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Task Transfer Protocol v2 (TTP2)
Matt Liggett <mliggett@kiva.net>
19990610


1. Introduction

   TTP2 is the Task Transfer Protocol v2.  It is for the execution of
   tasks (a command and some arguments) from one host on another.
   Tasks are performed synchronously by the remote side and then task
   results are reported.


2. Protocol

   A TTP2 client connects to a TTP2 server over TCP.  The TTP2 server
   listens on port 757.

   Protocol outline: the client sends an authentication package and
   then one or more task packages.  After each package, the server
   sends back a response.

   The client begins by sending an authentication package.  The
   specifics of authentication are implementation-dependent.  The
   server closes the connection if authentication cannot be verified.

   The client then sends one or more task packages, defined below.
   The server may close the connection to indicate that it is
   temporarily unable to execute tasks.  Once the server receives the
   task package, it must attempt to execute the task and then indicate
   one of: success, temporary failure or permanent failure to the
   client.

   The client closes the connection when it is finished.


3. Authentication Package

   The authentication package can be anything.  However, it must be
   encapsulated as a netstring.


4. Task Packages

   A task package consists of a a 4-byte task identifier (in network
   order), 4-byte UID (in network order), a 4-byte GID (in network
   order) and a task specification.

   The task specification is a netstring-encoded string of
   null-terminated substrings.  The first substring is the command
   name.  All remaining substrings are arguments.


5. Responses

   Once the package has been received by the server, it must attempt
   to execute the task.  It then reports its results to the client.
   Each response is a single byte followed by a netstring-encoded
   message.  The single byte 'K' is used to indicate success; 'Z' is
   used to indicate temporary failure; 'F' is used to indicate
   permanent failure.  The message should be a human-readable comment
   on the situation.


6. Netstrings

   See http://pobox.com/~djb/proto/netstrings.txt for a definition of
   netstrings.


7. Examples

   To be written.

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