RFC 3428 (rfc3428) - Page 1 of 18

Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Extension for Instant Messaging

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Network Working Group                                   B. Campbell, Ed.
Request for Comments: 3428                                  J. Rosenberg
Category: Standards Track                                    dynamicsoft
                                                          H. Schulzrinne
                                                     Columbia University
                                                              C. Huitema
                                                                D. Gurle
                                                   Microsoft Corporation
                                                           December 2002


   Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Extension for Instant Messaging

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 (2002).  All Rights Reserved.

Abstract

   Instant Messaging (IM) refers to the transfer of messages between
   users in near real-time.  These messages are usually, but not
   required to be, short.  IMs are often used in a conversational mode,
   that is, the transfer of messages back and forth is fast enough for
   participants to maintain an interactive conversation.

   This document proposes the MESSAGE method, an extension to the
   Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) that allows the transfer of Instant
   Messages.  Since the MESSAGE request is an extension to SIP, it
   inherits all the request routing and security features of that
   protocol.  MESSAGE requests carry the content in the form of MIME
   body parts.  MESSAGE requests do not themselves initiate a SIP
   dialog; under normal usage each Instant Message stands alone, much
   like pager messages.  MESSAGE requests may be sent in the context of
   a dialog initiated by some other SIP request.









Campbell, et. al.           Standards Track
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