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+Network Working Group                                          N. Freed
+Request for Comments: 2920                                     Innosoft
+STD: 60                                                  September 2000
+Obsoletes: 2197
+Category: Standards Track
+
+
+             SMTP Service Extension for Command Pipelining
+
+Status of this Memo
+
+   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.
+
+Copyright Notice
+
+   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2000).  All Rights Reserved.
+
+Abstract
+
+   This memo defines an extension to the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
+   (SMTP) service whereby a server can indicate the extent of its
+   ability to accept multiple commands in a single Transmission Control
+   Protocol (TCP) send operation. Using a single TCP send operation for
+   multiple commands can improve SMTP performance significantly.
+
+1.  Introduction
+
+   Although SMTP is widely and robustly deployed, certain extensions may
+   nevertheless prove useful. In particular, many parts of the Internet
+   make use of high latency network links.  SMTP's intrinsic one
+   command-one response structure is significantly penalized by high
+   latency links, often to the point where the factors contributing to
+   overall connection time are dominated by the time spent waiting for
+   responses to individual commands (turnaround time).
+
+   In the best of all worlds it would be possible to simply deploy SMTP
+   client software that makes use of command pipelining: batching up
+   multiple commands into single TCP send operations. Unfortunately, the
+   original SMTP specification [RFC-821] did not explicitly state that
+   SMTP servers must support this. As a result a non-trivial number of
+   Internet SMTP servers cannot adequately handle command pipelining.
+   Flaws known to exist in deployed servers include:
+
+
+
+
+
+Freed                       Standards Track                     [Page 1]
+
+RFC 2920              SMTP for Command Pipelining         September 2000
+
+
+    (1)   Connection handoff and buffer flushes in the middle of the
+          SMTP dialogue.  Creation of server processes for incoming SMTP
+          connections is a useful, obvious, and harmless implementation
+          technique. However, some SMTP servers defer process forking
+          and connection handoff until some intermediate point in the
+          SMTP dialogue.  When this is done material read from the TCP
+          connection and kept in process buffers can be lost.
+
+    (2)   Flushing the TCP input buffer when an SMTP command fails. SMTP
+          commands often fail but there is no reason to flush the TCP
+          input buffer when this happens.  Nevertheless, some SMTP
+          servers do this.
+
+    (3)   Improper processing and promulgation of SMTP command failures.
+          For example, some SMTP servers will refuse to accept a DATA
+          command if the last RCPT TO command fails, paying no attention
+          to the success or failure of prior RCPT TO command results.
+          Other servers will accept a DATA command even when all
+          previous RCPT TO commands have failed. Although it is possible
+          to accommodate this sort of behavior in a client that employs
+          command pipelining, it does complicate the construction of the
+          client unnecessarily.
+
+   This memo uses the mechanism described in [RFC-1869] to define an
+   extension to the SMTP service whereby an SMTP server can declare that
+   it is capable of handling pipelined commands. The SMTP client can
+   then check for this declaration and use pipelining only when the
+   server declares itself capable of handling it.
+
+1.1.  Requirements Notation
+
+   This document occasionally uses terms that appear in capital letters.
+   When the terms "MUST", "MUST NOT", "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", and "MAY"
+   appear capitalized, they are being used to indicate particular
+   requirements of this specification. A discussion of the meanings of
+   the terms "MUST", "SHOULD", and "MAY" appears in [RFC-1123]; the
+   terms "MUST NOT" and "SHOULD NOT" are logical extensions of this
+   usage.
+
+2.  Framework for the Command Pipelining Extension
+
+   The Command Pipelining extension is defined as follows:
+
+    (1)   the name of the SMTP service extension is Pipelining;
+
+    (2)   the EHLO keyword value associated with the extension is
+          PIPELINING;
+
+
+
+
+Freed                       Standards Track                     [Page 2]
+
+RFC 2920              SMTP for Command Pipelining         September 2000
+
+
+    (3)   no parameter is used with the PIPELINING EHLO keyword;
+
+    (4)   no additional parameters are added to either the MAIL FROM or
+          RCPT TO commands.
