Network Working Group J. Postel Request for Comments: 661 SRI-ARC NIC: 31203 November 1974
Protocol Information
This file contains information on the various protocols in the ARPA Network. An effort will be made to keep the information current, but this depends on the cooperation of the users of this file to convey any information about protocol developments, or corrections to this information to Jon Postel at SRI-ARC.
This is a compendium of all the protocol related activity and most of this activity is with experimental protocols, for those protocols, which are official standards the designation "[Official]" will be appended to the name.
Much of the documentation of protocols appears as Requests for Comments (RFCs) and many of these are available online. When a document is accessible online, a pointer to that source will be given. Also note that recent RFCs are online at Office-1 in directory <NETINFO> with names of the form RFCnnn.TXT where nnn is replaced by the RFC number.
The "link number" filed has been extended from 8 to 12 bits and renamed the "message identification" field. Message type 6 now is used to indicate a reason for a type 7 (destination dead) message. (See BBN1822).
There has been some recent changes to the Ready line interpretation by the IMP for deciding the alive/dead status of a host.
Important changes to the IMP and IMP/HOST interface announced in RFC 660 23-Oct-74.
HOST-HOST
ncp - standard host-to-host [Official]
Contact:
Postel, Jon. (POSTEL@SRI-ARC)
Documents:
McKenzie, A. "Host/Host Protocol for the ARPA Network," NIC 8246. Jan 1972.
Postel, J. "Assigned Link Numbers," RFC604, NIC21186, 26- Dec-73.
People:
Postel, Jon. (POSTEL@SRI-ARC)
McKenzie, Alex. (MCKENZIE@BBN)
Schedule:
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Recent developments:
ncp - standard host-to-host [Experimental]
Contact:
Postel, Jon. (POSTEL@SRI-ARC)
Documents:
McKenzie, A. "Host/Host Protocol for the ARPA Network," NICE 3246. Jan 1972.
Postel, J. "Assigned Link Numbers," RFC604, NIC22186, 26- Dec-73.
Burchfiel, et. Al. "Tip-Tenex Reliability Improvements" RFC 636 NIC 30490 June 1974.
People:
Postel, Jon. (POSTEL@SRI-ARC)
McKenzie, Alex. (MCKENZIE@BBN)
Burchfiel, Jerry (BURCHFIEL@BBN)
Walden, Dave (WALDEN@BBN)
Schedule:
Recent developments:
The BBN TIP and TENEX groups have specified and are implementing additional protocol commands with the intention of providing better reliability and survivability over system malfunctions. The additional protocol commands are for cleaning up partly closed connections and resynchronizing the allocation values on open connections. (See RFC 636).
tcp - Transmission Control Protocol
Contact:
Cerf, Vint. (CERF@ISI)
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Documents:
Cert, V. and R. Kahn. "A Protocol for Packet Network Intercommunication," IEEE Transactions on Communication Vol COM-22 No 5, May 1974.
[parc-maxc] <cerf> TCPSPEC3.NLS
Mader, E. "A Protocol Experiment," RFC 700, NIC 31020.
[ISI] <CERF> TCP-CHANGES.
People:
Cerf at SU-DSL
Tomlinson at BBN
Kirstein at London
Postel at SRI-ARC
Schedule:
Some experiments now running. Implementation of full protocol to begin by 15-Oct-74.
Recent developments:
Specification completed August 4th, but some work still in progress on handling of single message conversations. A new sequencing scheme (proposed by Tomlinson) may be utilized. The addressing field is now used as 4-bit format, 4-bit network, 16 bit TCP, and 24 bit process&port. Crocker has suggested a 64- bit path address to be parsed and reformatted by the gateways along the route. There is reluctance to experiment with too many things at one though.
(28-Oct-74) A file indicating some of the changes in the specifications since the 4-Aug-74 document is now available as [ISI] <CERF> TCP-CHANGES. The areas of change are "Initial Sequence Number", "Socket definition", "Additional user System Calls", "Packet format", and "Discussion of opening and closing (SYN,REL)".
(23-NOV-74) Specifications for test implementation are now said to be ready on 1-DEC-74, and an implementation completed by 1- FEB-74.
