RFC 2609 (rfc2609) - Page 2 of 33

Service Templates and Service: Schemes

RFC 2609               Service Templates and URLs              June 1999


Table of Contents

    1. Introduction                                                    2
        1.1. Terminology  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    3
        1.2. Service Location Protocol  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    5
              1.2.1. Compatibility with SLPv1 . . . . . . . . . . .    5
    2. Service URL Syntax and Semantics                                5
        2.1. Service URL Syntax   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    5
        2.2. Service URL Semantics  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    8
        2.3. Use of service: URLs   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    9
        2.4. Specifying the Service Type-Specific URL Syntax. . . .   10
        2.5. Accommodating Abstract Service Types   . . . . . . . .   10
              2.5.1. Advertising Abstract Service Types . . . . . .   11
    3. Syntax and Semantics of Service Type Specifications            12
        3.1. Syntax of Service Type Templates   . . . . . . . . . .   12
        3.2. Semantics of Service Type Templates. . . . . . . . . .   15
              3.2.1. Definition of a Service Template . . . . . . .   15
              3.2.2. Service Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   16
              3.2.3. Version Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   16
              3.2.4. Description  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   16
              3.2.5. Syntax of the Service Type-specific URL Part .   17
              3.2.6. Attribute Definition   . . . . . . . . . . . .   17
    4. A Process For Standardizing New Service Types                  21
    5. IANA Considerations                                            22
    6. Internationalization Considerations                            24
        6.1. Language Identification and Translation. . . . . . . .   24
    7. Security Considerations                                        25
    A. Service Template Examples                                      26
        A.1. FOO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .   26
        A.2. Abstract Service Type:  Net-Transducer . . . . . . . .   28
        A.3. Concrete Service Type:  Net-Transducer:Thermometer . .   29
        A.4. service: URLs and SLP  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   30
    B. Acknowledgments                                                30
    C. References                                                     31
    D. Authors' Addresses                                             32
    E. Full Copyright Statement                                       33

1. Introduction

   This document describes a URL scheme, called service: URL, which
   defines network access information for network services using a
   formal notation.  In addition it describes how to define a set of
   attributes to associate with a service: URL. These attributes will
   allow end users and programs to select between network services of
   the same type that have different capabilities.  The attributes are
   defined in a template document that is readable by people and
   machines.




Guttman, et al.             Standards Track