, i had the honor to serve at the Ministry of Science, for a few short years, and assist them in this great effort.

Internet precursors

Those are the 1st mile-stones, of the Israeli Internet. A few small baby steps, achived with the help of Yehoshua maor (Former IBM Israel CEO) with a donation of over 2M US$ for a period of 3 years.

1. Csnet – April 1984: 9.6kb IP/x.25 connection

2. Bitnet/EARN – August 1984: 9.6kb leased line to Europe

3. Email access to Internet hosts via gateway in USA

Geographic Map, June 1, 1984

Please note the bottom-right box, athe ONLY international affiliate - Israel. Becoming a true global internet pioneering nation!

CSnet

1. Israel first international affiliate
2. 9.6Kb X.25 link to CSNET via HUJI
   • On demand connection
3. Full Internet (TCP/IP) access to CSNET X.25 Internet hosts
4. IP access to Arpanet/Internet hosts not permitted - DARPA policy
   • Policy relaxed in 1986
   • Israel becomes part of Arpanet - 1989
5. Email (CSNET/Arpanet – Israel) via HUJI and CSNET gateways
6. Prof. Shmuel Peleg and Danny Braniss

BitNet

The first BitNet & EARN overseas connections. Note the 70th up to 74th members, being the eraly donated IBM infrastrcture.

1. City University of New York, USA05/05/81
2. Yale University, USA05/05/81
3. Pennsylvania State University, USA10/02/81
4. New Jersey Educational Computer Network, USA01/19/82
5. Brown University, USA01/20/82
6. Cornell University, USA02/06/82
7. Princeton University, USA03/29/82
8. Columbia University, USA05/03/82
9. Rockefeller University06/01/82
10. Boston University, USA06/06/82
11. University of California at Berkeley, USA07/18/82
12. University of California at San Francisco, USA 07/27/82
13. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA08/05/82
14. University of Rochester, USA08/25/82
15. State University of New York/Binghamton, USA 09/08/82
16. Harvard University, USA09/16/82

70. IBM Israel Scientific Center, Haifa, IL08/13/84
71. Technion - Haifa, IL08/13/84
72. Haifa University, IL08/13/84
73. Tel Aviv University, IL08/13/84
74. Weizmann Institute of Science08/13/84

EARN International Lines

Again, note the bottom-right circle, where out of map scale Israel is mentioned.

Internet and int’l circuits

• July 1989 – MACHBA orders the first int’l 56kb link to Nysernet in USA
• Sept 1989 – Bezeq informs Machba that a 56kb link will not be available for another 10 months
  • MACHBA orders a 9.6kb link
  • Bezeq informs MACHBA that MACHBA has to find a US carrier for the other half – MCI is selected in Feb 1990
• June 26, 1990 – 9.6kb leased line Internet link to USA becomes operational

MACHBA, wanted to start off on a respectable 56kb line, but found the the only local carrier, Bezeq, can support up to 9.6kb. On top of that, a separate carrier had to be arranged for the US side!

Int’l Advocates

As luck had it  - Many jewish & pro-Israelis where a big part of the internet infrastrcutre scene, in the US and thus quite many advocates helepd the Israeli Internet cause.

1. Larry Landweber
2. Richard Mandelbaum
3. Ira Fuchs
4. Mel Ciment
5. Steve Goldstein

Israeli National Internet Infrastructure Grid

August 1990 was a historic month. Below is the original Israeli national internet infrastructure included only academic institutions which used the Weizman node, as the international port. Please note the limited internal IP scope & the static IP, used for international communication.

Int'l Links

Upgrade of network was rapid and on January 1993, the 1st real non-Bezeq access service was established via a Satellite link (Later enabling the creation of more competitors \ supplier of International access to Israel).

1. March 1991 – 64kb satellite link via Bezeq is made operational
2. Oct 1991 – 64kb link to Europe via Bezeq is made operational
3. Jan 1993 – 128kb satellite link via Israsat
4. Jan 1994 - Sat link to US upgraded to 256kb
5. Nov 1994 – Link to Europe upgraded to 128kb
6. Jun 2010 – 2x 2.5Gb to Europe

How ISPs got started in Israel

Again, MACHBA was a spear head in development of the internet in Israel. Its demand for "Self Limitaion" on licenses, led to the the issue of privately help ISP's in Israel (Of which some as 'Netmanage' are one of today's biggest ISP and content providers in Israel).