+
+    (5)   no additional SMTP verbs are defined by this extension; and,
+
+    (6)   the next section specifies how support for the extension
+          affects the behavior of a server and client SMTP.
+
+3.  The Pipelining Service Extension
+
+   When a client SMTP wishes to employ command pipelining, it first
+   issues the EHLO command to the server SMTP. If the server SMTP
+   responds with code 250 to the EHLO command, and the response includes
+   the EHLO keyword value PIPELINING, then the server SMTP has indicated
+   that it can accommodate SMTP command pipelining.
+
+3.1.  Client use of pipelining
+
+   Once the client SMTP has confirmed that support exists for the
+   pipelining extension, the client SMTP may then elect to transmit
+   groups of SMTP commands in batches without waiting for a response to
+   each individual command. In particular, the commands RSET, MAIL FROM,
+   SEND FROM, SOML FROM, SAML FROM, and RCPT TO can all appear anywhere
+   in a pipelined command group.  The EHLO, DATA, VRFY, EXPN, TURN,
+   QUIT, and NOOP commands can only appear as the last command in a
+   group since their success or failure produces a change of state which
+   the client SMTP must accommodate. (NOOP is included in this group so
+   it can be used as a synchronization point.)
+
+   Additional commands added by other SMTP extensions may only appear as
+   the last command in a group unless otherwise specified by the
+   extensions that define the commands.
+
+   The actual transfer of message content is explicitly allowed to be
+   the first "command" in a group. That is, a RSET/MAIL FROM sequence
+   used to initiate a new message transaction can be placed in the same
+   group as the final transfer of the headers and body of the previous
+   message.
+
+   Client SMTP implementations that employ pipelining MUST check ALL
+   statuses associated with each command in a group. For example, if
+   none of the RCPT TO recipient addresses were accepted the client must
+   then check the response to the DATA command -- the client cannot
+   assume that the DATA command will be rejected just because none of
+   the RCPT TO commands worked.  If the DATA command was properly
+   rejected the client SMTP can just issue RSET, but if the DATA command
+
+
+
+Freed                       Standards Track                     [Page 3]
+
+RFC 2920              SMTP for Command Pipelining         September 2000
+
+
+   was accepted the client SMTP should send a single dot.
+
+   Command statuses MUST be coordinated with responses by counting each
+   separate response and correlating that count with the number of
+   commands known to have been issued.  Multiline responses MUST be
+   supported. Matching on the basis of either the error code value or
+   associated text is expressly forbidden.
+
+   Client SMTP implementations MAY elect to operate in a nonblocking
+   fashion, processing server responses immediately upon receipt, even
+   if there is still data pending transmission from the client's
+   previous TCP send operation. If nonblocking operation is not
+   supported, however, client SMTP implementations MUST also check the
+   TCP window size and make sure that each group of commands fits
+   entirely within the window. The window size is usually, but not
+   always, 4K octets.  Failure to perform this check can lead to
+   deadlock conditions.
+
+   Clients MUST NOT confuse responses to multiple commands with
+   multiline responses. Each command requires one or more lines of
+   response, the last line not containing a dash between the response
+   code and the response string.
+
+3.2.  Server support of pipelining
+
+   A server SMTP implementation that offers the pipelining extension:
+
+    (1)   MUST respond to commands in the order they are received from
+          the client.
+
+    (2)   SHOULD elect to store responses to grouped RSET, MAIL FROM,
+          SEND FROM, SOML FROM, SAML FROM, and RCPT TO commands in an
+          internal buffer so they can sent as a unit.
+
+    (3)   SHOULD issue a positive response to the DATA command if and
+          only if one or more valid RCPT TO addresses have been
+          previously received.
+
+    (4)   MUST NOT, after issuing a positive response to a DATA command
+          with no valid recipients and subsequently receiving an empty
+          message, send any message whatsoever to anybody.
+
+    (5)   MUST NOT buffer responses to EHLO, DATA, VRFY, EXPN, TURN,
+          QUIT, and NOOP.
+
+    (6)   MUST NOT buffer responses to unrecognized commands.
