I have seen a number of postings cross this list that mention the possibility of standards-tracking IAX2 with the IETF (generating an RFC, etc.). Has that gone anywhere? What would it take to make it happen? Several of my clients have indicated that they love the firewall/NAT neutrality of IAX2, but that thus far very few equipment vendors have picked up on it because it isn't a formal standard. I agree with them. So far as I know, IAX2 is the easiest VoIP protocol to implement. Even with STUN and other complex/cumbersome add-ons, SIP is a royal pain to implement in most cases. The same with H323. In fact, the only thing that seems to be even close is whatever protocol Skype is using, but they're not open... On the other hand, there may be reasons, both technical and political/economic, for keeping IAX2 as an in-house affair. What do you guys think? Thanks, Steve Steven Sokol Owner/Manager Sokol & Associates, LLC Phone: 816.822.1807 IaxTel: 700.613.9004 Web: http://www.sokol-associates.com
--On Wednesday, March 24, 2004 11:13 am -0600 Steven Sokol <ssokol@sokol-associates.com> wrote:> I have seen a number of postings cross this list that mention the > possibility of standards-tracking IAX2 with the IETF (generating an RFC, > etc.). Has that gone anywhere? What would it take to make it happen? >I think there are significant marketing advantages to generating an Informational RFC for IAX2. The fact that IAX does cross firewalls is very important in the consumer market and of course helpful for everyone else. At the moment Sk(h)ype gain significant PR mileage from this point. Most of the Press and Analyst community seem to leave their critical faculties turned off when Skype is mentioned relating only the good points and not the bad (security and bandwidth issues for end users, scalability etc). Showing that there is a credible and standard alternative approach seems to me to be a very good idea. Iain
Iain Stevenson wrote:> > > --On Wednesday, March 24, 2004 11:13 am -0600 Steven Sokol > <ssokol@sokol-associates.com> wrote: > >> I have seen a number of postings cross this list that mention the >> possibility of standards-tracking IAX2 with the IETF (generating an RFC, >> etc.). Has that gone anywhere? What would it take to make it happen? >> > > I think there are significant marketing advantages to generating an > Informational RFC for IAX2. The fact that IAX does cross firewalls is > very important in the consumer market and of course helpful for everyone > else. At the moment Sk(h)ype gain significant PR mileage from this > point. Most of the Press and Analyst community seem to leave their > critical faculties turned off when Skype is mentioned relating only the > good points and not the bad (security and bandwidth issues for end > users, scalability etc). Showing that there is a credible and standard > alternative approach seems to me to be a very good idea.An informational RFC documenting the protocol would be a good start, it would make it more open but not an IETF product. Security specialists would get something to read and analyze. A VOIP protocol with RSA authentication, implemented today. Is there any IAX2 document that could be a basis document somewhere? /O