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Thrope (Martin) Papers
LSC.2329
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Contributing Institution:
UCLA Library Special Collections
Title: Martin Thrope papers
Identifier/Call Number: LSC.2329
Physical Description:
.4 linear feet
(1 document box)
Date (inclusive): 1968-2000, bulk 1969-1973
Date (bulk): 1969-1973
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.
Location note: Stored off-site. All requests to access special collections material must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
Language of Material: Materials are in English.
Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements note
Selected items have been digitized for the KIHC Digital Collections: http://digital2.library.ucla.edu/internethistory/.
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.
Immediate Source of Acquisition note
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.
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.
Former collection number and title
Originally acquired by Charlotte Brown, University Archivist for a proposed Kleinrock Center for Internet Studies at UCLA.
Formerly KCIS 4; formerly titled Martin Thrope BNN papers
UCLA Catalog Record ID:
9942331793606533
[Identification of item], Martin Thrope papers (Collection 2329). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research
Library, University of California, Los Angeles.
Processed by May Chua with additional material processed by Sonia Collazo in 2013.
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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.
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.
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
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Computer science. Computer architecture and design -- Archives.
Computer networks -- United States -- Archives.
ARPANET (Computer network).
Internet -- History -- United States -- Archives.
Internet (Computer network) -- United States -- Archives.
Interface Message Processor.
United States. Advanced Research Projects Agency
Bolt, Beranek, and Newman
Heart, Frank
Thrope, Martin
- Collection Overview
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Collection Details
- Conditions Governing Access
- Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements note
- Conditions Governing Use
- Immediate Source of Acquisition note
- Custodial History note
- Former collection number and title
- UCLA Catalog Record ID
- Preferred Citation note
- Processing Information note
- Biographical/Historical note
- Scope and Contents note
- Arrangement note