RFC 2771 (rfc2771) - Page 1 of 11

An Abstract API for Multicast Address Allocation

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Network Working Group                                     R. Finlayson
Request for Comments: 2771                                    LIVE.COM
Category: Informational                                  February 2000


            An Abstract API for Multicast Address Allocation


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 (2000).  All Rights Reserved.

Abstract

   This document describes the "abstract service interface" for the
   dynamic multicast address allocation service, as seen by
   applications.  While it does not describe a concrete API (i.e., for a
   specific programming language), it describes - in abstract terms -
   the semantics of this service, including the guarantees that it makes
   to applications.

   Additional documents (not necessarily products of the IETF) would
   describe concrete APIs for this service.

1. Introduction

   Applications are the customers of a multicast address allocation
   service, so a definition of this service should include not only the
   inter-node network protocols that are used to implement it, but also
   the 'protocol' that applications use to access the service.  While
   APIs ("application programming interfaces") for specific programming
   languages (or operating systems) are outside the domain of the IETF,
   it is appropriate for us to define - in abstract terms - the semantic
   interface that this service presents to applications.  Specific APIs
   would then be based upon this abstract service interface.

   Note that it is possible to implement the multicast address
   allocation service in at least two different ways.  The first (and
   perhaps most common) way is for end nodes to allocate addresses by
   communicating with a separate "Address Allocation Server" node, using
   the "Host to Address Allocation Server" network protocol (MADCAP)
   [1][7].  Alternatively, an "Address Allocation Server" implementation



Finlayson                    Informational
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