1. June 1991 meeting with Ministry of Science, Ministry of Trade and Ministry of Communications to convince MACHBA to allow commercial companies access to this “Internet” thing.
   • MACHBA requests self-limitation in license for only R&D companies as well as education.
2. Gov’t continues to try to convince MACHBA to handle not only leased line companies but also dialup.
   • Feb 20, 1992 – MACHBA turns down gov’t to handle dialup users and recommends that gov’t issue licenses for companies to be formed
   • Gov’t accepts MACHBA’s view and issues at end of 1992 the first ISP licenses to Actcom, Dataserv and Netmanage

The birth of Israeli ISPs

First phase of ISP's used the MACHBA infrastructure and later on the private ISP's took the lead.

1. Inter-ministry committee decides which companies can connect to MACHBA.
   • During 1992-1994 - 50 companies allowed to connect to MACHBA and hundreds to the new ISPs – through gov’t ITEX initiative.
2. May 1994 – MoC grants open ISP licenses to Elron, Darcom, and Netmanage.
3. 1995 – 5 ISPs exist – Elron, Netvision, Actcom, Shani and Dataserve.

The first connections to the Internet

The private market. quickly followed, led by public-sector companies as IEC (Which later registered the 1st Israeli privalty held domain name).

1. KavManche connected on Dec 7, 1992 (9.6kb)
2. IEC connected on Dec 9, 1992 (9.6kb)
3. Open U upgraded to 19.2kb on Mar 3, 1993
4. E&M Michshoov connected on Mar 7, 1993 (9.6kb)
5. BRM connected on Mar 8,1993 (9.6kb) [BRM later became Checkpoint]
6. Datasrv connected on Mar 21, 1993 (64kb)
7. RAD connected on Mar 22, 1993 (19.2kb)
8. BezekZahav connected on Apr 23, 1993 (19.2kb)
9. Fibronics connected on May 4, 1993 (19.2kb)
10. Lanoptics connected on May 4, 1993 (9.6kb)
11. Applied Materials connected on May 4, 1993 (9.6kb)
12. Aleph Yissum connected on May 12, 1993 (9.6kb)
13. Onyx connected on May 23, 1993 (9.6kb)
14. Actcom connected on June 10, 1993 (9.6kb)
15. Bahai World Center connected on July 1, 1993 (64kb)
16. Netmanage connected on July 21, 1993 (19.2kb)

Data source: www.interall.co.il/israel-internet-connections.html

Cisco vs Lannet

In that day & age, there was still an argument - Is it best to use a router, a bridge or a combination of both.

• Yehuda Zisappel pushed a new Bynet box called a “brouter”(RND).
• The academic network wanted a new box called Cisco

In the end we purchased the first Cisco AGS+ routers in Israel in 1989.

IIX

The success of the private ISP's lead to the need to move them all to a separate network, then the one used by the academy. Thus ISOC-IL was formed (Israeli Internet Association) and the a plan for the 1st national exchange was lade out.

1. Gov’t informs MACHBA that all commercial companies have to be disconnected by May 1996.
2. Dec 31, 1995 - ISOC-IL decides to create an Israeli Internet Exchange modeled after similar US based systems.
3. The IIX is born!

*.il domains

In that, the ISOC-IL role didn't end and they swiftly sat down & formulated the *.IL domains rules.

• Decided on co.il, ac.il, org.il, etc. in 1992
• More formalized rules published in 1996
• The 1st Israeli domains
  1. All universities: huji.ac.il, tau.ac.il, bgu.ac.il, etc. – July 1990
  2. Commercial: iec.co.il – July 1992
  3. Amutot (NOG's): matimop.org.il – Oct 1993
  4. ISP: actcom.net.il – Oct 1994 (bought out by Bezeqint)
  5. School: misgav.k12.il – June 1995 (gone)
  6. Municipal: ladpc.gov.il – July 1995 (changed to ladpc.co.il)

Internet Pioneers

The Israeli internet, would have been possible with out the help of so many dedicated pepole - Most, find a way to support its growth, even though it was not their official role to do so.

• Prof Shmuel Peleg
• Danny Braniss
• Jo van Zwaren - Ministry of Science
• Doron Shikmoni - ISOC-IL
• Yehuda Zisapel - RAD Group
• MK Miki Eitan - Israeli Knesset member
• David Kaminitz
• Avi Cohen - Founder & CEO of MACHBA  (The Inter University Computation Center).
• Hank Nussbacher - Internet Consultant, Special consultant to MACHBA
• Georges Meyer
• Morty Taragin
• Yehavi Bourvine
• Dov Winer - Jewish Agency
• Rafi Hoyda - Ministry of Communications
• Zvi Ilani