A new Request for Comments is now available in online RFC libraries. RFC 7285 Title: Application-Layer Traffic Optimization (ALTO) Protocol Author: R. Alimi, Ed., R. Penno, Ed., Y. Yang, Ed., S. Kiesel, S. Previdi, W. Roome, S. Shalunov, R. Woundy Status: Standards Track Stream: IETF Date: September 2014 Mailbox: ralimi@google.com, repenno@cisco.com, yry@cs.yale.edu, ietf-alto@skiesel.de, sprevidi@cisco.com, w.roome@alcatel-lucent.com, shalunov@shlang.com, Richard_Woundy@cable.comcast.com Pages: 91 Characters: 194499 Updates/Obsoletes/SeeAlso: None I-D Tag: draft-ietf-alto-protocol-27.txt URL: https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc7285.txt Applications using the Internet already have access to some topology information of Internet Service Provider (ISP) networks. For example, views to Internet routing tables at Looking Glass servers are available and can be practically downloaded to many network application clients. What is missing is knowledge of the underlying network topologies from the point of view of ISPs. In other words, what an ISP prefers in terms of traffic optimization -- and a way to distribute it. The Application-Layer Traffic Optimization (ALTO) services defined in this document provide network information (e.g., basic network location structure and preferences of network paths) with the goal of modifying network resource consumption patterns while maintaining or improving application performance. The basic information of ALTO is based on abstract maps of a network. These maps provide a simplified view, yet enough information about a network for applications to effectively utilize them. Additional services are built on top of the maps. This document describes a protocol implementing the ALTO services. Although the ALTO services would primarily be provided by ISPs, other entities, such as content service providers, could also provide ALTO services. Applications that could use the ALTO services are those that have a choice to which end points to connect. Examples of such applications are peer-to-peer (P2P) and content delivery networks. This document is a product of the Application-Layer Traffic Optimization Working Group of the IETF. This is now a Proposed Standard. STANDARDS TRACK: 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 Official Internet Protocol Standards (https://www.rfc-editor.org/standards) for the standardization state and status of this protocol. Distribution of this memo is unlimited. This announcement is sent to the IETF-Announce and rfc-dist lists. To subscribe or unsubscribe, see https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ietf-announce https://mailman.rfc-editor.org/mailman/listinfo/rfc-dist For searching the RFC series, see https://www.rfc-editor.org/search For downloading RFCs, see https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc.html Requests for special distribution should be addressed to either the author of the RFC in question, or to rfc-editor@rfc-editor.org. Unless specifically noted otherwise on the RFC itself, all RFCs are for unlimited distribution. The RFC Editor Team Association Management Solutions, LLC