The Report on FaxConnect 1

Ohno Laboratory in Tokyo Institute of Technology

WIDE Project

January 14, 1999

1 Introduction

• Cisco Systems
• Matsushita
• Genoa
• Intel
• Open Port Technology
• Interstar Technologies
• Xerox
• Ricoh
• Optus Software
• Canon
• 5th Generation Messaging
• NetCentric
• WIDE Project
• Metasoft
• Natural MicroSystems
• iReady
• KDD

2 What is the WIDE/IFAX

3 Overall Contents and Results of the Experiment

3.1 The Contents of the Experiment

   Internet mail             =>  Network printer
   Internet mail             =>  Offramp gateway (forward to G3Fax)
   Network scanner           =>  Network printer
   Network scanner           =>  Offramp gateway (forward to G3Fax)
   Network scanner           =>  Internet mail

• Tested item 1: Output e-mail messages generated by another group.
• Tested item 2: Correctly receive e-mail messages generated by another group and output them after analyzing their contents.
• Tested item 3: Output messages receiving via G3FAX. (printer/e-mail(onramp))
• Tested item 4: Send e-mailed messages via G3FAX. (Offramp)

3.2 The Environment of the Experiment

At the testing site, desks were in U-shape and seats were allocated to each group with 10Base-T hub and electric power. There were public telephone lines for tests of onramp/offramp gateway. Telephone line emulators were brought in by Cisco and WIDE Project. Telophone sets with regular G3FAX were available, too.

At the first, handouts consisting of lists were distributed. The lists included IP addresses and mail box's names allocated to each group as well as functions which could be provided by each. Individual interconnection tests were taken on these information. The table 1 is a summary of the identical contents.

3.3 Summary of Results of the Experiment

We show the results of the connections between WIDE/IFAX and the other ones. Exchange of e-mails with 13 groups among 16 were confirmed. We had connection tests of onramp/offramp with 2 groups, and both tests succeeded.

A problem that we could not correctly handle e-mail messages from 2 groups happened during the experiment. The reason was that the senders made wrong e-mail headers. We had tests again after immediate discussion and fix. As a result, we could have correctly handled e-mail messages from one group. However we were not able to receive messages from the other group even though the reason and the way to fix were clear, because that group couldn't promptly manage.

We had as many as possible experiments with groups which had only a function of sending e-mail messages or receiving e-mail messages. It was confirmed that we could correctly exchange messages with all of these groups.

Onramp/offramp functions were tested by only WIDE Project and other 2 groups. When wholly considering FaxConnect 1, this is a future work for the next. FaxConnect 1 was over after the participating groups had an agreement that the next FaxConnect 2 would be held in May, 1999.

4 Detail of the Experiment

• PC to which WIDE/IFAX was installed
  TOSHIBA Libretto60 (the Libretto from here onward) and SS6000 as a spare. WIDE/IFAX had been installed to each PC. We brought in the following peripheral devices.
  • Port replicater for the Libretto
  • Port replicater for SS6000
  • PCMCIA FAX/Modem
  • PCMCIA EthernetCard
  • CANON BJC 50v (printer)
• Public telephone line emulator
  This is for onramp/offramp connection tests.
• Cables
  • Appropriate number of 10BASE-T cables and modular cables
  • Some table taps
• Others
  
  • 500 papers (A4 sized papers were expected to be difficult to get there)
  • Tool kits.
  • Many logo seals of WIDE Project
  • 50 leaflets for the system guidance printed on both sides of A4 sized papers

4.1 Results on Dec 1 (the first day)

We had experiments to check interconnections with the other groups. This is to check that the others could correctly receive FAX data sent by us via SMTP and public telephone line, and we could correctly receive FAX data sent by the other Internet FAXes via SMTP and public telephone line.

The flow of the day is below.

We prepared to connect with the others, having begun setting up the equipments and connecting. WIDE Project was allocated to just the corner of the U-shaped desks. A 10BASE-T hub was on the desk and a table tap under it. We had so many equipments that we connected our private table tap to that one, while we used the prepared hub with 16 ports.

We set up the main the Libretto in the following way.

1. Connect the Libretto with its port replicater.
2. Connect a PCMCIA Ethernet card to the Libretto and the hub.
3. Connect the port replicater of the Libretto with BJC50v by a parallel cable.
4. Connect a PCMCIA FaxModem card to the Libretto.
5. Turn on the power of the Libretto.

