Using Extensible Markup Language-Remote Procedure Calling (XML-RPC) in Blocks Extensible Exchange Protocol (BEEP)
RFC 3529

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• 03

Network Working Group                                          W. Harold
Request for Comments: 3529                                           IBM
Category: Experimental                                        April 2003

       Using Extensible Markup Language-Remote Procedure Calling
        (XML-RPC) in Blocks Extensible Exchange Protocol (BEEP)

Status of this Memo

   This memo defines an Experimental Protocol for the Internet
   community.  It does not specify an Internet standard of any kind.
   Discussion and suggestions for improvement are requested.
   Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2003).  All Rights Reserved.

Abstract

   XML-RPC is an Extensible Markup Language-Remote Procedure Calling
   protocol that works over the Internet.  It defines an XML format for
   messages that are transfered between clients and servers using HTTP.
   An XML-RPC message encodes either a procedure to be invoked by the
   server, along with the parameters to use in the invocation, or the
   result of an invocation.  Procedure parameters and results can be
   scalars, numbers, strings, dates, etc.; they can also be complex
   record and list structures.

   This document specifies a how to use the Blocks Extensible Exchange
   Protocol (BEEP) to transfer messages encoded in the XML-RPC format
   between clients and servers.

Table of Contents

   1.  Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  2
   2.  BEEP Profile Identification  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  2
       2.1  Profile  Initialization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  3
   3.  XML-RPC Message Packages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
   4.  XML-RPC Message Exchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
   5.  URL Schemes  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
       5.1  The xmlrpc.beep URL Scheme. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
            5.1.1 Resolving IP/TCP Address  Information . . . . . .  6
       5.2  The xmlrpc.beeps URL Scheme . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  7
   6.  Initial Registrations  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9
       6.1  Registration: The XML-RPC Profile . . . . . . . . . . .  9
       6.2  Registration: The xmlrpc.beep URL Scheme. . . . . . . .  9

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RFC 3529                 Using XML-RPC in BEEP                April 2003

       6.3  Registration: The xmlrpc.beeps URL Scheme . . . . . . . 10
       6.4  Registration: The System (Well-Known) TCP port number
            for XML-RPC over BEEP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
   7.  Security Considerations  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
   8.  References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
   Appendix
   A. Acknowledgements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
   B. IANA Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
   Author's Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
   Full Copyright Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

1. Introduction

   This memo specifies how messages encoded in the XML-RPC [1] format
   are transmitted using a BEEP profile [2].

   Throughout this memo, the terms "request" and "response" refer to the
   "methodCall" and "methodResponse" elements defined by the XML-RPC
   specification [1].  Further the terms "peer", "client", "server", and
   "one-to-one" are used in the context of BEEP.  In particular,
   Sections 2.1 and 2.1.1 of [2] discuss BEEP roles and exchange styles.

2. BEEP Profile Identification

   The BEEP profile for XML-RPC is identified as

      http://iana.org/beep/transient/xmlrpc

   in the BEEP "profile" element during channel creation.

   In BEEP, when the first channel is successfully created, the
   "serverName" attribute in the "start" element identifies the "virtual
   host" associated with the peer acting in the server role, e.g.,

      <start number='1' serverName='stateserver.example.com'>
          <profile uri='http://iana.org/beep/transient/xmlrpc' />
      </start>

   The "serverName" attribute is analogous to HTTP's "Host" request-
   header field (c.f., Section 14.23 of [3]).

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RFC 3529                 Using XML-RPC in BEEP                April 2003

   There are two states in the BEEP profile for XML-RPC, "boot", the
   profile's initial state, and "ready":

   o  In the "boot" state, the peer requesting the creation of the
      channel sends a "bootmsg" (either during channel initialization or
      in a "MSG" message).

      *  If the other peer sends a "bootrpy" (either during channel
         initialization or in a "RPY" message), then the "ready" state
         is entered

      *  Otherwise, the other peer sends an "error" (either during
         channel initialization or in a "ERR" message), and no state
         change occurs.

   o  In the "ready" state, the initiating peer begins an XML-RPC