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RFC 361 UNKNOWN TESTING · NETWORK SERVICES · MIT

Echo and Discard: Deamon Processes on Host 106

MIT-DMCG announces two network test processes

On rfc-editor.org ↗
PUBLISHED
July 1972
AUTHORS
R.D. Bressler
STREAM
Legacy
DOI
10.17487/RFC0361

RFC text

Original text · RFC Editor View on rfc-editor.org ↗ 
Network Working Group                              Bob Bressler
Request for Comments:  361                         MIT-DMCG
NIC:  10603                                        5 July 1972


     In response to RFCs 347 and 348, ECHO and DISCARD, MIT-DMCG
(Host 106) now has deamon processes that will respond to RFCs on
sockets 7 and 9.

     A few administrative type decisions were made, to which I
would like to solicit comments.

     First, if our machine is too full to support another deamon
process, the pro-offered connection will be refused;  that is, a
CLS will be sent in response to the RFC on socket 7 or 9.
Second, if no activity takes place for two consecutive minutes
(no characters received on input, or output blocked waiting for
allocation), the connection will be aborted.

     Does anyone see the need or desirability for the third
service in this set:  a random character generator?  Many systems
provide programs like "TTYTST" available over the standard login
connection, but there would be no difficulty in creating a server
connection (like ECHO) offering just this limited service.  I'm
sure that it would be useful for new NCPs, as well as statistics
gathering.










    [ This RFC was put into machine readable form for entry ]
    [ into the online RFC archives by BBN Corp. under the   ]
    [ direction of Alex McKenzie.                      1/97 ]

ISO Plain Language

On this page
PROBLEMThe note reports that Host 106 had installed Echo and Discard processes and explains their connection limits.
MECHANISMThe processes use sockets 7 and 9; the host refuses new connections when it cannot support another process and closes inactive connections.
SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTThe author asks whether the network would benefit from a separate random-character service.

§1Echo and Discard on Host 106

Bob Bressler reports that MIT-DMCG on Host 106 had daemon processes to respond to the Echo and Discard RFCs. The processes were available on sockets 7 and 9.

The note identifies the services by their related RFCs but does not assign one of the two socket numbers to each service.

Host 106 had processes for the Echo and Discard services. They were available on sockets 7 and 9.

§2When a Connection Is Refused or Closed

If the machine was too full to support another daemon process, it would refuse the offered connection by sending a CLS in response to the request. If no activity occurred for two consecutive minutes, the connection would be aborted. The note defines inactivity as no input characters arriving or output being blocked while waiting for allocation.

A full machine would refuse another connection. A connection with no activity for two minutes would be closed.

§3Question About a Random Character Service

The author asks whether there was a need for a third service that generated random characters. He notes that many systems had terminal-testing programs that could provide this function and suggests that a network service might help test new NCPs and gather statistics.

This RFC asks for opinions; it does not announce that such a service had been implemented.

The author asks whether a service that sends random characters would be useful for testing. The notice does not say that this service was already available.