Subject: WG Action: Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (xmpp)

From: The IESG <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 06 Nov 2002 16:18:23 -0500

A new working group has been created in the Applications Area of the 
IETF.  Please contact the Area Directors or WG Chairs for additional 
information.

Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (xmpp)
-------------------------------------------------

 Current Status: Active Working Group

 Chair(s):
     Pete Resnick  <[email-masked]>
     Lisa Dusseault  <[email-masked]>

 Applications Area Director(s):
     Ned Freed  <[email-masked]>
     Patrik Faltstrom  <[email-masked]>

 Applications Area Advisor:
     Patrik Faltstrom  <[email-masked]>

 Mailing Lists: 
     General Discussion:[email-masked]
     To Subscribe:      [email-masked]
         In Body:       subscribe
     Archive:           http://www.jabber.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/xmppwg

Description of Working Group:

XMPP is an open, XML-based protocol for near real-time extensible
messaging and presence. It is the core protocol of the Jabber Instant
Messaging and Presence technology which is currently deployed on
thousands of servers across the Internet and is used by millions of
people worldwide. The XMPP working group shall adapt the XMPP for use
as an IETF Instant Messaging and Presence technology.

The working group will use XMPP (as described in draft-miller-xmpp-*)
as the basis of its work. The final specifications will be consistent
as much as practical with both the requirements given in RFC2779 and
the interoperability details in the final version of the CPIM
specification (draft-ietf-impp-cpim). Note: If a requirement of
RFC2779 or the final CPIM specification cannot be met, the working
group will document why this requirement cannot be met.

A major goal of the working group will be to extend the current XMPP
protocols to provide finished support for RFC 2779-compliant security
mechanisms, including authentication, privacy, access control and
end-to-end as well as hop-by-hop message security.
Mandatory-to-implement security mechanisms will be specified as
needed in order to guarantee secure protocol interoperability.

The working group shall also add support for internationalization and
localization to XMPP.

Instant messaging differs from email primarily by requiring
relatively short delivery latency guarantees and, typically, less
robust transport service. In addition, instant messaging includes the
notion of presence information so authorized users can determine if
their correspondents are available.

BCP 41 will be the basis for working group consideration of the
transport implications of the XMPP design with respect to network
congestion.

Although not encouraged, non-backwards-compatible changes to the
basis specifications will be acceptable if the working group
determines that the changes are required to meet the group's
technical objectives and the group clearly documents the reasons for
making them.

There are facilities, such as chat rooms, shared white-boards and
similar services that are not currently discussed in RFC2778 and
RFC2779. When designing security mechanisms, the working group will
keep in mind that XMPP may be extended or adapted to facilitate these
additional services, so that design decisions can be made that will
not preclude providing these services in the future.

 Goals and Milestones:

   OCT 02       Prepare revised specifications reflecting issues and 
                solutions identified by the working group 

   NOV 02       Meet at the 55th IETF to discuss current drafts 

   DEC 02       Prepare final core protocol draft ready for working 
		    group last call 

   JAN 03       Prepare final instant messaging draft ready for working 
                group last call 

   FEB 03       Prepare final CPIM compliance draft ready for working 
		    group last call 

   MAR 03       Submit revised specifications to the IESG for 
		    consideration as standards-track publications