Mesh Specifications

Open Source, open specifications

These Mesh specifications are divided into three parts, all of which have been submitted to the IETF as internet drafts:

Mesh Core

I. Architecture [draft-hallambaker-mesh-architecture]: Provides an overview of the Mesh as a system and the relationship between its constituent parts.
II. Uniform Data Fingerprint [draft-hallambaker-mesh-udf].: Describes the UDF format used to represent cryptographic nonces, keys and content digests in the Mesh and the use of Encrypted Authenticated Resource Locators (EARLs) and Strong Internet Names (SINs) that build on the UDF platform.
III. Data at Rest Encryption [draft-hallambaker-mesh-dare].: Describes the cryptographic message and append-only sequence formats used in Mesh applications and the Mesh Service protocol.
IV. Schema Reference [draft-hallambaker-mesh-schema].: Describes the syntax and semantics of Mesh Profiles, Container Entries and Mesh Messages and their use in Mesh Applications.
V. Protocol Reference [draft-hallambaker-mesh-protocol].: Describes the Mesh Service Protocol.
VI. The Trust Mesh [draft-hallambaker-mesh-trust].: Describes the social work factor metric used to evaluate the effectiveness of different approaches to exchange of credentials between users and organizations in various contexts and argues for a hybrid approach taking advantage of direct trust, Web of Trust and Trusted Third Party models to provide introductions.
VII. Security Considerations [draft-hallambaker-mesh-security].: Describes the security considerations for the Mesh protocol suite.
VIII Cryptographic Algorithms [draft-hallambaker-mesh-algorithms].: Describes the recommended and required algorithm suites for Mesh applications and the implementation of the multi-party cryptography techniques used in the Mesh. The following documents describe technologies that are used in the Mesh but do not form part of the Mesh standards suite:

Common resources

JSON-BCD Encoding [draft-hallambaker-jsonbcd].: Describes extensions to the JSON serialization format to allow direct encoding of binary data (JSON-B), compressed encoding (JSON-C) and extended binary data encoding (JSON-D). Each of these encodings is a superset of the previous one so that JSON-B is a superset of JSON, JSON-C is a superset of JSON-B and JSON-D is a superset of JSON-C.
DNS Web Service Discovery [draft-hallambaker-web-service-discovery].: Describes the means by which prefixed DNS SRV and TXT records are used to perform discovery of Web Services.

Reference code base

The reference code has XML tags embedded to enable automated publication of the documentation. But this is not currently being published as the code is still in flux.

IX Considerations for Constrained Devices.: Describes features designed to suipport the use of the Mesh on constrained devices.
X. Considerations for Quantum Cryptanalysis Resistance: Describes strategies for enabling a transition to use of Quantum Cryptanalysis Resistant algorithms.
XI Cryptographic Services.: Describes features designed to suipport the use of the Mesh on constrained devices.
XII: Mesh Presence: Describes features designed to suipport the use of the Mesh on constrained devices.
XIII. Mesh Ceremonies: Describes features designed to suipport the use of the Mesh on constrained devices.

Planned Documents

The following documents are planned but are not yet written:

Mesh Developer [draft-hallambaker-mesh-developer].: Describes the reference code distribution license terms, implementation status and currently supported functions.
Mesh Platform [draft-hallambaker-mesh-platform].: Describes how platform specific functionality such as secure key storage and trustworthy computing features are employed in the Mesh