Technical Summary
This document defines FLUTE, a protocol for the unidirectional
delivery of files over the Internet, which is particularly suited to
multicast networks. The specification builds on Asynchronous Layered
Coding, the base protocol designed for massively scalable multicast
distribution. This document obsoletes RFC3926.
Working Group Summary
This document represents a solid consensus of the RMT WG.
Flute version 1 was published as an Experimental protocol.
It has been widely implemented, including most of the changes in this document.
Many implementers compared notes and updated their implementations.
This document reflects industry updates to the original FLUTE design.
There was dissent over changing the version number, but there was rough
consensus (including IESG push) that it is important to be able to distinguish
version 1 from version 2 on-the-wire, because version 2 is not backwards
compatible with version 1.
Protocol Quality
The WG reviewed the spec, and there are a number of implementations.
I (the AD) believe this specification is in wide use in shipping products.