Helping shape the internet

Publication of two RFCs in which SWITCH has been involved

The future of the internet is a central concern for SWITCH. For that reason, SWITCH is a member of numerous international organisations and also plays an active part in working out so-called "standards".

• Clickable map (Hypertext)

The IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) acts as the depository for the standards used in the internet, which are known as RFCs (Request For Comments). Such standards are essential for making sure that any two devices communicating with one another through the internet speak the same technical language (called a "protocol"). Recently, two new RFC documents were published, and SWITCH was involved in both of them.

ENUM

The first of these RFCs (RFC 5076) documents solutions for ENUM validation. ENUM (E164 number mapping) is a technology that makes it possible to create records of telephone numbers in the DNS (Domain Name System) in a similar way to domain names, and these can then be used, for instance, to facilitate gateways between conventional telephony and IP telephony. However, it is only the holder of the corresponding telephone number who is permitted to set up such ENUM records. To prevent any abuse, validation is an essential element in ENUM. A year ago, SWITCH and its colleagues from Austrian enum.at already recorded the ENUM validation architecture with the IETF in RFC 4725. The recently published RFC 5076 builds further on RFC 4725.

IP Multicast

The second RFC (RFC 5059) specifies a protocol that can be used for the consistent, dynamic configuration within a network of a particular parameter for the operation of IP Multicast. With IP Multicast, it is possible to deliver a data packet to several recipients, although the sender only sends it once, and the copying takes place within the network. Its principal application today is for the efficient distribution of multimedia data streams, especially television through the internet.

• SWITCH's international networking