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Accept-Push-Policy Header Field
draft-ruellan-http-accept-push-policy-00

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This is an older version of an Internet-Draft whose latest revision state is "Expired".
Authors Herve Ruellan , Youenn Fablet , Romain Bellessort , Franck Denoual , Frederic Maze
Last updated 2015-10-16
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draft-ruellan-http-accept-push-policy-00
Httpbis                                                       H. Ruellan
Internet-Draft                                                 Y. Fablet
Intended status: Experimental                              R. Bellessort
Expires: April 18, 2016                                       F. Denoual
                                                                 F. Maze
                                                               Canon CRF
                                                        October 16, 2015

                    Accept-Push-Policy Header Field
               draft-ruellan-http-accept-push-policy-00

Abstract

   The "Accept-Push-Policy" and "Push-Policy" header fields enable a
   client and a server to negotiate the behaviour of the server
   regarding the usage of push on a per-request basis.

Status of This Memo

   This Internet-Draft is submitted in full conformance with the
   provisions of BCP 78 and BCP 79.

   Internet-Drafts are working documents of the Internet Engineering
   Task Force (IETF).  Note that other groups may also distribute
   working documents as Internet-Drafts.  The list of current Internet-
   Drafts is at http://datatracker.ietf.org/drafts/current/.

   Internet-Drafts are draft documents valid for a maximum of six months
   and may be updated, replaced, or obsoleted by other documents at any
   time.  It is inappropriate to use Internet-Drafts as reference
   material or to cite them other than as "work in progress."

   This Internet-Draft will expire on April 18, 2016.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (c) 2015 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
   document authors.  All rights reserved.

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   This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal
   Provisions Relating to IETF Documents
   (http://trustee.ietf.org/license-info) in effect on the date of
   publication of this document.  Please review these documents
   carefully, as they describe your rights and restrictions with respect
   to this document.  Code Components extracted from this document must
   include Simplified BSD License text as described in Section 4.e of
   the Trust Legal Provisions and are provided without warranty as
   described in the Simplified BSD License.

Table of Contents

   1.  Introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
     1.1.  Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
   2.  Push Control Use Cases  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
     2.1.  Adapting Push Behaviour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
     2.2.  Load Balancer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
     2.3.  DASH Fast Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
     2.4.  Fast Page Load  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5
     2.5.  Use Cases Requirements  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5
   3.  Push Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5
     3.1.  The Accept-Push-Policy Header Field . . . . . . . . . . .   6
     3.2.  Push-Policy Header Field  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
     3.3.  Push Policy Values  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7
       3.3.1.  None Push Policy  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7
       3.3.2.  Head Push Policy  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7
       3.3.3.  Default Push Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
       3.3.4.  Fast-Load Push Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
   4.  IANA Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
   5.  Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9
   6.  References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9
     6.1.  Normative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9
     6.2.  Informative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9
   Authors' Addresses  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  10

1.  Introduction

   HTTP/2 [RFC7540], the new version of the HTTP protocol, not only
   provides significant improvements compared to HTTP/1.1 (see [RFC7230]
   and [RFC7231]), but also provides several new features.  Among these
   is Server Push, which enables a server to send responses to a client
   without having received the corresponding requests.

   The range of possibilities offered by Server Push is a new domain
   wide open for experimentation.  A first usage was foreseen early in
   the addition of this feature into HTTP/2, which is to replace the
   inlining of sub-resources inside a main resource, by pushing these
   sub-resources in response to the request for the main resource.  As

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   described in [HighPerformance], with HTTP/1.1 a web designer may want
   to optimize the page load time by packing a whole web page into a
   single HTTP response.  This can be achieved by inlining the CSS,
   JavaScript, and images inside the HTML document.  By removing the
   need for the client to send requests for these sub-resources, this
   inlining technique can reduce the page load time by roughly a RTT.
   With HTTP/2, the same results can be obtained by pushing the sub-
   resources instead of inlining them.  Using push has the advantage of
   keeping each sub-resource independent.

   HTTP/2 provides a few ways of controlling Server Push from the client
   side.  First, the SETTINGS parameter "SETTINGS_ENABLE_PUSH" allows a
   client to globally enable or disable push on a HTTP/2 connection.  In
   addition, HTTP/2 Flow Control can be used to limit the bandwidth used
   by pushed resources.

   These options provide only a coarse control of the usage of Server
   Push from the client side.  In some cases, a more fine-grained
   control would be useful.  This document describes several use cases
   where controlling Server Push would be useful for the client.  It
   then proposes new header fields for realizing this control.

1.1.  Terminology

   In this document, the key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED",
   "SHALL", "SHALL NOT", "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY",
   and "OPTIONAL" are to be interpreted as described in BCP 14, RFC 2119
   [RFC2119] and indicate requirement levels for compliant
   implementations.

   This document uses the Augmented BNF defined in [RFC5234].

