RFC786

Network Working Group S. Sluizer Request for Comments: 786 J. Postel

                                                                 ISI
                                                           July 1981

                    MAIL TRANSFER PROTOCOL:
                ISI TOPS20 MTP-NIMAIL INTERFACE

INTRODUCTION

This document defines the ISI TOPS20s interface between the Mail Transfer Protocol (MTP) and the Network Independent Mail Protocol (NIMAIL) in terms of the files which implement it. The internal structure and name of each file is described below.

For a complete understanding of the MTP protocol as well as the terms used within this document, see RFC 780 "Mail Transfer Protocol", RFC 784 "ISI TOPS20 Implementation", and RFC 785 "ISI TOPS20 File Defintitions". The NIMAIL is documented in IEN 169, "A Simple NIFTP-Based Mail System".

DESCRIPTION

1. NIMAIL to MTP

  NIMAIL will present mail for processing by MTP using the files
  specified in RFC 785.

2. MTP to NIMAIL

  MTP will present mail for processing by NIMAIL in files of the
  following form:

     address <CR><LF>
     address <CR><LF>
     address <CR><LF>
     <CR><LF>
     Via: USC-ISIE; date-time <CR><LF>
     header
      .
      .
      .
     <CR><LF>
     body
      .
      .
      .

     Where each address is of the form:

Sluizer & Postel Page [1]

July 1981 RFC 786 ISI TOPS20 MTP-NIMAIL Interface

        user%host%host%host@host

     And each address in the same file has the same "@host" part.

     The date-time will be in the default TOPS20 ODTIM format
     "dd-mmm-yy hh:mm:ss" (24 hour time).

  The files will named "arbitrary.NIMAIL.-1", where "arbitrary" will
  be somesort of date-time encoding for human uses.  The NIMAIL will
  not care in the least what the "arbitrary" part is.  These files
  will be placed into the NIMAIL directory on ISIE.

DISCUSSION

The NIMAIL and MTP will each perform a transformation of the address information to create the appropriate input for the other system.

NIMAIL to MTP

  The mail that arrives at NIMAIL with the information

     joe%hostx%hosty%hostz@isie

  will be presented to MTP with the information

     FROM: <NIMAIL@ISIE>
     TO: <@hostz,@hosty,joe@hostx>

MTP to NIMAIL

  The mail that arrives at MTP with the information

     FROM: <sam@SRI-NIC>
     TO: <@ISIE,@hostz,@hosty,joe@hostx>

  will be presented to NIMAIL with the information

     joe%hostx%hosty@hostz

     Via: ISIE

Page [2] Sluizer & Postel