Maintaining Robust Protocols
RFC 9413, “Maintaining Robust Protocols”, is an Informational document published in June 2023 by M. Thomson, D. Schinazi. The canonical text is published by the RFC Editor.
Abstract
The main goal of the networking standards process is to enable the long-term interoperability of protocols. This document describes active protocol maintenance, a means to accomplish that goal. By evolving specifications and implementations, it is possible to reduce ambiguity over time and create a healthy ecosystem.
The robustness principle, often phrased as "be conservative in what you send, and liberal in what you accept", has long guided the design and implementation of Internet protocols. However, it has been interpreted in a variety of ways. While some interpretations help ensure the health of the Internet, others can negatively affect interoperability over time. When a protocol is actively maintained, protocol designers and implementers can avoid these pitfalls.
What “Informational” means
Published for the general information of the community. It does not define an IETF standard and carries no standards-track status.
The canonical text of RFC 9413 is hosted at rfc-editor.org. Available in HTML,TXT,PDF,XML.
- RFC 9412 The ORIGIN Extension in HTTP/3
- RFC 9414 Unfortunate History of Transient Numeric Identifiers
- RFC 9411 Benchmarking Methodology for Network Security Device Performance
- RFC 9415 On the Generation of Transient Numeric Identifiers
- RFC 9410 Handling of Identity Header Errors for Secure Telephone Identity Revisited
- RFC 9416 Security Considerations for Transient Numeric Identifiers Employed in Network Protocols
- RFC 9409 The 'sip-trunking-capability' Link Relation Type
- RFC 9417 Service Assurance for Intent-Based Networking Architecture