RPC: Remote Procedure Call Protocol Specification Version 2
RFC 5531

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Network Working Group                                         R. Thurlow
Request for Comments: 5531                              Sun Microsystems
Obsoletes: 1831                                                 May 2009
Category: Standards Track

      RPC: Remote Procedure Call Protocol Specification Version 2

Status of This Memo

   This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
   Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
   improvements.  Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
   Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
   and status of this protocol.  Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (c) 2009 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
   document authors.  All rights reserved.

   This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal
   Provisions Relating to IETF Documents in effect on the date of
   publication of this document (http://trustee.ietf.org/license-info).
   Please review these documents carefully, as they describe your rights
   and restrictions with respect to this document.

Abstract

   This document describes the Open Network Computing (ONC) Remote
   Procedure Call (RPC) version 2 protocol as it is currently deployed
   and accepted.  This document obsoletes RFC 1831.

Thurlow                     Standards Track                     [Page 1]
RFC 5531        Remote Procedure Call Protocol Version 2        May 2009

Table of Contents

   1. Introduction ....................................................3
      1.1. Requirements Language ......................................3
   2. Changes since RFC 1831 ..........................................3
   3. Terminology .....................................................3
   4. The RPC Model ...................................................4
   5. Transports and Semantics ........................................5
   6. Binding and Rendezvous Independence .............................7
   7. Authentication ..................................................7
   8. RPC Protocol Requirements .......................................7
      8.1. RPC Programs and Procedures ................................8
      8.2. Authentication, Integrity, and Privacy .....................9
      8.3. Program Number Assignment .................................10
      8.4. Other Uses of the RPC Protocol ............................10
           8.4.1. Batching ...........................................10
           8.4.2. Broadcast Remote Procedure Calls ...................11
   9. The RPC Message Protocol .......................................11
   10. Authentication Protocols ......................................15
      10.1. Null Authentication ......................................15
   11. Record Marking Standard .......................................16
   12. The RPC Language ..............................................16
      12.1. An Example Service Described in the RPC Language .........17
      12.2. The RPC Language Specification ...........................18
      12.3. Syntax Notes .............................................18
   13. IANA Considerations ...........................................19
      13.1. Numbering Requests to IANA ...............................19
      13.2. Protecting Past Assignments ..............................19
      13.3. RPC Number Assignment ....................................19
           13.3.1. To be assigned by IANA ............................20
           13.3.2. Defined by Local Administrator ....................20
           13.3.3. Transient Block ...................................20
           13.3.4. Reserved Block ....................................21
           13.3.5. RPC Number Sub-Blocks .............................21
      13.4. RPC Authentication Flavor Number Assignment ..............22
           13.4.1. Assignment Policy .................................22
           13.4.2. Auth Flavors vs. Pseudo-Flavors ...................23
      13.5. Authentication Status Number Assignment ..................23
           13.5.1. Assignment Policy .................................23
   14. Security Considerations .......................................24
   Appendix A: System Authentication .................................25
   Appendix B: Requesting RPC-Related Numbers from IANA  .............26
   Appendix C: Current Number Assignments  ...........................27
   Normative References  .............................................62
   Informative References  ...........................................62

Thurlow                     Standards Track                     [Page 2]
RFC 5531        Remote Procedure Call Protocol Version 2        May 2009

1.  Introduction

   This document specifies version 2 of the message protocol used in ONC
   Remote Procedure Call (RPC).  The message protocol is specified with
   the eXternal Data Representation (XDR) language [RFC4506].  This