RFC 327 (rfc327) - Page 1 of 5
Data and File Transfer workshop notes
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
Network Working Group A. Bhushan
Request for Comments: 327 MIT-MAC
NIC: 9261 April 27, 1972
DATA AND FILE TRANSFER WORKSHOP NOTES
On April 14 and 15, 1972, a Data and File Transfer Workshop was held
at M.I.T., Cambridge, Mass. A list of attendees of the meeting for
April 14 and 15 is appended to the notes. This note attempts to
summarize most of the topics discussed and all of the decisions
reached at the workshop meeting.
The following is a summary of the talks and discussions on April 14,
1972.
Steve Crooker discussed a general theory for Network protocols.
Protocols transformations should have a unique inverse, and should be
transitive. Transformation to a standard form requires only 2n
transformations (n = number of different types of hosts), as compared
with n(n-1) transformations with no standard form. A standard
approach is preferable for n >= 3.
For file transfer, one could define a Network Virtual File Image.
There was some discussion on whether it was possible to satisfy the
above rules for file structure transformations. No agreement was
reached and the problem was abandoned for the present.
Further discussion lead to the following formulation of the Workshop
goals:
To come up with data and file transfer protocol/strategy that
satisfies the needs of ARPANET users including Maxi-HOSTs, Mini-
HOSTs, TIPs, Datacomputer, RJE, and Mailbox users.
Goals for the protocols/strategy were set as:
1. It should preserve the integrity of data.
2. It should preserve the integrity of character representation
and interpretation.
3. It should preserve the integrity of structural information, to
the extent conveniently possible.
4. It should lead to the development of a Network Virtual File
System.
Bhushan