Subject: Final Charter Proposal

From: Markus Hofmann <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 17 Jul 2004 00:06:43 -0400

Folks,

below the final version of our new *proposed* charter. I'll forward 
this version to our AD for additional feedback before submitting to 
the IESG for consideration. Thanks to everyone who contributed to the 
re-charter.

Don't forget - we're on for San Diego!

-Markus

==========================================

Open Pluggable Edge Services (opes)
-----------------------------------

Chair(s):
Markus Hofmann <[email-masked]>

Applications Area Director(s):
Ted Hardie <[email-masked]>
Scott Hollenbeck <[email-masked]>

Applications Area Advisor:
Ted Hardie <[email-masked]>

Technical Advisor(s):
Allison Mankin <[email-masked]>
Hilarie Orman <[email-masked]>

Mailing Lists:
General Discussion: [email-masked]
To Subscribe: [email-masked]
Archive: http://www.imc.org/ietf-openproxy/mail-archive/

Description of Working Group:
The Internet facilitates the development of networked services at the 
application level that both offload origin servers and improve the 
user experience. Web proxies, for example, are commonly deployed to 
provide services such as Web caching, virus scanning, and request 
filtering. Lack of standardized mechanisms to trace and to control 
such intermediaries causes problems with respect to failure detection, 
data integrity, privacy, and security.

The OPES Working Group has previously developed an architectural 
framework to authorize, invoke, and trace such application-level 
services. The framework follows a one-party consent model, which 
requires that each service be authorized explicitly by at least one of 
the application-layer endpoints. It further requires that OPES 
services are reversible by mutual agreement of the application endpoints.

In particular, the WG has developed a protocol suite for invocation 
and tracking of OPES services inside the net. The protocol suite 
includes a generic, application-agnostic protocol core (OCP Core) that 
is supplemented by profiles specific to the application-layer protocol 
used between the endpoints. So far, the WG has specified an OCP 
profile for HTTP, which supports OPES services that operate on HTTP 
messages.

In a next step, the WG will specify one or more OCP profiles that will 
support OPES services operating on SMTP. In particular, the profile to 
be specified will enable an OPES processor to encapsulate and forward 
SMTP data and metadata to a callout server for additional processing. 
Several kinds of agents participate in SMTP exchanges, including MSA, 
MTA, MDA, and MUA. The first OCP/SMTP profile will address the needs 
of at least the MTA. More profiles may be needed to address other 
agent-specific needs.

In addition, the WG will define a rules language to control selection 
and invocation of services by an OPES processor. This includes a 
mechanism allowing an OPES processor to perform a runtime check of 
service parameters, leveraging existing interface description 
standards like WSDL, if possible, or OPES-specific description 
otherwise. Defining language(s) for implementing OPES services is out 
of the WG scope. The rules language will be based on previous work of 
the WG on a rules language named "P". The WG will have a design goal 
that the language be compatible with existing policy work within the 
IETF (e.g. IETF Policy Framework) and be able to interface with 
systems automating distribution of policies to multiple endpoints. It 
will be out of scope for this WG to develop the policy framework and 
specify multiple-endpoint policy distribution.

The group's new work items can be listed as:

- Develop a document about "Scenarios and Use Cases for
   OPES Services operating on SMTP".
- Define profile(s) for OCP core that handle SMTP messages
   or parts thereof.
- Define a rules language to control the selection and
   invocation of HTTP-based or SMTP-based OPES services.

Each deliverable must follow the previously developed OPES 
architecture. As each deliverable is developed, it must address the 
IAB considerations specified in RFC 3238.

Goals and Milestones:

Done    Submit OPES scenarios document and architecture
         document to IESG for Informational.
Done    Submit document on protocol (callout and tracing)
         requirements to IESG for Informational.
Done    Submit document on endpoint authorization and
         enforcement requirements to IESG for Informational.
Done    Submit document on threat/risk model for OPES
         services to IESG for Informational.
Done    Initial protocol document for OPES services
         including their authorization, invocation,
         tracking, and enforcement of authorization.
Done    Initial document on rules specification method.
Done    Submit protocol document for OPES services
         including their authorization, invocation,
         tracking, and enforcement of authorization to IESG
         for Proposed Standard.
SEP04   Revised document on OPES rules language.
OCT04   Submit use cases document for OPES services
         operating on SMTP to IESG for Informational.
DEC04   Initial document on OCP/SMTP profile for MTAs,
         including mechanisms for tracing and bypass.
FEB05   Submit document on OCP/SMTP profile for MTAs,
         including mechanisms for tracing and bypass, to
         IESG for Proposed Standard.
APR05   Submit document(s) on OCP/SMTP profile(s) for those
         other SMTP agents the WG has decided to work on, if
         any, to IESG as Proposed Standard(s).
MAY05   Submit document(s) on OPES rules language to
         IESG for Proposed Standard.
MAY05   Consider additional OPES work and present new
         charter to IESG, or conclude working group.