RFC 3724 (rfc3724) - Page 1 of 14

The Rise of the Middle and the Future of End-to-End: Reflections on the Evolution of the Internet Architecture

Alternative Format: Original Text Document
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Network Working Group                                      J. Kempf, Ed.
Request for Comments: 3724                               R. Austein, Ed.
Category: Informational                                              IAB
                                                              March 2004


          The Rise of the Middle and the Future of End-to-End:
       Reflections on the Evolution of the Internet Architecture

Status of this Memo

   This memo provides information for the Internet community.  It does
   not specify an Internet standard of any kind.  Distribution of this
   memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2004).  All Rights Reserved.

Abstract

   The end-to-end principle is the core architectural guideline of the
   Internet.  In this document, we briefly examine the development of
   the end-to-end principle as it has been applied to the Internet
   architecture over the years.  We discuss current trends in the
   evolution of the Internet architecture in relation to the end-to-end
   principle, and try to draw some conclusion about the evolution of the
   end-to-end principle, and thus for the Internet architecture which it
   supports, in light of these current trends.

Table of Contents

   1.  Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  2
   2.  A Brief History of the End-to-End Principle. . . . . . . . . .  2
   3.  Trends Opposed to the End-to-End Principle . . . . . . . . . .  5
   4.  Whither the End-to-End Principle?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  8
   5.  Internet Standards as an Arena for Conflict. . . . . . . . . . 10
   6.  Conclusions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
   7.  Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
   8.  Security Considerations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
   9.  Informative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
   10. Authors' Addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
   11. Full Copyright Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14








Kempf & Austein              Informational
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