Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Extension for Instant Messaging
draft-ietf-sip-message-07

A new Request for Comments is now available in online RFC libraries.

        RFC 3428
                                
        Title:      Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Extension for
                    Instant Messaging
        Author(s):  B. Campbell, Ed., J. Rosenberg, H. Schulzrinne,
                    C. Huitema, D. Gurle
        Status:     Standards Track
        Date:       December 2002
        Mailbox:    bcampbell@dynamicsoft.com,
                    jdrosen@dynamicsoft.com,
                    schulzrinne@cs.columbia.edu,
                    huitema@microsoft.com, dgurle@microsoft.com
        Pages:      18
        Characters: 41475
        Updates/Obsoletes:SeeAlso:    None
                                
        I-D Tag:    draft-ietf-sip-message-07.txt

        URL:        ftp://ftp.rfc-editor.org/in-notes/rfc3428.txt

Instant Messaging (IM) refers to the transfer of messages between
users in near real-time.  These messages are usually, but not
required to be, short.  IMs are often used in a conversational mode,
that is, the transfer of messages back and forth is fast enough for
participants to maintain an interactive conversation.

This document proposes the MESSAGE method, an extension to the
Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) that allows the transfer of Instant
Messages.  Since the MESSAGE request is an extension to SIP, it
inherits all the request routing and security features of that
protocol.  MESSAGE requests carry the content in the form of MIME
body parts.  MESSAGE requests do not themselves initiate a SIP
dialog; under normal usage each Instant Message stands alone, much
like pager messages.  MESSAGE requests may be sent in the context of
a dialog initiated by some other SIP request.

This document is a product of the Session Initiation Protocol Working
Group of the IETF.

This is now a Proposed Standard Protocol.

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.

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