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nvp - Network Voice Protocol
Contact:
Cohen, Danny. (COHEN@ISI)
Documents:
The current specification is in an online file at isi in the directory voice as nvp.lst.
Pathname = [isi] <voice> nvp.lst
People:
Recent developments:
New specification document available (10-Oct-74).
"Specifications for the Network Voice Protocol (NVP)" NSC Note 43
packet radio
Contact:
Kahn, Robert. (KAHN@ISI)
Documents:
People:
Schedule:
Recent developments:
Network Debugging Protocol
Contact:
Eric Mader (Mader@BBN)
Documents:
Mader, E. "Network Debugging Protocol," NIC 30873, RFC 643, July-74.
People:
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Schedule:
Recent Developments:
This is a protocol for a PDP-11 cross-network debugger.
HOST-FRONTEND
Host-Front End
Contact:
Michael Padlipsky (MAP@CASE-10)
Documents:
Padlipsky, M. "A Proposed Protocol for Connecting Host Computers to ARPA-Like Networks via Front-End Processors," RFC 647, NIC 31117, 12-Nov-74.
All Hosts were to have been running the new Telnet (both user and server) by 1 January 1974.
Recent developments:
A significant number of server systems now have new telnet implementations. (See RFC 702).
Note: the server program is to be available on socket 23 decimal (27 octal).
The Status Option has been revised to take advantage of the subcommand feature and to reduce the amount of data transmitted to report the option status.
Seven new options have been defined to allow control of the format effectors Carriage Return, Line Feed, Form Feed, Horizontal Tab, and Vertical Tab.
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FTP
Old File Transfer
Contact:
Jon Postel at SRI-ARC (POSTEL@SRI-ARC)
Documents:
McKenzie, A. "File Transfer Protocol," NIC 14333, RFC 454, 16-Feb-73.
People:
Schedule:
Recent developments:
New File Transfer
Contact:
Jon Postel at SRI-ARC (POSTEL@SRI-ARC)
Documents:
Neigus, N. "File Transfer Protocol," NIC 17759 RFC 542 12- July-73.
Postel, J. "Revised FTP Reply codes," NIC 30843 RFC 640 5- June-74.
People:
Jon Postel at SRI-ARC (POSTEL@SRI-ARC)
Nancy Neigus at BBN (NEIGUS@BBN)
Ken Pogran at MIT-Multics (Pogran.CompNet@MIT-Multics)
Wayne Hathaway at NASA AMES (Hathaway@AMES-67)
Mark Krilanovich at UCSB (Krilanovich@UCSB-MOD75)
Kurt Barthelmess at UCSD (BOWLES@ISI)
Schedule:
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Recent developments:
Pathnames
Contact:
Jon Postel at SRI-ARC (POSTEL@SRI-ARC)
Documents:
Crocker, D. "Network Standard Data Specification Syntax," RFC 645, NIC 30899, Jul-74.
People:
Dave Crocker at UCLA-NMC (DCROCKER@ISI)
Schedule:
Recent developments:
File Access Protocol
Contact:
John Day (Day. CAC@MIT-Multics)
Documents:
Day, J. "Memo to FTP Group: File Access Protocol," RFC 520, NIC 16819, 25-Jun-73
Bhushan, A. "Standardizing Network Mail Headers," NIC 18516, RFC 561, 5-Sep-73
Sussman, J. "FTP Error Code Usage for More Reliable Mail Service," RFC 630, NIC 30874, RFC 644, 22-July-74.
People:
Julie Sussman at bbn (SUSSMAN@BBN)
Bob Thomas at bbn (BTHOMAS@BBN)
Schedule:
Recent developments:
Concern over the authentication of the author of network messages has led to the concept of an authorized mail sending process (see RFC 644).
Proposed Mail
Contact:
Postel at SRI-ARC (POSTEL@SRI-ARC)
Documents:
White, J. "A Proposed Mail Protocol," NIC 17140, RFC 524, 13-Jun-73.
Crocker, D. "Thoughts on the Mail Protocol Proposed in RFC 524," NIC 17644, RFC 539, 7-July-73.
White, J. "Response to Critiques of the Proposed Mail Protocol," NIC 17993, RFC 555, 27-July-73.
