MHSnet

MHSnet is a store-and-forward messaging system for wide area networks. Also known as ACSnet, it formed the technology basis for the Australian Computer Science network.

The system was developed at the University of Sydney by Piers Lauder and Bob Kummerfeld. It is similar in concept to UUCP, and enables transfers of email and files in an efficient manner over non-dedicated links.

MHSnet was a key technology in the introduction of Internet access in Australia. Due to the prohibitive costs of telecommunications structure, and the small amount of bandwidth available both internally and to other countries, MHSnet provided a system that could more efficiently utilise network resources. Gateways between the MHSnet system and the Internet were provided by many universities, and access to non-academic users was granted in the early 1990s.

MHSnet connected hosts in Australia resided in a .oz domain, which were moved into the Internet's .au namespace as .oz.au.

External links

• History of the Internet in Australia