Benacian Data Network

The Benacian Data Network (BDN), announced via Imperial Decree 975 in the year 1652, is the planned successor to the Elwnet and various non-standard information exchange protocols, will be an intranet forming a continental wide area network that is the sole permitted electronic communications network available to the Imperial Government, Noble Households and Corporations of Shireroth.

Planned service

The service would be available to authorised citizens, which can be accessed by the terminal's browser function, incorporates email services, news groups, and an internal search engine.

Prospective users must be registered with their State or Dominion authority and the Imperial Inquisition for approval prior to receiving a licence to possess a data input terminal. All data usage is monitored and the online activities of approximately five percent of users per year are audited, independent of criminal and security investigations.

Access to and use of the network by citizens is permitted via adapted terminals that will incorporate a two-stage verification of a government issued ID card and biometric scan.

The BDN is to be partitioned into domains, based upon government departments, corporate organisation, membership of a household etc, to prevent the unsanctioned and unregulated transfer of information.

Fixed and tamper-proof news and entertainment terminals are also available to permit non-noble citizens, denizens and His Imperial Majesty's Loyal Subjects to enjoy the best that Shirerithian media can offer.

Infrastructure

The Benacian Data Network will be controlled by the Office of Information in the Ministry of the Interior and its physical terrestrial closed-circuit infrastructure will be installed and maintained by the Imperial Postal Service.

Given that there is no direct connection to the outside Internet, unwanted information cannot enter the network. Information is filtered and processed by government agencies before being hosted on the BDN.