metasystema.org
UpdatedPROPOSED STANDARDIETF stream

RFC 7285: Application-Layer Traffic Optimization (ALTO) Protocol

Still current, but amended. Parts of this document are changed or extended by RFC 9274. Read both.

In plain English — editorial summary, not part of the RFC

Applications using the Internet already have access to some topology information of Internet Service Provider (ISP) networks. For example, views to Internet routing tables at Looking Glass servers are available and can be practically downloaded to many network application clients. What is missing is knowledge of the underlying network topologies from the point of view of ISPs. In other words, what an ISP prefers in terms of traffic optimization -- and a way to distribute it. The Application-Layer Traffic Optimization (ALTO) services defined in this document provide network information (e.g., basic network location structure and preferences of network paths) with the goal of modifying network resource consumption patterns while maintaining or improving application performance. The basic information of ALTO is based on abstract maps of a network. These maps provide a simplified view, yet enough information about a network for applications to effectively utilize them. Additional services are built on top of the maps. This document describes a protocol implementing the ALTO services. Although the ALTO services would primarily be provided by ISPs, other entities, such as content service providers, could also provide ALTO services. Applications that could use the ALTO services are those that have a choice to which end points to connect. Examples of such applications are peer-to-peer (P2P) and content delivery networks.

Document record

Document ID
RFC7285
Published
September 2014
Authors
R. Alimi; R. Penno; Y. Yang; S. Kiesel; S. Previdi; W. Roome; S. Shalunov; R. Woundy
Status
PROPOSED STANDARD
Stream
IETF
Area
ops
Pages
91
Also known as
—
Updated by:
RFC 9274

Topics

Referenced by

One later RFC formally updates or obsoletes part of this document.

Related documents

Ranked automatically by shared keywords, IETF area and stream — not by editorial selection.

Also filed under

About this page

The document record above — title, authors, date, status, stream, area, relationships, DOI and errata — is imported verbatim from the public RFC Editor index. The “in plain English” section is editorial: written by The metasystema editorial team, not part of the RFC. Where the two differ, the RFC text governs.

Last checked against the RFC Editor index on . RFCs are never revised after publication; changes are issued as new documents.

Data sources · Editorial policy · Report a correction · What is an RFC?

canonical URL: /rfc/7285-application-layer-traffic-optimization-alto-protocol