Individual Submission K. Meadors, Ed.
Internet-Draft Drummond Group Inc.
Intended status: Informational April 26, 2010
Expires: October 28, 2010
EDI-INT Features Header
draft-meadors-ediint-features-header-06
Abstract
With the maturity of the EDI-INT standard of AS1, AS2 and AS3,
applications and additional features are being built upon the basic
secure transport functionality. These features are not necessarily
supported by all EDI-INT applications and could cause potential
problems with implementations.
Status of this Memo
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.1. Requirements Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2. EDIINT Features Header Syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3. Implementation and Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
4. EDI-INT Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
5. IANA Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
6. Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
7. Normative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Author's Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
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1. Introduction
EDI-INT applications provide for a secure means of payload document
transport. The original intent was for transport of a single EDI or
XML document. However, as AS1 [RFC3335], AS2 [RFC4130] and AS3
[RFC4823] matured, other features and application logic were
implemented upon EDI-INT standards. Since these features go beyond
but do not violate the basic premise of EDI-INT, a means is needed to
communicate to trading partners features which are supported by the
originating user agent. The EDIINT Features header indicates the
capability of the user agent to support the listed feature with its
trading partner without out- of-band communication and agreement.
1.1. Requirements Language
The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT",
"SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this
document are to be interpreted as described in RFC 2119 [RFC2119].
2. EDIINT Features Header Syntax
The EDIINT Features header can appear in the header section of an
AS1, AS2 and AS3 message. Its BNF syntax is listed below.
Feature = "EDIINT-Features: " Feature-Name *("," Feature-Name)
Feature-Name = Feature-Token
Feature-Token = %d48-57 / ; 0-9
%d65-90 / ; A-Z
%d97-122 / ; a-z
"-" ; blank space " " is not allowed
The Feature-Token allows for feature names to be specified and can
only contain alphanumeric characters along with the hyphen. Feature
names are case-insensitive.
3. Implementation and Processing
The EDIINT Features header indicates the originating user agent is
capable of supporting the features listed. The feature header MUST
be present in all messages transmitted by the user agent and not just
messages which utilize the feature. Upon examination of the feature
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header, the trading partner SHOULD assume the user agent is capable
of receiving messages utilizing any of the features listed.
The features listed MUST be supported by existing IETF RFC or RFC-
track Internet-draft standards. These standards MUST describe the
feature name which is listed in the header and the means which it
should be used.
4. EDI-INT Applications
Since AS1 uses email and the EDIINT Features header is not a
registered header with IANA, the header MUST be preceded by a "X-" to
be used. If the receiving trading partner does not support EDIINT
Features, it can choose to ignore the header because of the "X-".
Because AS2 and AS3 utilize transports of HTTP and FTP, respectively,
which allow the application to ignore headers which it does not
recognize, the addition of the EDIINT Features header in AS2 and AS3
can be done without affecting trading partners who have not
implemented the header.
AS2 and AS3 applications currently use a version header, AS2-Version
and AS3-Version, respectively, to indicate functional support. The
EDIINT Features header tremendously improves the purpose and function
of the old version header. However, to provide a connection from the
old version header and the EDIINT Features header, AS2 and AS3
applications which implement the EDIINT Features header MUST use the
version value of "1.2" to indicate the support of the Feature header.
Also, since version "1.1" indicates the implementation supports
compression [RFC5402] and "1.2" builds upon "1.1", AS2-Version or
AS3-Version of "1.2" MUST support compression regardless of whether
it is mentioned as a feature in the EDIINT Features header.
5. IANA Considerations
This memo includes no request to IANA.
6. Security Considerations
Because headers are often un-encrypted, it may be possible for the
feature header to be altered. Trading partners MAY consult out-of-
band to confirm feature support.
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7. Normative References
[RFC2119] Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate
Requirement Levels", BCP 14, RFC 2119, March 1997.
[RFC3335] Harding, T., Drummond, R., and C. Shih, "MIME-based Secure
Peer-to-Peer Business Data Interchange over the Internet",
RFC 3335, September 2002.
[RFC4130] Moberg, D. and R. Drummond, "MIME-Based Secure Peer-to-
Peer Business Data Interchange Using HTTP, Applicability
Statement 2 (AS2)", RFC 4130, July 2005.
[RFC4823] Harding, T. and R. Scott, "FTP Transport for Secure Peer-
to-Peer Business Data Interchange over the Internet",
RFC 4823, April 2007.
[RFC5402] Harding, T., "Compressed Data within an Internet
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) Message", RFC 5402,
February 2010.
Author's Address
Kyle Meadors (editor)
Drummond Group Inc.
Franklin, Tennessee 37069
US
Phone: +1 (817) 709-1627
Email: kyle@drummondgroup.com
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