Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) is a technology that has received a great deal of attention in recent years. The IETF alone has produced over 300 Internet Drafts and numerous RFCs related to MPLS and continues its work on refining the standards. So, what is MPLS all about? We asked Bill Stallings to give us a basic tutorial. The tragic events of September 11, 2001 have focused attention on the stability and robustness of the Internet. The Internet played an important role in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks. While popular news Web sites initially appeared overloaded, a great deal of private traffic in the form of instant messaging and e-mail took place. Companies directly or indirectly affected by the events in New York and Washington were quick to use the Web as a way to disseminate important information to their clients as well as to their employees. In many cases, the Internet was used in place of an overloaded telephone network. With this in mind, The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has decided to re-focus its next meeting to address issues of Internet stability and security, particularly with regard to naming and addressing. (See "Fragments," page 32.) To provide some background information, we bring you the article "A Unique, Authoritative Root for the DNS," by M. Stuart Lynn, the president and CEO of ICANN.