backbone site

backbone site
 n.,obs.

   Formerly, a key Usenet and email site, one that processes a large
   amount of third-party traffic, especially if it is the home site of
   any of the regional coordinators for the Usenet maps. Notable backbone
   sites as of early 1993, when this sense of the term was beginning to
   pass out of general use due to wide availability of cheap Internet
   connections, included uunet and the mail machines at Rutgers
   University, UC Berkeley, {DEC}'s Western Research Laboratories, Ohio
   State University, and the University of Texas. Compare {leaf site}.

   [2001 update: This term has passed into history. The UUCP network
   world that gave it meaning is gone; everyone is on the Internet now
   and network traffic is distributed in very different patterns. Today
   one might see references to a "backbone router" instead --ESR]
    

backbone site

   A key {Usenet}, {electronic mail} and/or {Internet} site; one
   that processes a large amount of third-party traffic,
   especially if it is the home site of any of the regional
   coordinators for the {Usenet} maps.  Notable backbone sites as
   of early 1993 include {uunet} and the mail machines at
   {Rutgers University}, UC Berkeley, {DEC}'s Western Research
   Laboratories, {Ohio State University} and the {University of
   Texas}.

   Compare {rib site}, {leaf site}.

   [{Jargon File}]

   (1994-11-28)