Martin Thrope papers, 1968-2000, bulk 1969-1973, bulk 1969-1973

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Summary

Abstract:
From 1969 to 1974, Martin Thrope was a member of the of the team at Bolt Beranek and Newman (BBN), that implemented the ARPANET, the precursor to the Internet. His papers detail the BBN company of that time, and his work developing procedures for reports of network outages, installing Interface Message Processor (IMP) systems at various sites around the country, and designing specialized interfaces to connect a variety of host computers to the IMPs for connection to the ARPANET.
Extent:
.4 linear feet (1 document box)
Language:
Materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Martin Thrope papers (Collection 2329). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.

Background

Scope and content:

The papers of Martin Thrope, a member of the team at Bolt Beranek & Newman (BBN) that implemented the ARPANET, consisting of materials detailing his tenure at BBN from 1969 to 1974 and including: reports, brochures, correspondence, memorandum, manuals, photographs, slides, CDROM, and a VHS tape.

Biographical / historical:

From 1969 to 1974, after completing undergraduate studies at Harvard, Martin Thrope was a member of the team at Bolt Beranek & Newman (BBN) that implemented the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET) for the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) of the U.S. Department of Defense. The BBN team led by Frank Heart developed the Interface Message Processors (IMPs) which connected host systems to the ARPANET. Thrope connected host systems to the ARPANET, and made key contributions to the ARPANET architecture. Thrope developed a set of diagnostic procedures for producing specific information on line failures for reports of network outages of both IMPs and the phone lines that connected them, to be relayed to the phone company offices responsible for each line. BBN established a Network Control Center (NCC) run by Thrope which used a minicomputer, the NCC host, to analyze IMP status reports, print out alerts, and display the status of each IMP on a set of light panels mounted in wood grain box. For the NCC, Thrope compiled and maintained a comprehensive set of useful reference information on each IMP site and each phone line. In addition to his role in network operations, Thrope also designed and installed specialized interfaces sold by BBN to connect a variety of mainframe host computers to the IMPs at their sites. Toward the end of his time at BBN, he was a member of the team that designed a multiprocessor version of the IMP and its specialized hardware interfaces. After leaving BBN in 1974, Thrope earned his MBA degree from Harvard, followed by various management roles in organizations providing computer based products and services for the retail and financial industries.

Acquisition information:
The collection was donated by Martin Thrope to UCLA Kleinrock Internet History Center Donated by Martin Thrope in a deed of gift dated 31 Dec 2011.
Custodial history:

UCLA Kleinrock Internet History Center (KIHC) obtained the set of BBN materials directly from Martin Thrope. The files were donated to UCLA by Martin Thrope.

Processing information:

Processed by May Chua with additional material processed by Sonia Collazo in 2013.

Collections are processed to a variety of levels depending on the work necessary to make them usable, their perceived user interest and research value, availability of staff and resources, and competing priorities. Library Special Collections provides a standard level of preservation and access for all collections and, when time and resources permit, conducts more intensive processing. These materials have been arranged and described according to national and local standards and best practices.

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Arrangement:

The files within each series and subseries are arranged in chronological order. The series arrangement of the records is as follows:

  • Series 1: Correspondence, Documents, and Media from BBN
  • Series 2: Technical Memorandum and Problem Reports
  • Series 3: IMP manuals, 1971-1973

Physical / technical requirements:

Selected items have been digitized for the KIHC Digital Collections: http://digital2.library.ucla.edu/internethistory/.

Physical location:
Stored off-site. All requests to access special collections material must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.

Terms of access:

Property rights to the objects belong to UCLA Library Special Collections. All other rights, including copyright, are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Martin Thrope papers (Collection 2329). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.

Location of this collection:
A1713 Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575, US
Contact:
(310) 825-4988
AskLSC@library.ucla.edu
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