Re: [xmpp] WG Action: Rechartered Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (xmpp)

[Ben Campbell <[e-mail]>]

Hi Everyone,

This is the planned recharter to add work for XMPP/WebSockets. We will add the milestone(s) for that shortly.

In the process of this charter update, the ADs asked us to consider a further recharter in the near-future to update the parts of the charter that have been completed or otherwise overtaken by events.  We will discuss that briefly in Orlando, and follow up on it shortly afterwards.

Thanks!

Ben.


On Mar 5, 2013, at 12:40 PM, The IESG <[e-mail]> wrote:

> The Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (xmpp) working group in
> the Real-time Applications and Infrastructure Area of the IETF has been
> rechartered. For additional information please contact the Area Directors
> or the WG Chairs.
> 
> Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (xmpp)
> ------------------------------------------------
> Current Status: Active Working Group
> 
> Chairs:
>  Joe Hildebrand <[e-mail]>
>  Ben Campbell <[e-mail]>
> 
> Assigned Area Director:
>  Robert Sparks <[e-mail]>
> 
> Mailing list
>  Address: [e-mail]
>  To Subscribe: https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/xmpp
>  Archive: http://www.ietf.org/mail-archive/web/xmpp/
> 
> Charter of Working Group:
> 
> The Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) is an
> technology for the near-real-time exchange of messages and presence
> notifications, where data is exchanged over Extensible Markup Language
> (XML) streams. The original XMPP working group published RFCs 3920-3923.
> 
> Implementation and deployment experience since that time has resulted
> in errata, clarifications, and suggestions for improvement to the core
> XMPP specifications (RFCs 3920 and 3921). Some technologies on which
> XMPP depends (e.g., Transport Layer Security and the Simple
> Authentication and Security Layer) have undergone modifications of their
> own, which XMPP needs to track. Finally, the group needs to define a
> sustainable solution to internationalization of XMPP addresses, since
> the approach taken in RFC 3920 (based on stringprep profiles) is limited
> to Unicode 3.2 characters. Both draft-saintandre-rfc3920bis-* and
> draft-saintandre-rfc3921bis-* reflect community input so
> far regarding these modifications, but the group needs to complete this
> work, especially with regard to internationalization. Because of the
> scope of changes involved, it is envisioned that these specifications
> will be cycled at Proposed Standard.
> 
> Although RFC 3923 defines an end-to-end signing and encryption
> technology for use by XMPP systems, to date it has not been implemented.
> A goal of the group is to develop an implementable method for end-to-end
> encryption, preferably based on well known and widely deployed security
> technologies.
> 
> XMPP uses TLS for encryption and the Simple Authentication and Security
> Layer (SASL) for authentication. In the case of a server-to-server
> stream, XMPP is deployed using TLS and the SASL EXTERNAL mechanism,
> where each peer presents an X.509 certificate. This model introduces
> scaling challenges in multi-domain deployments because RFC 3920 requires
> that a stream cannot be reused for more than one domain, thus
> necessitating multiple TCP connections. The group will work to overcome
> these challenges by defining an optional mechanism for using a single
> connection with multiple identities. It is anticipated that most of the
> work will consist of defining and providing requirements to the TLS and
> SASL working groups.
> 
> In addition to the TCP binding defined in RFC 6120, the XMPP community
> has long employed an HTTP binding (XEP-0124 and XEP-0206 published by 
> the XMPP Standards Foundation).  Given that this binding uses HTTP long 
> polling, which has many known issues (RFC 6202), it is reasonable to 
> transition to use of the WebSocket protocol (RFC 6455) instead.  Work has
> begun on defining a WebSocket subprotocol for XMPP 
> (draft-moffitt-xmpp-over-websocket).  The group will complete the 
> definition of such a subprotocol, and coordinate reviews with the HYBI WG
> 
> where appropriate.
> 
> In completing its work, the group will strive to retain backwards
> compatibility with RFCs 3920 and 3921. However, changes that are not
> backwards compatible might be accepted if the group determines that the
> changes are required to meet the group's technical objectives and the
> group clearly documents the reasons for making them.
> 
> Milestones:
>  Done     - Decide upon a direction for server-to-server connection
> reuse.
>  Done     - Deliver rfc3920bis and rfc3921bis to the IESG.
>  Done     - Decide upon a direction for end-to-end encryption.
>  Mar 2012 - Define a solution for server-to-server connection reuse.
>  Aug 2012 - Define a solution for end-to-end encryption.
>  Sep 2012 - Define a solution for internationalization of XMPP addresses
> (Update of RFC 6122)
> 
> 
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