After these, we configured a network on the Libretto. 3 IP addresses had been allocated per 1 group in advance. Because we had heard that extra petitions were available, we submitted an extra petition for more 2 addresses of our private terminals. Necessary information for network configuration, the participating groups etc. were distributed by handouts.

Then we checked behavior of WIDE/IFAX on the Libretto, to see if modules that send FAX data via SMTP would correctly work. Bugs were found here, we began to fix the program.

Almost completed was fixing the bugs. It was capable of exchanging FAX data via SMTP.

We began to negotiate with the others for practical connection tests. The following is the way to negotiate.

• We orally ask a group to send FAX data with e-mail.
• We ask whether we may send FAX data or not if we have correctly received the e-mail from the group. If we couldn't receive, we discuss to clarify the reason. At the same time, we check out that the received FAX data are correct or not.
• After we send FAX data via SMTP, we check that the group has correctly received the data and check the sent data and the output data are same. If the data have not been correctly sent, we discuss to clarify the reason.

Results of the experiment via SMTP on this day were these.

Any group did not have an experiment of onramp/offramp.

The official experiment was over. We checked onramp/offramp behavior of WIDE/IFAX.

We finished working.

4.2 Results on Dec 2 (the final day)

The flow of the day is below.

The experiments started. We had the experiments of SMTP and onramp/offramp. A way of connection tests of SMTP this day was same as the day before. Results of the experiment via SMTP on this day were these.

WIDE/IFAX failed to receive from 2 groups of these. Suppose these 2 groups are X and Y respectively. The reasons were these.

No "To" field was there in headers of e-mail messages sent from the group X. WIDE/IFAX decides what to process to a message according to a mail header. Especially it judges whether the message is for itself or not depending on a value of the "To" field, so couldn't correctly process the messages from the group X.

In e-mail messages sent from the group Y, there was a problem at a value of the boundary option in the "Content-Type" field. At first, WIDE/IFAX could not correctly decode MIME because the value was too long. We discussed about this matter with the group Y. After this, what should have been a style of `\verb+ boundary="letters" +` was `\verb+ boundary=letters +`. Then WIDE/IFAX still failed to decode MIME.

The problem on the group X was solved after the discussion, but WIDE/IFAX could not correctly receive from the group Y at last.

A checking sheet for verifying the implementation was conforming to each item in RFC 2305 was distributed.

We demonstrated the onramp functions of WIDE/IFAX for a part of concerned people. This was that it converted a content received with G3 FAX to an e-mail message, sent this message to itself and output to a printer. The telephone line emulator used this time was brought in by WIDE Project.

Delegates of the groups had a meeting.

Delegates of the groups had a meeting again.

Only groups capable of experiment had an experiment of onramp/offramp functions. This time a telephone line emulator brought in by Cisco was used.

Closing.

We got mostly good results on connections via SMTP. Onramp/offramp functions were tested by only WIDE Project and other 2 groups. When wholly considering FaxConnect 1, this is a future work for the next. The groups agreed that the next FaxConnect 2 would be held in May, 1999.

5 Summary

This experiment made some problems clear. WIDE/IFAX tends to adopt many free softwares as a black box. This is a strong point of a system based on UNIX, and saved the development processes, too. But we got into trouble when an unclear problem happened in the black box. For instance, WIDE/IFAX depends on a program attached to a free software, HylaFax, when to make a TIFF format. We had believed that WIDE/IFAX sended formats in TIFF-F. But according to a result of a TIFF profile checker provided by Xerox after the experiment, the formats turned out to be both TIFF-F/S. Now we are strongly feeling that we should originally develop a TIFF analyzing program.

Although this is a small matter, we think over that we should have prepared a sample image in advance for tests. Of course any image had no problem on the experiment if it could be correctly sent. But we think an attractive sample image makes a group characteristic. WIDE Project had a contact with Tokyo to get a sample image comprising a picture of Mt. Fuji, but too late to use because it was made just before the end of the experiment. We want to deal with a matter like this in the next FaxConnect 2.

Overall, we could confirm correct connections with most of the groups, this is a good harvest, we think. But it was a pity that we couldn't have enough experiments on onramp/offramp. However, it is a fact indeed that WIDE/IFAX on which these functions are implemented has a big advantage. We are going to promote the development project for FaxConnect 2 in May, 1999.