+
+
+
+
+
+Freed                       Standards Track                     [Page 4]
+
+RFC 2920              SMTP for Command Pipelining         September 2000
+
+
+    (7)   MUST send all pending responses immediately whenever the local
+          TCP input buffer is emptied.
+
+    (8)   MUST NOT make assumptions about commands that are yet to be
+          received.
+
+    (9)   MUST NOT flush or otherwise lose the contents of the TCP input
+          buffer under any circumstances whatsoever.
+
+    (10)  SHOULD issue response text that indicates, either implicitly
+          or explicitly, what command the response matches.
+
+   The overriding intent of these server requirements is to make it as
+   easy as possible for servers to conform to these pipelining
+   extensions.
+
+4.  Examples
+
+   Consider the following SMTP dialogue that does not use pipelining:
+
+   S: <wait for open connection>
+   C: <open connection to server>
+   S: 220 Innosoft.com SMTP service ready
+   C: HELO dbc.mtview.ca.us
+   S: 250 Innosoft.com
+   C: MAIL FROM:<mrose@dbc.mtview.ca.us>
+   S: 250 sender <mrose@dbc.mtview.ca.us> OK
+   C: RCPT TO:<ned@innosoft.com>
+   S: 250 recipient <ned@innosoft.com> OK
+   C: RCPT TO:<dan@innosoft.com>
+   S: 250 recipient <dan@innosoft.com> OK
+   C: RCPT TO:<kvc@innosoft.com>
+   S: 250 recipient <kvc@innosoft.com> OK
+   C: DATA
+   S: 354 enter mail, end with line containing only "."
+    ...
+   C: .
+   S: 250 message sent
+   C: QUIT
+   S: 221 goodbye
+
+   The client waits for a server response a total of 9 times in this
+   simple example. But if pipelining is employed the following dialogue
+   is possible:
+
+   S: <wait for open connection>
+   C: <open connection to server>
+   S: 220 innosoft.com SMTP service ready
+
+
+
+Freed                       Standards Track                     [Page 5]
+
+RFC 2920              SMTP for Command Pipelining         September 2000
+
+
+   C: EHLO dbc.mtview.ca.us
+   S: 250-innosoft.com
+   S: 250 PIPELINING
+   C: MAIL FROM:<mrose@dbc.mtview.ca.us>
+   C: RCPT TO:<ned@innosoft.com>
+   C: RCPT TO:<dan@innosoft.com>
+   C: RCPT TO:<kvc@innosoft.com>
+   C: DATA
+   S: 250 sender <mrose@dbc.mtview.ca.us> OK
+   S: 250 recipient <ned@innosoft.com> OK
+   S: 250 recipient <dan@innosoft.com> OK
+   S: 250 recipient <kvc@innosoft.com> OK
+   S: 354 enter mail, end with line containing only "."
+    ...
+   C: .
+   C: QUIT
+   S: 250 message sent
+   S: 221 goodbye
+
+   The total number of turnarounds has been reduced from 9 to 4.
+
+   The next example illustrates one possible form of behavior when
+   pipelining is used and all recipients are rejected:
+
+   S: <wait for open connection>
+   C: <open connection to server>
+   S: 220 innosoft.com SMTP service ready
+   C: EHLO dbc.mtview.ca.us
+   S: 250-innosoft.com
+   S: 250 PIPELINING
+   C: MAIL FROM:<mrose@dbc.mtview.ca.us>
+   C: RCPT TO:<nsb@thumper.bellcore.com>
+   C: RCPT TO:<galvin@tis.com>
+   C: DATA
+   S: 250 sender <mrose@dbc.mtview.ca.us> OK
+   S: 550 remote mail to <nsb@thumper.bellore.com> not allowed
+   S: 550 remote mail to <galvin@tis.com> not allowed
+   S: 554 no valid recipients given
+   C: QUIT
+   S: 221 goodbye
+
+   The client SMTP waits for the server 4 times here as well. If the
+   server SMTP does not check for at least one valid recipient prior to
+   accepting the DATA command, the following dialogue would result:
+
+   S: <wait for open connection>
+   C: <open connection to server>
+   S: 220 innosoft.com SMTP service ready
+
+
+
+Freed                       Standards Track                     [Page 6]
+
+RFC 2920              SMTP for Command Pipelining         September 2000
+
+
+   C: EHLO dbc.mtview.ca.us
+   S: 250-innosoft.com
+   S: 250 PIPELINING
+   C: MAIL FROM:<mrose@dbc.mtview.ca.us>
+   C: RCPT TO:<nsb@thumper.bellcore.com>
+   C: RCPT TO:<galvin@tis.com>
+   C: DATA
+   S: 250 sender <mrose@dbc.mtview.ca.us> OK
+   S: 550 remote mail to <nsb@thumper.bellore.com> not allowed
+   S: 550 remote mail to <galvin@tis.com> not allowed
+   S: 354 enter mail, end with line containing only "."