2.  Push Control Use Cases

2.1.  Adapting Push Behaviour

   A browser may want to ask the server to adapt its behaviour for
   pushing resources depending on the user's actions.  For example,
   after navigating through a site for some time, the browser may have
   many sub-resources in its cache and may prefer that the server
   doesn't push sub-resources anymore to prevent wasting bandwidth.
   This could be further optimized with the browser asking the server to
   push only response metadata (i.e., the responses pushed by the server
   correspond to requests made with the HEAD method instead of requests
   made with the GET method).  By receiving in advance the list of sub-
   resources corresponding to a specific request, the browser would be
   able to fetch early on any missing sub-resource.

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   As another example, when a user opens many pages on the same site,
   the browser may want to receive pushed sub-resources only for the
   foreground tab and not for any background tab.  This results in a
   better optimization of the page load time for the tab that is visible
   to the user.

2.2.  Load Balancer

   A second use case is a load balancer serving both HTTP/1.1 and HTTP/2
   clients, and using HTTP/2 to connect to the backend servers, as
   described in [LoadBalancer].

   The load balancer uses the same HTTP/2 connection towards a backend
   server to forward the requests received from several clients.  When
   the client is a HTTP/1.1 client, the load balancer doesn't want the
   backend server to push any resource in response to the client's
   request.  On the contrary, when the client is a HTTP/2 client, the
   load balancer would like the backend server to push sub-resources
   associated to the client's request.

   The load balancer would like to be able to enable or disable push on
   a per-request basis.  This would enable it to optimize the server
   behaviour depending on the client's capacity.

2.3.  DASH Fast Start

   Controlling the server behaviour regarding push may also be useful
   for specific applications.  As an example, DASH [DASH] is a
   technology for streaming media content over HTTP.  The media content
   is split into small file-based segments that can be retrieved through
   HTTP requests.  Potentially, the media content is made available with
   different quality levels.  A media presentation description (MPD)
   describes the organization of the media.

   To render a media, a DASH client needs to first download the MPD,
   process it, and then request the necessary media segments.  When
   requesting a MPD to play the associated media content, it would be
   useful for a DASH client to be able to ask the server to push some
   initial content (for example, the initialization segments, and
   possibly the first content segments).

   However, there are also cases when it is not useful for the DASH
   client to receive in advance this initial content.  For example, in a
   video program guide, the DASH client may want to download several
   MPDs corresponding to different media content, but doesn't want to
   receive the initial content for all of these.  Therefore, it is
   useful for the DASH client to be able to specify in a request for a
   MPD whether it wants the server to push some initial content.

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   In addition, when the DASH client asks the server to push some
   initial content, it could be useful for it to have some feedback from
   the server.  This feedback would indicate whether the server is
   intending to push this initial content.  The client could adapt its
   behaviour depending on this indication.  For example, the client
   could start rendering the media sooner if it knows that the server is
   pushing the initial content.

2.4.  Fast Page Load

   The previous use case can be expanded to the more generic use case of
   downloading quickly a web page.  As described in
   [Breaking1000msBarrier], it is important for the user perception to
   keep the perceived latency of loading a web page under 1000 ms.  This
   can be difficult when using a mobile connection with a high latency.
   Part of the solution proposed in [Breaking1000msBarrier] for HTTP/1.1
   is to inline all the sub-resources necessary for achieving a first
   rendering of the web page.  With HTTP/2, the inlining of these sub-
   resources can be replaced by having the server push them.

   Therefore, a client detecting that it is using a high-latency network
   could improve the user perceived latency by asking the server to push
   all the sub-resources necessary for a first display of a web page.

2.5.  Use Cases Requirements

   The analysis of these use cases enables to build a list of
   requirements for defining a fine-grained control over the usage of
   push by a server.

   o  The client can ask the server not to push any resource in response
      to a request.

   o  The client can ask the server to only push response metadata.

   o  The client can ask the server to use an application-defined
      behaviour regarding push.

   o  The server can indicate to the client its behaviour regarding push
      when processing a request.

3.  Push Policy

   A _push policy_ defines the server behaviour regarding push when
   processing a request.  Different push policies can be used when
   processing different requests.

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   This section defines new header fields enabling a client and a server
   to negotiate the push policy used by the server to process a given
   request.

   The new "Accept-Push-Policy" header field enables a client to express
   its expectations regarding the server's push policy for processing a
   request.

   The "Push-Policy" header field enables a server to state the push
   policy used when processing a request.

3.1.  The Accept-Push-Policy Header Field

   A client can express the desired push policy for a request by sending
   an "Accept-Push-Policy" header field in the request.

   Accept-Push-Policy    = token ; a push policy name

   The header field value contains the push policy that the client
   expects the server to use when processing the request.

   Possibly, the "Accept-Push-Policy" header field could be extended to
   support carrying multiple policies, as a comma-separated list of
   tokens.  The server could choose its preferred policy among those
   proposed by the client.

3.2.  Push-Policy Header Field

   A server can indicate to a client the push policy it used when
   processing a request by sending a "Push-Policy" header field in the
   corresponding response.

   Push-Policy           = token ; a push policy name

   The server MUST follow the indicated push policy when processing the
   client request associated to the response.

   The "Push-Policy" header field can be used as an acknowledgement from
   the server after receiving a request containing the "Accept-Push-
   Policy" header field.

