RFC 2017 (rfc2017) - Page 1 of 5
Definition of the URL MIME External-Body Access-Type
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
Network Working Group N. Freed
Request for Comments: 2017 Innosoft International
Category: Standards Track K. Moore
University of Tennessee
A. Cargille, WG Chair
October 1996
Definition of the URL
MIME External-Body Access-Type
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.
1. Abstract
This memo defines a new access-type for message/external-body MIME
parts for Uniform Resource Locators (URLs). URLs provide schemes to
access external objects via a growing number of protocols, including
HTTP, Gopher, and TELNET. An initial set of URL schemes are defined
in RFC 1738.
2. Introduction
The Multipurpose Internet Message Extensions (MIME) define a facility
whereby an object can contain a reference or pointer to some form of
data rather than the actual data itself. This facility is embodied in
the message/external-body media type defined in RFC 1521. Use of
this facility is growing as a means of conserving bandwidth when
large objects are sent to large mailing lists.
Each message/external-body reference must specify a mechanism whereby
the actual data can be retrieved. These mechanisms are called access
types, and RFC 1521 defines an initial set of access types: "FTP",
"ANON-FTP", "TFTP", "LOCAL-FILE", and "MAIL-SERVER".
Freed, et. al. Standards Track