RFC 2771 (rfc2771) - Page 1 of 11
An Abstract API for Multicast Address Allocation
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
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