RFC 348 UNKNOWN ARPANET · TESTING

Discard Process

Hosts are invited to run a process that throws away all data it receives, for debugging and measurement.

RFC EDITOR

Postel, J., "Discard Process", RFC 348, DOI 10.17487/RFC0348, May 1972, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc348>.

BIBTEX

@misc{rfc348,
  series = {Request for Comments},
  number = 348,
  howpublished = {RFC 348},
  publisher = {RFC Editor},
  doi = {10.17487/RFC0348},
  url = {https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc348},
  author = {J. Postel},
  title = {{Discard Process}},
  pagetotal = 1,
  year = 1972,
  month = may,
}

PUBLISHED: May 1972
AUTHORS: J. Postel
STREAM: Legacy
SETUP: ICP per NIC 7104
HANDLING OF DATA: Discarded at once
DOI: 10.17487/RFC0348

RFC text

Original text · RFC Editor View on rfc-editor.org ↗

Network Working Group                           Jon Postel
Request for Comments : 348                      Computer Science
                                                UCLA-NMC
NIC : 10427                                     30 May 72

Categories : Standard Processes



                            Discard Process



I suggest that for debugging and measurement purposes those hosts which
are willing implement a "Discard" process.

This discard process would listen for a request for connection and
execute the Initial Connection Protocol (ICP) as specified in NIC 7104
the "Current Network Protocols" notebook.  Upon completion of the ICP
the discard process would wait for data from the network.  When data is
received from the network it is discarded at once, (and the buffer space
is re-allocated).  The discard process is terminated by closing the
network connections.













       [ This RFC was put into machine readable form for entry ]
       [ into the online RFC archives by BBN Corp. under the   ]
       [ direction of Alex McKenzie.                   12/96   ]

AI ELI5

On this page

PROBLEMHosts needed a simple service to help with debugging and measurement of the network.

MECHANISMA willing Host runs a Discard process that waits for a connection, performs the Initial Connection Protocol (ICP), then discards all data it receives.

WHY IT MATTERSThe proposal is voluntary: it applies to those hosts which are willing to implement it.

§1The Discard Process Proposal

Jon Postel suggests that, for debugging and measurement purposes, those hosts which are willing implement a Discard process. Participation is optional.

Some computers are asked to offer a simple test service, if they want to.

§2How the Discard Process Works

The process listens for a request for connection and executes the Initial Connection Protocol (ICP) as specified in NIC 7104, the "Current Network Protocols" notebook. After ICP completes, it waits for data from the network.

When data arrives it is discarded at once and the buffer space is re-allocated. The process ends when the network connections are closed.

The computer waits for someone to knock, says hello the standard way, then throws away whatever it gets.

§3Status

It is a short suggestion from Jon Postel at UCLA and sets no other requirements: any Host that is willing may implement the process, and no Host is required to.

It is just a friendly suggestion, not a rule.