Technical Summary
This document defines a protocol to manage a secure Peer-to-Peer (P2P) connection structure for use by Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and other devices which allows these devices to function with minimal central servers.
The protocol provides functionality to allow devices to securely form, join, leave, and maintain an overlay of peers. It also allows devices to establish connections between each other, and to collectively augment or replace the location and connection establishment capabilities of traditional
client-server SIP in a P2P context. The overlay algorithm layer uses a plugin architecture to accommodate alternative technologies using DHT or other mechanisms. This document specifies a DHT based on CHORD as mandatory-to-implement to ensure interoperability.
Diagnostics and tuning of the protocol are being developed by the working group in separate drafts.
Working Group Summary
This document is a WG document that has WG consensus.
Document Quality
The document went through an IESG last call and many comments were made by IESG and Gen-Art reviewers. The RAI Area Directors asked guest editors to assist in comment resolution, and Marc Petit-Huguenin and Dean Willis set up a work process where every IESG and Gen-Art comment was entered as an issue in a github issue tracker, with github then being used to track and review document changes. Document authors Cullen Jennings and Eric Rescorla participated in the revision process, with any needful questions being taken to the P2PSIP mailing list for discussion. All DISCUSS and most lesser comments are believed by the editors to have been addressed in the -25 version of the document. Note that there is ongoing debate about the application of RFC 2119 language in the document. The Gen-Art reviewer and one editor preferred a style with extensive use of RFC 2119 language for all normative text. Following an extended discussion on the IETF mailing list, a compromise style has been applied to the document.
Personnel
David Bryan is the document shepherd.
Gonzalo Camarillo is the responsible AD.