Java Reference
In-Depth Information
tend to follow rather than lead implementations. IETF standards include TCP/IP,
MIME, and SMTP. The W3C, by contrast, is a vendor organization, controlled by dues-
paying member corporations, that explicitly excludes participation by individuals. For
the most part, the W3C tries to define standards in advance of implementation. W3C
standards include HTTP, HTML, and XML.
IETF RFCs
IETF standards and near-standards are published as Requests for Comments (RFCs).
Despite the name, a published RFC is a finished work. It may be obsoleted or replaced
by a new RFC, but it will not be changed. IETF working documents that are subject to
revision and open for development are called “Internet drafts.”
RFCs range from informational documents of general interest to detailed specifications
of standard Internet protocols such as FTP. RFCs are available from many locations on
most part, RFCs, (particularly standards-oriented RFCs), are very technical, turgid, and
nearly incomprehensible. Nonetheless, they are often the only complete and reliable
source of information about a particular protocol.
Most proposals for an RFC begin when a person or group gets an idea and builds a
prototype. The prototype is incredibly important. Before something can become an
IETF standard, it must actually exist and work. This requirement ensures that IETF
standards are at least feasible, unlike the standards promulgated by some other organ‐
izations.
Table 1-2
lists the RFCs that provide formal documentation for the protocols discussed
in this topic.
Table 1-2. Selected Internet RFCs
RFC
Title
Description
RFC 5000
Internet Official Protocol
Standards
Describes the standardization process and the current status of the different Internet
protocols. Periodically updated in new RFCs.
RFC 1122
RFC 1123
Host Requirements
Documents the protocols that must be supported by all Internet hosts at different
layers (data link layer, IP layer, transport layer, and application layer).
RFC 791, RFC
919, RFC
922, RFC 950
Internet Protocol
The IP internet layer protocol.
RFC 768
User Datagram Protocol
An unreliable, connectionless transport layer protocol.
RFC 792
Internet Control Message
Protocol (ICMP)
An internet layer protocol that uses raw IP datagrams but is not supported by Java.
Its most familiar uses are
ping
and
traceroute
.
RFC 793
Transmission Control
Protocol
A reliable, connection-oriented, streaming transport layer protocol.
