Internet DRAFT - draft-ietf-drums-smtpupd
draft-ietf-drums-smtpupd
A new Request for Comments is now available in online RFC libraries.
RFC 2821
Title: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
Author(s): J. Klensin, Editor
Status: Standards Track
Date: April 2001
Mailbox: klensin@research.att.com
Pages: 79
Characters: 192504
Updates: 1123
Obsoletes: 821, 974
I-D Tag: draft-ietf-drums-smtpupd-13.txt
URL: ftp://ftp.rfc-editor.org/in-notes/rfc2821.txt
This document is a self-contained specification of the basic protocol
for the Internet electronic mail transport. It consolidates, updates
and clarifies, but doesn't add new or change existing functionality of
the following:
- the original SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) specification of
RFC 821,
- domain name system requirements and implications for mail
transport from RFC 1035 and RFC 974,
- the clarifications and applicability statements in RFC 1123,
and
- material drawn from the SMTP Extension mechanisms.
It obsoletes RFC 821, RFC 974, and updates RFC 1123 (replaces the
mail transport materials of RFC 1123). However, RFC 821 specifies
some features that were not in significant use in the Internet by the
mid-1990s and (in appendices) some additional transport models. Those
sections are omitted here in the interest of clarity and brevity;
readers needing them should refer to RFC 821.
It also includes some additional material from RFC 1123 that required
amplification. This material has been identified in multiple ways,
mostly by tracking flaming on various lists and newsgroups and
problems of unusual readings or interpretations that have
appeared as the SMTP extensions have been deployed. Where this
specification moves beyond consolidation and actually differs from
earlier documents, it supersedes them technically as well as
textually.
Although SMTP was designed as a mail transport and delivery protocol,
this specification also contains information that is important to its
use as a 'mail submission' protocol, as recommended for POP and IMAP.
Additional submission issues are discussed in RFC 2476.
Section 2.3 provides definitions of terms specific to this document.
Except when the historical terminology is necessary for clarity, this
document uses the current 'client' and 'server' terminology to
identify the sending and receiving SMTP processes, respectively.
A companion document discusses message headers, message bodies
and formats and structures for them, and their relationship.
This document is a product of the Detailed Revision/Update of Message
Standards Working Group of the IETF.
This is now a Proposed Standard Protocol.
This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for
the Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions
for improvements. Please refer to the current edition of the
"Internet Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the
standardization state and status of this protocol. Distribution
of this memo is unlimited.
This announcement is sent to the IETF list and the RFC-DIST list.
Requests to be added to or deleted from the IETF distribution list
should be sent to IETF-REQUEST@IETF.ORG. Requests to be
added to or deleted from the RFC-DIST distribution list should
be sent to RFC-DIST-REQUEST@RFC-EDITOR.ORG.
Details on obtaining RFCs via FTP or EMAIL may be obtained by sending
an EMAIL message to rfc-info@RFC-EDITOR.ORG with the message body
help: ways_to_get_rfcs. For example:
To: rfc-info@RFC-EDITOR.ORG
Subject: getting rfcs
help: ways_to_get_rfcs
Requests for special distribution should be addressed to either the
author of the RFC in question, or to RFC-Manager@RFC-EDITOR.ORG. Unless
specifically noted otherwise on the RFC itself, all RFCs are for
unlimited distribution.echo
Submissions for Requests for Comments should be sent to
RFC-EDITOR@RFC-EDITOR.ORG. Please consult RFC 2223, Instructions to RFC
Authors, for further information.
