RFC 3304 (rfc3304) - Page 2 of 9

Middlebox Communications (midcom) Protocol Requirements

RFC 3304                  Midcom Requirements                August 2002


2.  Requirements

   Each requirement is presented as a statement, followed by brief
   explanatory material as appropriate.  Terminology is defined in
   [MCFW].  There may be overlap between requirements.

2.1.  Protocol machinery

2.1.1.

   The Midcom protocol must enable a Midcom agent requiring the services
   of a middlebox to establish an authorized association between itself
   and the middlebox.

   This states that the protocol must allow the middlebox to identify an
   agent requesting services and make a determination as to whether or
   not the agent will be permitted to do so.

2.1.2.

   The Midcom protocol must allow a Midcom agent to communicate with
   more than one middlebox simultaneously.

   In any but the most simple network, an agent is likely to want to
   influence the behavior of more than one middlebox.  The protocol
   design must not preclude the ability to do this.

2.1.3.

   The Midcom protocol must allow a middlebox to communicate with more
   than one Midcom agent simultaneously.

   There may be multiple instances of a single application or multiple
   applications desiring service from a single middlebox, and different
   agents may represent them.  The protocol design must not preclude the
   ability to do so.

2.1.4.

   Where a multiplicity of Midcom Agents are interacting with a given
   middlebox, the Midcom protocol must provide mechanisms ensuring that
   the overall behavior is deterministic.

   This states that the protocol must include mechanisms for avoiding
   race conditions or other situations in which the requests of one
   agent may influence the results of the requests of other agents in an
   unpredictable manner.




Swale, et al.                Informational