   If the "Accept-Push-Policy" header field can contain a list of push
   policy names, the "Push-Policy" header field can be used to express
   which push policy was selected by the server.

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   The server can also choose a push policy not corresponding to the
   client's expectation as expressed in the "Accept-Push-Policy" header,
   and specify the selected push policy in the "Push-Policy" header
   field.

3.3.  Push Policy Values

   This section defines some generic push policies.  Other push policies
   can be standardized for either a generic usage, or for an
   application-specific usage.  In addition, private push policies can
   be used by a web application.

   TBD: select the form of private push policies (URN, "X-" values...).

3.3.1.  None Push Policy

   The "None" push policy value indicates that no resource is pushed
   when processing a request.

   For example, a browser sending a request for a background tab could
   ask the server not to push any resources in response to this request
   by sending an "Accept-Push-Policy" header with the "None" value.
   This would result in the following HTTP/2 header block:

   :method = GET
   :scheme = https
   :path = /index.html
   host = example.org
   accept = text/html
   accept-push-policy = none

3.3.2.  Head Push Policy

   The "Head" push policy value indicates that only response metadata
   are pushed (the server is pushing responses corresponding to requests
   made with the HEAD method).

   For example, a browser may already have many resources from a web
   site in its cache.  It could ask the server to push only response
   metadata.  This would allow the browser to know early on the
   resources useful for rendering a web page (i.e., before receiving and
   parsing the HTML document), without taking the risk of wasting
   bandwidth with resources already in its cache.  In this example, the
   browser's request would contain the following HTTP/2 header block:

   :method = GET
   :scheme = https

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   :path = /index.html
   host = example.org
   accept = text/html
   accept-push-policy = head

3.3.3.  Default Push Policy

   The "Default" push policy value indicates that the server is using
   its default behaviour for pushing resources when processing a
   request.

   For example, a server not fulfilling a client's expectation regarding
   the push policy could indicate this with the "Default" push policy.
   It would send the following HTTP/2 header block in its response:

   :status 200
   push-policy = default

3.3.4.  Fast-Load Push Policy

   The "Fast-Load" push policy value indicates that the sub-resources
   necessary for a first rendering of a main resource are pushed
   alongside the response containing this main resource.

   A server using the "Fast-Load" push policy while processing a request
   can push sub-resources not necessary for a first rendering, but
   SHOULD prioritize sub-resources necessary for this first rendering.

   For example, a client detecting that it is using a high-latency
   network can try to improve the user perceived latency by asking the
   server to push the sub-resources necessary for a first rendering of a
   main page by including an "Accept-Push-Policy" header with the "Fast-
   Load" value.  This would result in the following HTTP/2 header block:

   :method = GET
   :scheme = https
   :path = /index.html
   host = example.org
   accept = text/html
   accept-push-policy = fast-load

4.  IANA Considerations

   TBD

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5.  Security Considerations

   TBD

6.  References

6.1.  Normative References

   [RFC2119]  Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate
              Requirement Levels", BCP 14, RFC 2119, DOI 10.17487/
              RFC2119, March 1997,
              <http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc2119>.

   [RFC5234]  Crocker, D., Ed. and P. Overell, "Augmented BNF for Syntax
              Specifications: ABNF", STD 68, RFC 5234, DOI 10.17487/
              RFC5234, January 2008,
              <http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc5234>.

   [RFC7540]  Belshe, M., Peon, R., and M. Thomson, Ed., "Hypertext
              Transfer Protocol Version 2 (HTTP/2)", RFC 7540, DOI
              10.17487/RFC7540, May 2015,
              <http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc7540>.

6.2.  Informative References

   [Breaking1000msBarrier]
              Grigorik, I., "Breaking the 1000 ms mobile barrier",
              November 2013.

   [DASH]     "Dynamic adaptive streaming over HTTP (DASH)", ISO/IEC:
              23009-1:2014 , 2014.

   [HighPerformance]
              Grigorik, I., "High Performance Browser Networking",
              September 2013.

   [LoadBalancer]
              Douglas, S., "PUSH_PROMISE and load balancers", September
              2014, <https://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/ietf-http-wg/
              2014JulSep/2374.html>.

   [RFC7230]  Fielding, R., Ed. and J. Reschke, Ed., "Hypertext Transfer
              Protocol (HTTP/1.1): Message Syntax and Routing", RFC
              7230, DOI 10.17487/RFC7230, June 2014,
              <http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc7230>.

   [RFC7231]  Fielding, R., Ed. and J. Reschke, Ed., "Hypertext Transfer
              Protocol (HTTP/1.1): Semantics and Content", RFC 7231, DOI

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              10.17487/RFC7231, June 2014,
              <http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc7231>.

Authors' Addresses

   Herve Ruellan
   Canon CRF

   Email: herve.ruellan@crf.canon.fr

   Youenn Fablet
   Canon CRF

   Email: youenn.fablet@crf.canon.fr

   Romain Bellessort
   Canon CRF

   Email: romain.bellessort@crf.canon.fr

   Franck Denoual
   Canon CRF

   Email: franck.denoual@crf.canon.fr

   Frederic Maze
   Canon CRF

   Email: frederic.maze@crf.canon.fr

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