Interstellar Communications Network

The Interstellar Communications Network or ICN in short, is a network of Interstellar Data Drones (IDDs) and Server Node Stations (SNS), which is the primary way of communicating, delivering, and distributing information and data throughout the reaches.
While FTL travel is possible, and even widespread, there is no similar technology for signalling. As such, the only way to transfer information between systems is to physically transport it.
the ICN network was developed in an early form to facilitate communications within a small star cluser, but has since then grown considerably and now spans the reaches.
While every system is responsible for the maintenance, security, and rules regarding their own node on the network, standards for this system are overseen by the ICN consortium. They ensure standards for encryption, authorization/authentication, transfer protocols, translation, and other aspects, to ensure the system remains uniform across the reaches. This separation of powers initially put a great deal of power and control in the hands of the systems themselves, but with time, the consortium is capable of exerting control over almost all systems, since a lack of compliance with their almost universally adopted standards ensures that your system will be sealed off from the greater network.

Interstellar Data Drones (IDDs)

also known as postmen or indeeds, the IDDs are little more than autonomous vessels with vast amounts of data storage on board. They tend to be operated by a skeleton crew whose sole job is maintaining the ship and ensuring the data remains intact, and the drives work smoothly.

Server Node Stations

while the IDDs are responsible for transferring the data between systems, the Server Node Stations will take the data from the drones and distribute it throughout the system. These stations are similiarly crewed by a skeleton crew.

Data security

Direct Delivery

When a client knows where data has to be sent, a Direct transfer is the preferable option. The network will use the target's address to directly deliver data to its destination.

Wide Net Delivery

When a client does NOT know where to send data, however, for example, when their contact is always on the move between systems, a wide net delivery is the only actual option to try and make contact. Wide Net Delivery data packages have a lifetime until deletion, and a deletion key. When the contact accesses the data, the network will retroactively broadcast the key and permanently delete all other instances of the data.

Personal Access Key

Personal access keys are physical keys containing a crystalline shard with a unique identifying code. This key is the only way an individual can access their data on the network.

Interpersonal Encryption Key

Because of the sheer size of the galaxy, and the delay on data transfer because of the network, more conventional methods of authentication are impractical. As such, the ICN is generally considered to be a highly insecure way to communicate between individuals.
One solution for this is the Interpersonal Encryption Key. These are two paired keys, similar to the personal access key, with identical encryption code. Two people with matching keys are thus capable of sending secure data to each other through the ICN.
Another trick is to send two messages, one encrypted, one unencrypted, which need to be combined to unlock the full data.

Utility

Communication and data transfer

Access & Availability

Every worthwhile system has access to the ICN and many SNSs