A Hierarchical Network Linking two Research Laboratories

For the aerospace laboratory NLR in the Netherlands the considerations are discussed that formed the basis of a long-term plan to realize an optimal computer network serving two research establishments. The optimization has involved switching from a situation in which in each establishment one central closed-shop computer centre was available, to a situation where a hierarchic computer network has been developed linking units from different suppliers to one central computer and serving both establishments. This system is used to process data from experiments and management information and for application of mathematical models for simulation.