+   C: .
+   C: QUIT
+   S: 554 no valid recipients
+   S: 221 goodbye
+
+5.  Security Considerations
+
+   This RFC does not discuss security issues and is not believed
+   to raise any security issues not endemic in electronic mail
+   and present in fully conforming implementations of [RFC-821].
+
+6.  Acknowledgements
+
+   This document is based on the SMTP service extension model
+   presented in RFC 1425. Marshall Rose's description of SMTP
+   command pipelining in his book "The Internet Message" also
+   served as a source of inspiration for this extension.
+
+7.  References
+
+   [RFC-821]  Postel, J., "Simple Mail Transfer Protocol", STD 10, RFC
+              821, August 1982.
+
+   [RFC-1123] Braden, R., "Requirements for Internet Hosts --
+              Application and Support", STD 3, RFC 1123, October, 1989.
+
+   [RFC-1854] Freed, N., "SMTP Service Extension for Command
+              Pipelining", RFC 1854, October 1995.
+
+   [RFC-1869] Klensin, J., Freed, N., Rose, M., Stefferud, E. and D.
+              Crocker, "SMTP Service Extensions", STD 10, RFC 1869,
+              November 1995.
+
+   [RFC-2197] Freed, N., "SMTP Service Extension for Command
+              Pipelining", RFC 2197, September 1997.
+
+
+
+
+
+Freed                       Standards Track                     [Page 7]
+
+RFC 2920              SMTP for Command Pipelining         September 2000
+
+
+8.  Author's Address
+
+   Ned Freed
+   Innosoft International, Inc.
+   1050 Lakes Drive
+   West Covina, CA 91790
+   USA
+
+   Phone: +1 626 919 3600
+   Fax:   +1 626 919 361
+   EMail: ned.freed@innosoft.com
+
+   This document is a product of work done by the Internet Engineering
+   Task Force Working Group on Messaging Extensions, Alan Cargille,
+   chair.
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+Freed                       Standards Track                     [Page 8]
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+RFC 2920              SMTP for Command Pipelining         September 2000
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+9.  Full Copyright Statement
+
+   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2000).  All Rights Reserved.
+
+   This document and translations of it may be copied and furnished to
+   others, and derivative works that comment on or otherwise explain it
+   or assist in its implementation may be prepared, copied, published
+   and distributed, in whole or in part, without restriction of any
+   kind, provided that the above copyright notice and this paragraph are
+   included on all such copies and derivative works.  However, this
+   document itself may not be modified in any way, such as by removing
+   the copyright notice or references to the Internet Society or other
+   Internet organizations, except as needed for the purpose of
+   developing Internet standards in which case the procedures for
+   copyrights defined in the Internet Standards process must be
+   followed, or as required to translate it into languages other than
+   English.
+
+   The limited permissions granted above are perpetual and will not be
+   revoked by the Internet Society or its successors or assigns.
+
+   This document and the information contained herein is provided on an
+   "AS IS" basis and THE INTERNET SOCIETY AND THE INTERNET ENGINEERING
+   TASK FORCE DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING
+   BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTY THAT THE USE OF THE INFORMATION
+   HEREIN WILL NOT INFRINGE ANY RIGHTS OR ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
+   MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
+
+
+
+Acknowledgement
+
+   Funding for the RFC Editor function is currently provided by the
+   Internet Society.
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+Freed                       Standards Track                     [Page 9]
+