Interconnect Software Consorium Socket API Extensions Working Group. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Meeting: Thursday 28th February 2002 21:00GMT (04:00p EST, 03:00p CST, 01:00p PST, 22:00CET, 06:00JST+) Toll Free (US & Canada): (877) 214 5010 International: +1 (504) 588 9772 Code: 769 497 Host (needed to kick things off): 237 426 -------------------------------- Attendees: Bob Tiesberg, Compaq David Edmondson, Sun Jeremy Harris, Sun Satya Sharma, IBM Masanori Itoh, Fujitsi Jack McCann, Compaq Viswanath Subramanian, HP Jeff Messing, IBM Louis Laborde, HP -------------------------------- Minutes: 1. Review the Operational Guidelines for ICSC WGs. (dme) In particular, note that we are required to produce a "requirements" document. The group discussed the anticipated timescales for the work of the working group. SUSv4 is due "in a couple of years", which means that it is an obvious target to incorporate the results of the group. Many people expressed the opinion that two years was too long to wait for a firm specification. The end of calendar 2002 was generally considered a more reasonable term. In discussing the plans of the native transport API group, Bob pointed out that they have a lot of precedent in the industry to follow, so production of a requirements spec., etc may proceed more quickly there. 2. Proposed approach. (dme) See recent email which described an approach for the working group. Someone needs to act as "editor" of the requirements specification. If no-one volunteers, the co-chairs will take up the responsibility. The general approach outlined in the email from dme was approved by the group. A discussion on the form of the requirements spec took place, during which the group agreed that it should include high-level requirements, but also detailed information on the type of functionality and programming models that the extended API will support. Function call specifications and details of the arguments, etc. are not necessarily appropriate. ACTION: dme to ask for guidance on the form for the requirements spec from the steering committee. 3. Areas of interest to the working group. (Satya) See recent email which suggested some areas which may be of interest to the group. Satya went through the problem areas he described in email, which were then discussed. The following a list of some of the items which came up: * async IO operations (write) * should we extend aio. * posix doesn't support socket specific async operations (connect, etc). * should we overlap posix aio or do different ? * scatter gather is missing from posix * sendto(), recvmsg() is missing currently (so posix is not currently complete in respect of data movement). * MS has patent on IO completion ports, this it not too big a deal, as we can talk about it as long as we don't base an implementation on their patent. * select scalability (large number of fd's in a single process). * does general event notification fall within our remit ? * let's do it, worry about "domain" later. * memory management functions (pinned buffers) * pre-register buffers for output in the application. * pre-register buffers for input in the kernel, at request of application. * conversation about buffer pinning, memory locality, policing, ... * interoperability of extended API calls with older calls. * the issue needs to be clarified * does posix aio talk about interoperability ? 4. Open Source involvement in the project. (dme) Update and suggestions. Mail has been sent to FreeBSD-core, FreeBSD-hackers, NetBSD-core, NetBSD-tech-net, OpenBSD-core and linux-kernel. No response from *BSD. Some discussion took place on linux-kernel (thread can be followed from http://www.uwsg.indiana.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/0202.2/0885.html). dme contacted Alan Cox separately, and he seemed more amenable. Alan suggested that cooperative work with the applications area of the IETF may be appropriate. ACTION: dme to talk to the steering committee and IETF application area directors about possible cooperation. Satya has discussed the working group with various internal ISV's at IBM. Two people are particularly interested, the group agreed that they should be encouraged to participate early in the process to gain good requirements. ACTION: Satya to get the IBM (DB2 ?) people added to the mailing list. -------------------------------- Outstanding Actions: 2002-02-28-01 (dme) Check with the steering committee for any hints or guidelines on the form of the requirements specification. 2002-02-28-02 (dme) Talk to the steering committee and IETF application area directors about possible cooperation. 2002-02-28-03 (Satya) Get the IBM (DB2 ?) people added to the mailing list. -------------------------------- Next Meeting: Thursday 7th March 2002 21:00GMT (04:00p EST, 03:00p CST, 01:00p PST, 22:00CET, 06:00JST+) Toll Free (US & Canada): (877) 214 5010 International: +1 (504) 588 9772 Code: 769 497 Host (needed to kick things off): 237 426 -------------------------------- Contact Details: email: icsc-socketwg@opengroup.org web: http://www.opengroup.org/icsc/sockets/