NICNET - a hierarchic distributed computer communication network for decision support in the Indian government

A decision support information system for the Indian Government is being evolved, based on the design of a predominantly query-based computer network with hierarchric distributed databases and random access communication. The four level hierarchy spans 439 districts at the lowest level, the Central Government headquarters in New Delhi, the set of 32 State Capitals and Union Territories, and the set of four Regional Centres. With interference tolerance and random access as two guiding principles behind the choice, Spread Spectrum transmission and Code Division Multiple Access system of satellite communication was adopted. Each node of the network is a 32-bit computer which is capable of local bulk storage of up to three units of 300 megabytes each for purposes of queryaccessible distributed databases. The design and implementation of such a distributed database has endowed the network with the capability to distribute the data related to such databases over various nodes in the network so as to be able to accept a query from any of the nodes.