People:
Jim White at SRI-ARC (WHITE@SRI-ARC)
Postel at Sri-ARC (POSTEL@SIR-ARC)
Schedule:
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Recent developments:
RJE - Remote Job Entry
Contact:
Jon Postel at SRI-ARC (POSTEL@SRI-ARC)
Documents:
Bressler, B. "Remote Job Entry Protocol," RFC 407, NIC 12112, 16-Oct-72
Krilanovich, M. "Announcement of RJS at UCSB," RFC 436, NIC 13700, 10-Jan-73.
People:
Schedule:
Recent developments:
RJS - CCNs Remote Job Service
Contact:
Robert Braden at UCLA-CCN (BRADEN@UCLA-CCN)
Documents:
Braden, R. "Interim NETRJS Specification," RFC 18@ nic July-71.
Braden, R. "Update on NETRJS," RFC 599, NIC 20854, 13-Dec- 73.
People:
Robert Braden (BRADEN@UCLA-CCN)
Steve Wolfe (WOLFE@UCLAL-CCN)
Schedule:
Recent developments:
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Graphics
Contact:
Robert Sproull (SPROULL@PARC-MAXC)
Documents:
Sproull, R, and E. Thomas. "A Networks Graphics Protocol," NIC 24308, 16-Aug-74.
People:
Robert Sproull (SPROULL@PARC-MAXC)
Elaine Thomas (Thomas@MIT-Multics)
James Michener at MIT-DMS (JCM@MIT-DMS)
Schedule:
Recent developments:
New document available from Robert Sproull.
Data Reconfiguration Service
Contact:
Jon Postel at SRI-ARC (POSTEL@SRI-ARC)
Documents:
Anderson, B. "Status Report on Proposed Data Reconfiguration Service," NIC 6715, RFC 138, 28-April-71.
Feah, "Data Reconfiguration Service at UCSB," RFC 437, NIC 13701, 30-June-74.
People:
Schedule:
Recent developments:
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RSEXEC
Contact:
Thomas, Bob. (BTHOMAS@BBN)
Documents:
People:
Schedule:
Recent developments:
Line Processor Protocol
Contact:
Don Andrews at SRI-ARC (ANDREWS@SRI-ARC)
Documents:
[SRI-ARC] <hardy>1pprot.nls
[SRI-ARC] <hardy>prot.txt
People:
Martin Hardy at SRI-ARC (HARDY@SRI-ARC)
Don Andrews at Sri-ARC (ANDREWS@SRI-ARC)
Schedule:
Recent developments:
PROGRAMS
Neted - Network Standard Editor [Official]
Contact:
Michael Padlipsky (MAP@CASE-10)
Documents:
Padlipsky, M. "NETED: A Common Editor for the ARPA Network," RFC 569, NIC 18972, 15-Oct-73.
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People:
Padlipsky at MITRE (MAP@CASE-10)
Postel at SRI-ARC (POSTEL@SRI-ARC0
Hathaway at AMES (HATHAWAY@AMES-67)
Schedule:
Recent developments:
NATIONAL SOFTWARE WORKS
The National Software Works is developing a set of protocols for its use of the ARPA Network, other uses of these protocols is encouraged.
The procedure call protocol is intended to facilitate the sharing of resources in the network at the subroutine level. The procedure call protocol will be used to split nls into a front end and back end components. Procedure call protocol is also to be used in the nsw as the basis for communication between the works manager, the tool bearing hosts, and front desk procedure packages.
The documents cited below give a view of the Procedure Call Protocol and its use.
Contact:
Jim White (WHITE@SRI-ARC)
Jon Postel (POSTEL@SIR-ARC)
Documents:
These documents are the second published version of the Procedure Call Protocol and NSW protocol - PCP/NSW Version 2. Version 2 is SUBSTANTIALLY different than Version 1; it and all intermediate, informally distributed PCP/NSW documents are obsoleted by this release.
