Protocol Action: MIME Encapsulation of EDI Objects to Proposed Standard

[IESG Secretary <[e-mail]>]

  The IESG has approved the Internet-Draft "MIME Encapsulation of EDI
  Objects" <draft-ietf-edi-mime-02.txt, .ps> as a Proposed Standard. This
  document is the product of the Electronic Data Interchange Working Group.
  The IESG contact persons are John Klensin and Erik Huizer.


Technical Summary

This specification describes the format, content-types, and conventions
for encapsulating EDI (electronic data interchange) objects in MIME
email messages.  The specification does not address the EDI formats
themselves; those are the subject of standards and agreements developed
outside IETF -- in ANSI ASC X.12 and, more recently, under the auspices
of the UN EDIFACT working groups.  Other nationally-developed and
-standardized formats also exist, but have been less widely deployed
than the X.12 formats.

These different formats and development paths have led to several
styles of EDI representations.  All efforts now appear to be converging
on the EDIFACT work, but the transition is likely to take a number of
years to complete.  For the transitional period, the present
specification provides specific content-types for EDIFACT and X.12
forms, plus a content-type to be used when the format is specified by
agreement among the interchanging parties.

Working Group Summary

The specification has been reviewed by the Working Group, and by EDI
experts from several communities.   Broad consensus has been reached
without any significant dissent about the protocol specified.


Protocol Quality


John Klensin reviewed the specification for the IESG.  Earlier versions
have been reviewed by other IESG members and by members of the Area
Directorate.