FEC over Transport Framework BOF (fecframe)

xxxxxxxx, November x at xxxx-xxxx
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CHAIR: Mark Watson <mark@digitalfountain.com>

 
DESCRIPTION:

The object of this group is to develop standards for using forward 
error correction (FEC) codes with applications in the Internet to 
provide protection against packet loss. The group will develop a 
framework for application of FEC codes to arbitrary packet flows 
over unreliable transport protocols over both IP multicast and 
unicast. The group will build on the work of the RMT working group 
in the form of the FEC Building Block developed there to ensure 
that the framework developed can support multiple FEC codes and 
maintain independence between FEC codes and content delivery 
protocols. Note: framework here is a protocol framework, with a 
design to be determined, but suitable for interoperable 
implementations. It is not used in the sense often used by IETF 
of a document akin to requirements.

A primary objective of this framework is to support FEC for streaming
media. The group will coordinate closely with AVT and MMUSIC working
groups to ensure that this use-case is fully specified both in terms 
of interactions with RTP/RTCP and application layer signalling. The
group will also coordinate with the DCCP working group, at least,
considering that transport's role in streaming media.

The group will work with the RMT working group to ensure that the FEC
Building Block defined in RMT supports both the RMT use-cases (object
delivery over multicast) and the more general FEC protection of IP 
flows over unreliable unicast and multicast transport. The group will 
also consider developing its charter to include for proposals for 
standardization of specific FEC codes - taking on this work from the 
RMT working group - including consideration of their areas of 
applicability and generality.

Specification of hybrid schemes involving both retransmission and
forward error correction will be out of scope of the group. However 
the group should consider of whether work on such schemes should be
considered in a future phase.

Proposed Goals and milestones:

Dec 05 - decide scope (e.g. set of transport protocols) and architecture
for FEC streaming framework

Jun 06 - FEC Streaming Framework submitted as Proposed Standard