The first document, PCP, is the place the interested ready should start. It gives the required motivation for the use Protocol and states the substance of the Protocol proper. The ready may then, if he chooses, read the next three documents: PIP, PSP, and PMP. The latter has the most to offer the casual reader; the programmer faced with coding in the PCP environment should ready all three. The next three documents - PCPFMT,
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PCPHST, and PCPFRK - are of interest only to the PCP implementer. The next document - HOST - is a preliminary thought about how the NSW might use the standard HOST-HOST protocol NCP. The last four documents - EXEC, FILE, BATCH, and LLDBUG - describe procedure packages needed to carry out NSW functions, but such packages may well be useful in other contexts.
Version 2 consists of the following documents. Each is available online in two forms: as an NLS file and as a formatted text file. The journal number (e.g., 24459) refers to the former, of course and the pathname (e.g., [SRI-ARI] <NLS> PCP.TXT) to the latter, accessible via FTP using USER=ANONYMOUS and PASSWORD=GUEST (no account required). Hardcopy is being forwarded by US Mail to all those who have expressed an interest in PCP. If you don't receive a copy and would like one of this and/or future releases, send a note to that effect to WHITE@SRI-ARC:
PCP (24459,) "The Procedure Call Protocol"
This document describes the virtual programming environment provided by PCP, and the inter-process exchanges that implement it.
Pathname: [SRI-ARC] <NLS>PCP.TXT
PIP (24460,) "The Procedure Interface Package"
This document describes a packages that runs in the setting provided by PCP and that serves as a procedure- call-level interface to PCP proper. It includes procedures for calling, resuming, interrupting, and aborting remote procedures.
Pathname: [SRI-ARC] <NLS>PIP.TXT
PSP (24461,) "The PCP Support Packages"
This document describes a package that runs in the setting provided by PCP and that augments PCP proper, largely in the area of data store manipulation. It includes procedures for obtaining access to groups of remote procedures and data stores, manipulating remote data stores, and creating temporary ones.
Pathname: [SRI-ARC] <NLS>PSP.TXT
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PMP (24462,) "The Process Management Package"
This document describes a package that runs in the setting provided by PCP and that provides the necessary tools for interconnecting two or more processes to form a multi-process system (e.g., NSW). It includes procedures for creating, deleting, logically and physically interconnecting processes, and for allocating and releasing processors.
Pathname: [SRI-ARC] <NLS>PMP.TXT
PCPFMT (24576,) "PCP Data Structure Formats"
This document defines formats for PCP data structures, each of which is appropriate for one or more physical channel types.
This document defines an implementation, appropriate for mediating communication between processes on different hosts within the ARPANET, of the IPC primitives required by PCP.
Pathname: [SRI-ARC] <NLS.PCPFRK.TXT
HOST (24581,) "NSW Host Protocol"
This document describes the host level protocol used in the NSW. The protocol is a slightly constrained version of the standard ARPANET host to host protocol. The constraints affect the allocation, RFNM wait, and retransmission policies.
Pathname: [SRI-ARC] <NLS>HOST.TXT
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EXEC (24580,) "The Executive Package"
This document describes a package that runs in the setting provided by PCP. It includes procedures and data stores for user identification, accounting, and usage information.
Pathname: [SRI-ARC] <NLS> EXEC.TXT
FILE (24582,) "The File Package"
This document describes a package that runs in the setting provided by PCP. It includes procedures and data stores for opening, closing, and listing directories, for creating, deleting, and renaming files, and for transferring files and file elements between processes.
Pathname: [SRI-ARC] <NLS>FILE.TXT
BATCH (24583,) "The Batch Job Package"
This document describes a package that runs in the setting provided by PCP. It includes procedures for creating and deleting batch jobs, obtaining the status of a batch job, and communicating with the operator of a batch processing host. This package is implemented at the host that provides the batch processing facility.
Pathname: [SRI-ARC] <NLS>BATCH.TXT
LLDBUG (24579,) "The Low-Level Debug Package"
This document describes a package that runs in the setting provided by PCP. It includes procedures for a remote process to debug at the assembly-language level, any process known to the local process. The package contains procedures for manipulating and searching the process' address space, for manipulating and searching its symbol tables, and for setting and removing breakpoints from its address space. Its data stores hold process characteristics and state information, and the contents of program symbol tables.
Pathname: [SRI-ARC] <NLS>LLDBUG.TXT
People:
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Schedule:
A demonstration of the National Software Works concept is to be performed in July 1975.