IPv6 isn't SMTP

Wed Mar 26 05:41:41 UTC 2014

On Tue, Mar 25, 2014 at 11:07 PM, Larry Sheldon <LarrySheldon at cox.net>wrote:

> On 3/25/2014 10:31 PM, Cutler James R wrote:
>
>>

> 2.  SMTP is an Application Layer Protocol, supposedly independent of
>> Routing and lower layers of the protocol stack. Various communities have
>> added connection initiation requirements that sometimes impinge
>
> [snip]

(1) Architectural layers are a protocol design construction, only, which
assist with standardization.   They are not a separation of
responsibilities.
A SMTP server has to take care to have an implementation of all layers.

Further: A well designed SMTP server has to be built with some
understanding of all layers involved,  they are used to construct Received:
headers,  and a SMTP server cannot treat the application layer in isolation.

It is a complete and utter fiction, to suppose that the layers can be
treated in total isolation.

(2) The IP protocol layer is not actually independent. Moving to IPv6 does
in fact have effective new requirements for SMTP servers.

(3)  Abuse transcends all layers,
and so does the administration of any service provided by an application.

(4) When a major change will [by necessity]  be made to any layer
underlying the MTA application on the protocol stack,
now is also a good time to look at the overall service as a whole.

--
-JH