RFC 98 (rfc98) - Page 2 of 10
Logger Protocol Proposal
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
RFC 98 Logger Protcol Proposal Feb 1971
agreement should be reached as soon as possible on some general
protocol. This is all the more desirable in view of the fact that it is
quite likely that certain points which should be covered in this
protocol will only become apparent during the course of implementation;
therefore, the sooner a common basis for implementation can be reached,
the sooner a more rigorous protocol can be enunciated.
Before turning to 1) a discussion of the points with which to
decide the protocol should deal, and 2) specifications for the current
state of the protocolm we feel that we should acknowledge the
consideration that a case could be made for avoidingthe difficulty of
generating a Logger Protocol by simply declaring that each host may
specify its own, perhaps unique, preferences for being approached over
the Network. Although such a course is certainly possible, it does not
seem to us to be desirable. One reason for avoiding such a course is
simply that following it hamper general Network progress, in that
adressing the task of interfacing with some 20 systems is bound to more
time-consuming than to interface with "one" system, even though each
indivudual one of the former, multiple interfaces might be in some sense
simpler than the latter, single interface. Another consideration is less
pragmatic, but nonetheless important: agreement on a common protocol
would tend to foster a sense of Network "community", which would tend to
be fragmented by the local option route. After all, the Host-to-Host
Protocol could have been handled on a per-host basis as well; assumedly,
one reason why it has not had something to do with similar, admittedly
abstract considerations.
Context
Structurally, the mechanism serving to login a user over the Network
consists of two parts, one part at the using host, the other at the
serving host. The using or local host is the one to which the users
typewriter is directly connected; it contains a modulewhich channels and
transforms communications between the Network connection and the
typewriter. The serving or foreign host provides the service to be used;
it contains programming that adapts the logger and command system to use
through the Network rather than a local typewriter.
There are three different phases to a login through the network.
1. During the connection phase the users console is connected to
the serving logger through the network. This is, of course,
the most important phase from the protocol viewpoint.
2. The second or dialog phase consists of a sequence of exchange
between the user and the logger that serves to identify the
user and verify his right to use the system. In some hosts,
this phase may be minimal or non-existent.