Technical Summary
RFC 7286 specifies a mechanism to discover an ALTO server in the ALTO client’s network domain based on DHCP and DNS. However, in certain scenarios an ALTO client may want or need to discover other ALTO servers, possibly outside its own network domain. draft-ietf-alto-xdom-disc specifies such a mechanism, i.e. for an ALTO client to discover an ALTO server outside its own network domain. This “cross-domain” server discovery is technically based on reverse DNS lookups using ALTO-specific U-NAPTR records.
Working Group Summary
There is clear support and consensus for draft-ietf-alto-xdom-disc in the ALTO WG, and it provides a very useful extension to the base ALTO protocol. A WGLC has successfully been passed, and extensive reviews were provided by various members of the WG and have all been addressed.
Document Quality
The initial draft for this document is from 2014. The document has been presented at multiple IETF meetings and discussed on the mailing list. It is well-known in the ALTO WG and there is clear consensus to standardise the proposed mechanism. A WGLC was issued on April 17, 2018, on draft-ietf-alto-xdom-disc-02, and a review with several comments was done by Sabine Randriamasy; draft-ietf-alto-xdom-disc-03 addresses these comments, in particular adding an extensive example of how to use the new server-discovery mechanism. Previously, a detailed review had already been produced on draft-ietf-alto-xdom-disc-01 by Richard Yang and and others, resulting in substantial updates on the document.
Personnel
Jan Seedorf is the document shepherd for draft-ietf-alto-xdom-disc. Mirja Kühlewind is the responsible Area Director.