Chapter 2: outline

2.1 principles of network 2.6 socket programming

applications with UDP and TCP
 app architectures
 app requirements
2.2 Web and HTTP
2.3 FTP
2.4 electronic mail
 SMTP, POP3, IMAP
2.5 DNS

Application Layer 2-44

FTP: the file transfer protocol
file transfer
FTP FTP FTP
user client server
interface
user
at host remote file
local file system
system

 transfer file to/from remote host

 client/server model
 client: side that initiates transfer (either to/from remote)
 server: remote host
 ftp: RFC 959
 ftp server: port 21
Application Layer 2-45
FTP: separate control, data connections
TCP control connection,
 FTP client contacts FTP server server port 21
at port 21, using TCP
 client authorized over control TCP data connection,
connection FTP server port 20 FTP
client server
 client browses remote
directory, sends commands
over control connection  server opens another TCP
data connection to transfer
 when server receives file another file
transfer command, server
opens 2nd TCP data  control connection: “out of
connection (for file) to client band”
 after transferring one file,  FTP server maintains
server closes data connection “state”: current directory,
earlier authentication

Application Layer 2-46

FTP commands, responses
sample commands: sample return codes
 sent as ASCII text over  status code and phrase (as
control channel in HTTP)
 USER username  331 Username OK,
 PASS password password required
 LIST return list of file in  125 data
current directory connection
already open;
 RETR filename transfer starting
retrieves (gets) file  425 Can’t open
 STOR filename stores data connection
(puts) file onto remote  452 Error writing
host file

Application Layer 2-47

Chapter 2: outline
2.1 principles of network 2.6 socket programming
applications with UDP and TCP
 app architectures
 app requirements
2.2 Web and HTTP
2.3 FTP
2.4 electronic mail
 SMTP, POP3, IMAP
2.5 DNS

Application Layer 2-48

Electronic mail outgoing
message queue
user mailbox
Three major components: user
agent
 user agents
 mail servers mail user
server agent
 simple mail transfer
protocol: SMTP SMTP mail user
server agent

User Agent SMTP

 a.k.a. “mail reader” SMTP user
agent
 composing, editing, reading mail
server
mail messages user
 e.g., Outlook, Thunderbird, agent
iPhone mail client user
agent
 outgoing, incoming
messages stored on server
Application Layer 2-49
Electronic mail: mail servers
mail servers: user
agent
 mailbox contains incoming
messages for user mail user
server agent
 message queue of outgoing
(to be sent) mail messages SMTP mail user
 SMTP protocol between server agent
mail servers to send email SMTP
messages
 client: sending mail SMTP user
agent
mail
server server
user
 “server”: receiving mail agent
server
user
agent

Application Layer 2-50

Electronic Mail: SMTP [RFC 2821]
 uses TCP to reliably transfer email message from
client to server, port 25
 direct transfer: sending server to receiving
server
 three phases of transfer
 handshaking (greeting)
 transfer of messages
 closure
 command/response interaction (like HTTP, FTP)
 commands: ASCII text
 response: status code and phrase
 messages must be in 7-bit ASCI
Application Layer 2-51
Scenario: Alice sends message to Bob
1) Alice uses UA to compose 4) SMTP client sends Alice’s
message “to” message over the TCP
[email protected] connection
2) Alice’s UA sends message 5) Bob’s mail server places the
to her mail server; message message in Bob’s mailbox
placed in message queue 6) Bob invokes his user agent
3) client side of SMTP opens to read message
TCP connection with Bob’s
mail server

1 user mail user

mail agent
agent server server
2 3 6
4
5
Alice’s mail server Bob’s mail server
Application Layer 2-52
Sample SMTP interaction
S: 220 hamburger.edu
C: HELO crepes.fr
S: 250 Hello crepes.fr, pleased to meet you
C: MAIL FROM: <[email protected]>
S: 250 [email protected]... Sender ok
C: RCPT TO: <[email protected]>
S: 250 [email protected] ... Recipient ok
C: DATA
S: 354 Enter mail, end with "." on a line by itself
C: Do you like ketchup?
C: How about pickles?
C: .
S: 250 Message accepted for delivery
C: QUIT
S: 221 hamburger.edu closing connection

Application Layer 2-53

Try SMTP interaction for yourself:
 telnet servername 25
 see 220 reply from server
 enter HELO, MAIL FROM, RCPT TO, DATA, QUIT
commands

above lets you send email without using email client (reader)

Application Layer 2-54

SMTP: final words
 SMTP uses persistent comparison with HTTP:
connections
 HTTP: pull
 SMTP requires message
(header & body) to be in  SMTP: push
7-bit ASCII  both have ASCII
 SMTP server uses command/response
CRLF.CRLF to interaction, status codes
determine end of message
 HTTP: each object
encapsulated in its own
response msg
 SMTP: multiple objects
sent in multipart msg

Application Layer 2-55

Mail message format

SMTP: protocol for

exchanging email msgs header
blank
RFC 822: standard for text line
message format:
 header lines, e.g.,
 To: body
 From:
 Subject:
different from SMTP MAIL
FROM, RCPT TO:
commands!
 Body: the “message”
 ASCII characters only

Application Layer 2-56

Mail access protocols
user
mail access user
SMTP SMTP protocol
agent agent
(e.g., POP,
IMAP)

sender’s mail receiver’s mail

server server

 SMTP: delivery/storage to receiver’s server

 mail access protocol: retrieval from server
 POP: Post Office Protocol [RFC 1939]: authorization,
download
 IMAP: Internet Mail Access Protocol [RFC 1730]: more
features, including manipulation of stored msgs on
server
 HTTP: gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo! Mail, etc.

Application Layer 2-57

POP3 protocol
S: +OK POP3 server ready
C: user bob
authorization phase S:
C:
+OK
pass hungry
 client commands: S: +OK user successfully logged on
 user: declare username
 pass: password C: list
S: 1 498
 server responses
S: 2 912
 +OK S: .
 -ERR C: retr 1
transaction phase, client: S:
S:
<message 1 contents>
.
 list: list message numbers C: dele 1
 retr: retrieve message by C: retr 2
number S: <message 1 contents>
 dele: delete S: .
 quit C: dele 2
C: quit
S: +OK POP3 server signing off
Application Layer 2-58
POP3 (more) and IMAP
more about POP3 IMAP
 previous example uses  keeps all messages in one
POP3 “download and place: at server
delete” mode  allows user to organize
 Bob cannot re-read e- messages in folders
mail if he changes  keeps user state across
client sessions:
 POP3 “download-and-  names of folders and
keep”: copies of messages mappings between
on different clients message IDs and folder
 POP3 is stateless across name
sessions

Application Layer 2-59