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

NIMAIL to MTP

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

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:

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