RFC 8850 | CLUE Data Channel | January 2021 |
Holmberg | Experimental | [Page] |
This document defines how to use the WebRTC data channel mechanism to realize a data channel, referred to as a Controlling Multiple Streams for Telepresence (CLUE) data channel, for transporting CLUE protocol messages between two CLUE entities.¶
This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is published for examination, experimental implementation, and evaluation.¶
This document defines an Experimental Protocol for the Internet community. This document is a product of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). It represents the consensus of the IETF community. It has received public review and has been approved for publication by the Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG). Not all documents approved by the IESG are candidates for any level of Internet Standard; see Section 2 of RFC 7841.¶
Information about the current status of this document, any errata, and how to provide feedback on it may be obtained at https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8850.¶
Copyright (c) 2021 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the document authors. All rights reserved.¶
This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal Provisions Relating to IETF Documents (https://trustee.ietf.org/license-info) in effect on the date of publication of this document. Please review these documents carefully, as they describe your rights and restrictions with respect to this document. Code Components extracted from this document must include Simplified BSD License text as described in Section 4.e of the Trust Legal Provisions and are provided without warranty as described in the Simplified BSD License.¶
This document defines how to use the WebRTC data channel mechanism [RFC8831] to realize a data channel, referred to as a Controlling Multiple Streams for Telepresence (CLUE) data channel, for transporting CLUE protocol messages [RFC8847] between two CLUE entities.¶
This document also defines how to describe the SCTPoDTLS association [RFC8261] (also referred to as "SCTP over DTLS" in this document) used to realize the CLUE data channel using the Session Description Protocol (SDP) [RFC4566] and defines usage of the SDP-based "SCTP over DTLS" data channel negotiation mechanism [RFC8864]. ("SCTP" stands for "Stream Control Transmission Protocol".) This includes SCTP considerations specific to a CLUE data channel, the SDP media description ("m=" line) values, and usage of SDP attributes specific to a CLUE data channel.¶
Details and procedures associated with the CLUE protocol, and the SDP Offer/Answer procedures [RFC3264] for negotiating usage of a CLUE data channel, are outside the scope of this document.¶
The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT", "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "NOT RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this document are to be interpreted as described in BCP 14 [RFC2119] [RFC8174] when, and only when, they appear in all capitals, as shown here.¶
This section describes the realization of a CLUE data channel, using the WebRTC data channel mechanism. This includes a set of SCTP characteristics specific to a CLUE data channel, the values of the "m=" line describing the SCTPoDTLS association associated with the WebRTC data channel, and the usage of the SDP-based "SCTP over DTLS" data channel negotiation mechanism for creating the CLUE data channel.¶
As described in [RFC8831], the SCTP streams realizing a WebRTC data channel must be associated with the same SCTP association. In addition, both SCTP streams realizing the WebRTC data channel must use the same SCTP stream identifier value. These rules also apply to a CLUE data channel.¶
Within a given CLUE session, a CLUE entity MUST use a single CLUE data channel for transport of all CLUE messages towards its peer.¶
As described in [RFC8831], different SCTP options (e.g., regarding ordered delivery) can be used for a data channel. This section describes the SCTP options used for a CLUE data channel. Section 3.3 describes how SCTP options are signaled using SDP.¶
A CLUE entity MUST use the PPID value 51 when sending a CLUE message on a CLUE data channel.¶
The usage of SCTP for the CLUE data channel ensures reliable transport of CLUE protocol messages [RFC8847].¶
[RFC8831] requires the support of the partial reliability extension defined in [RFC3758] and the limited retransmission policy defined in [RFC7496]. A CLUE entity MUST NOT use these extensions, as messages are required to always be sent reliably. A CLUE entity MUST terminate the session if it detects that the peer entity uses any of the extensions.¶
A CLUE entity MUST use the ordered delivery SCTP service, as described in [RFC4960], for the CLUE data channel.¶
A CLUE entity MUST support the stream reset extension defined in [RFC6525].¶
Per [RFC8831], the dynamic address reconfiguration extension parameter ('Supported Extensions Parameter') defined in [RFC5061] must be used to signal the support of the stream reset extension defined in [RFC6525]. Other features defined in [RFC5061] MUST NOT be used for CLUE data channels.¶
SCTP multihoming is not supported for SCTPoDTLS associations and therefore cannot be used for a CLUE data channel.¶
As described in [RFC8831], to close a data channel, an entity sends an SCTP reset message [RFC6525] on its outgoing SCTP stream associated with the data channel. When the remote peer receives the reset message, it also sends (unless already sent) a reset message on its outgoing SCTP stream associated with the data channel. The SCTPoDTLS association, and other data channels established on the same association, are not affected by the SCTP reset messages.¶
This section defines how to (1) construct the SDP media description ("m=" line) for describing the SCTPoDTLS association used to realize a CLUE data channel and (2) use the SDP-based "SCTP over DTLS" data channel negotiation mechanism [RFC8864] for establishing a CLUE data channel on the SCTPoDTLS association.¶
[RFC8848] describes the SDP Offer/Answer procedures for negotiating a CLUE session, including the CLUE-controlled media streams and the CLUE data channel.¶
[RFC8841] defines how to set the values of an "m=" line describing an SCTPoDTLS association. As defined in [RFC8841], for a CLUE data channel the values are set as follows:¶
media | port | proto | fmt |
---|---|---|---|
"application" | UDP port value | "UDP/DTLS/SCTP" | "webrtc-datachannel" |
"application" | TCP port value | "TCP/DTLS/SCTP" | "webrtc-datachannel" |
CLUE entities SHOULD NOT transport the SCTPoDTLS association used to realize the CLUE data channel over TCP (using the "TCP/DTLS/SCTP" proto value), unless it is known that UDP/DTLS/SCTP will not work (for instance, when the Interactive Connectivity Establishment (ICE) mechanism [RFC8445] is used and the ICE procedures determine that TCP transport is required).¶
As defined in [RFC8841], the SDP sctp-port attribute value is set to the SCTP port of the SCTPoDTLS association. A CLUE entity can choose any valid SCTP port value [RFC8841].¶
The values of the SDP dcmap attribute [RFC8864], associated with the "m=" line describing the SCTPoDTLS association used to realize the WebRTC data channel, are set as follows:¶
stream-id | subprotocol | label | ordered | max-retr | max-time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Value of the SCTP stream used to realize the CLUE data channel | "CLUE" | Application specific | "true" | N/A | N/A |
The SDP dcsa attribute [RFC8864] is not used when establishing a CLUE data channel.¶
This specification relies on the security properties of the WebRTC data channel described in [RFC8831], including reliance on DTLS. Since CLUE sessions are established using SIP/SDP, protecting the data channel against message modification and recovery requires the use of SIP authentication and authorization mechanisms described in [RFC3261] for session establishment prior to establishing the data channel.¶
This document adds the subprotocol identifier "clue" to the "WebSocket Subprotocol Name Registry" as follows:¶
Subprotocol Identifier | clue |
Subprotocol Common Name | CLUE |
Subprotocol Definition | RFC 8850 |
Reference | RFC 8850 |
Thanks to Paul Kyzivat, Christian Groves, and Mark Duckworth for comments on this document.¶