RFC 2640 (rfc2640) - Page 1 of 27

Internationalization of the File Transfer Protocol

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Network Working Group                                          B. Curtin
Request for Comments: 2640            Defense Information Systems Agency
Updates: 959                                                   July 1999
Category: Proposed Standard


           Internationalization of the File Transfer Protocol

Status of this Memo

   This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
   Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
   improvements.  Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
   Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
   and status of this protocol.  Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (1999).  All Rights Reserved.

Abstract

   The File Transfer Protocol, as defined in RFC 959 [RFC 959] and RFC
   1123 Section 4 [RFC 1123], is one of the oldest and widely used
   protocols on the Internet. The protocol's primary character set, 7
   bit ASCII, has served the protocol well through the early growth
   years of the Internet. However, as the Internet becomes more global,
   there is a need to support character sets beyond 7 bit ASCII.

   This document addresses the internationalization (I18n) of FTP, which
   includes supporting the multiple character sets and languages found
   throughout the Internet community.  This is achieved by extending the
   FTP specification and giving recommendations for proper
   internationalization support.

Table of Contents

   ABSTRACT.......................................................1
   1 INTRODUCTION.................................................2
    1.1 Requirements Terminology..................................2
   2 INTERNATIONALIZATION.........................................3
    2.1 International Character Set...............................3
    2.2 Transfer Encoding Set.....................................4
   3 PATHNAMES....................................................5
    3.1 General compliance........................................5
    3.2 Servers compliance........................................6
    3.3 Clients compliance........................................7
   4 LANGUAGE SUPPORT.............................................7



Curtin                     Proposed Standard
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