RFC 2017 (rfc2017) - Page 1 of 5

Definition of the URL MIME External-Body Access-Type

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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
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