Presence and IntComm WG

[Tim Callahan <>]

Update: The link to the petition doesn't work: "put together a petition" should instead link to http://listserv.educause.edu/cgi-bin/wa.exe?A2=ind1207&L=WIRELESS-LAN&P=94580.  It is fairly short and worth a quick read.

Also, a little more clarification: Bonjour isn't the only issue.  In fact, there is Wide Area Bonjour networking and other one-off solutions for certain issues.  But, as the petition states, "Bonjour technologies also do not work in a scalable, sustainable fashion between different IP subnets. Work arounds such as Wide-Area Bonjour (DNS-SD) and Dynamic DNS updates have major scalability and security issues in enterprise networks."

In some cases, like Apple TV and iTunes, cross-network sharing is disabled by design - to protect content, etc.  So, even when Wide Area Bonjour works, some applications won't share outside of their local network.  Solutions that address this issue are needed (we should presume Apple can't/won't change the criteria.)

-Tim

o) )  )    )        )
Tim Callahan

University of Michigan, ITS
Spectrum Manager and Lead Wireless Engineer 
E:  or  

O:734-763-9640
C:734-277-6788

On Mon, Jul 16, 2012 at 3:05 PM, Sameer Verma <> wrote:

On Mon, Jul 16, 2012 at 11:37 AM, Tim Callahan <> wrote:
> There's an effort afoot to encourage Apple to adapt Bonjour for enterprise
> networks. Educause's Wireless Lan group has put together a petition for
> Apple.  It's now newsworthy:
> http://www.networkcomputing.com/wireless/240003500
>
> The growing campus demand for Airplay and Apple TV are part of what's
> bringing this to a head.  Issues are particularly prominent on wireless
> networks due Multicast (doesn't play well with most wireless) and users
> wanting Bonjour across subnets (including wired to wireless).   Also see
> https://www.facebook.com/groups/enterpriseairplay for more, or to join.
> Browse the Listserv thread for more technical details and background info
> here.
>
> Given Bonjour's roots in XMPP/ XEP-0174: Serverless Messaging, I'm curious
> about our group's perspective.  Does anyone have solutions?  Are there
> Bonjour protocol experts who can help define a solution?  Are there
> "gateway" protocols or solutions for XMPP and/or Multicast DNS that can be
> adapted to solve Bonjour in the Enterprise?  Since Bonjour uses XEP-0174 as
> a "workaround" for using servers, in theory, it seems like we could come up
> with a "workaround for their workaround" to get back to (XMPP) server based
> messaging (could solve the subnet issue and more).  I'm just reaching for
> ideas, but perhaps the experts in our group can share more concrete ideas.
> Bring any solution to the table - hardware, software, protocol, commercial
> service, etc.
>
> Ideally, Apple will provide a solution.  Until that happens, a solution is
> needed - this could be a PIC project/collaboration.  If there's interest, I
> can find whatever support we need.   In the meantime, share your thoughts
> and/or feel free to join the discussion in the Educause Listserv.
> -Tim
>
> o) )  )    )        )
> Tim Callahan
> University of Michigan, ITS
> Spectrum Manager and Lead Wireless Engineer
> E: or
> O:734-763-9640
> C:734-277-6788

One Laptop per Child uses XMPP for all collaboration (not just chat)
with linklocal for IP coupled with mDNS. Not sure how it would scale
for the enterprise, but it might be a good place to look. They use
telepathy-salut for laptop-to-laptop and telepathy-gabble when there
is a server at the school (typically ejabberd for XMPP).

cheers,
Sameer
--
Sameer Verma, Ph.D.
Professor, Information Systems
San Francisco State University
http://verma.sfsu.edu/
http://commons.sfsu.edu/
http://olpcsf.org/
http://olpcjamaica.org.jm/