MailConnect 1: Interoperability Event for MIME and IMAP Testing

[Dave Crocker]

MailConnect 1

An Interoperability Event for MIME and IMAP Testing
Sponsored by the Internet Mail Consortium

<mailto:imc-mailcon...@imc.org>
<http://www.imc.org/imc-mailconnect>

As Internet mail grows into its new role supporting mission-critical
corporate communications, it is essential that we ensure proper
interoperability among implementations from different vendors. To that end,
the Internet Mail Consortium proposes an interoperability testing event in
the classic Internet style. Roll up your sleeves, crank out your code, and
test your implementation with your competitors'. Competition in open
systems requires open cooperation to achieve the level of interoperability
customers demand.

Focus

This MailConnect 1 Interoperability Event will emphasize MIME and IMAP.

- MIME has achieved a solid position for supporting multimedia
communication through email, but there are rough edges which require
attention. Some parts of the MIME standard, such as the multipart/related
and multipart/signed types, are just starting to be used in significant
numbers.

- IMAP is an old specification with new facilities promising substantial
improvement for mobile and client/server mail environments. IMAP4
implementations are now emerging and broad interoperability testing will
greatly facilitate its quick adoption by the market.

MailConnect 1 will provide an opportunity for intense intereroperability
testing and repair of MIME and IMAP4 implementations. As the IMC proceeds
with organzing the event, test scenarios will be developed by those
planning to attend.

Pre-Event

Participant guidance for event timing, location, and content.

Event

Two days of face-to-face testing with a broad base of MIME and IMAP
implementations for clients and servers.

Post-Event

After the face-to-face meeting, IMC will set up a system so that the
participants can continue to test their software with each other.

For the MIME section, IMC will have a mail responder that sends
various complex MIME messages on demand. These messages will be
originally formed by specific versions of some of the MIME-generating
clients in MailConnect 1. Each message will clearly indicate which
client, and which version, generated the message. Client vendors will
be able to update the messages that are sent from the IMC server,
and all participants will be informed of updated messages from other
participants.

For the IMAP section, IMC will create domain names for specific
versions of participant's IMAP servers so that IMAP clients can test
themselves against the servers. IMC will inform partcipants when
any of the servers change revisions. IMC will also load particular
accounts on the test servers with a variety of messages, including
messages with complex MIME content.

Schedule

August 13 & 14, tentative.

San Jose, California, tentative.

Potential attendees should feel free to suggest alternatives on the
MailConnect list.

Facilities

Open room with tables, power, and connectivity for participant systems

10BaseT network

ISDN connection to the Internet (or equivalent)

Cost

$1000 for IMC members
$1500 for non-members

Your Next Steps

Subscribe to the MailConnect list to participate in planning the
event. Send mail to imc-mailcon...@imc.org, with the
word "subscribe" in the body.