• Name: Messaging
• Alternate Name: Chat, Talk, Instant Messaging

This Service Genre describes the functionalities and behaviours required of services which offer user to user messaging. Services of this Genre may commonly be used by other services within SUMs whenever messages are required to be sent to end users in real time.

• e-Framework Service Genre Version: v1.1

This Service Genre describes the sending and receiving of Messages between users in real time. A Message is defined as a small but defined unit of data; common examples include text, but could also include images or sounds. Users are human.

Messaging Services do not process the content of a Message, they are responsible for routing and delivery only.

Messaging Services encompass live channel communications mechanisms (such as "instant messaging applications") as well as messaging that does not use a live channel (such as "email").

Machine to machine communication is NOT part of this genre. Communications between machines SHOULD be handled via dedicated services.

As defined the Service Genre does not specify where the endpoint may be located. Thus, the genre supports peer-to-peer as well as hub based or other messaging models. Messaging Service End Points may be located in clients or could be encoded into relays or proxies.

As defined the messaging Service Genre is not access controlled. Any client may attempt to contact a messaging service end point. There are no authentication controls. The service end point is responsible for determining message routing and which clients can send or receive messages.

The Messaging Service Genre supports one function:

• Send Message - where the requester pushes a message to a Messaging Service. The messaging service then pushes the message to all of its intended recipients.

No other functionality is defined. The functionality that is defined MAY be extended.

Messaging Services SHOULD be used when communications between humans are required.

Messaging Services SHOULD NOT be used when communications between machine are required.

Send Message SHALL meet the following conditions:

• The Request SHOULD specify:
  • The source of the Message (originator)
  • The destination of the Message (there may be more than one destination)
  • The content data
• The Response SHOULD:
  • Indicate if the message has been received at all destinations
  • Indicate any error conditions (such as the message not being accepted for delivery)

The Messaging Service MAY reject a Message. The Messaging Service End Point is responsible for routing the Message to its destination. The Send Message process is completed when the Destination has acknowledged receipt of the Message. Clients SHOULD be notified if Messages have not been received.

Individual Service Expressions SHOULD provide models showing how clients interact with service interfaces.

None

Messaging Services MAY require authentication and authorisation mechanisms internally to themselves.

Jabber, AOL Instant Messenger, AIM, Yahoo Messanger, Skye Chat, Google Talk, SMTP, POP3, IMAP4, Hotmail, Google Mail

© Copyright, e-Framework Partners 2007

Attribute this work as:
Messaging Genre, The e-Framework Partners, 2007. Derived from...

Attribution History:

1. Derived from Messaging Genre authored and submitted by Phil Nicholls on behalf of the JISC (e-Framework Partner), 2007

Last updated 14 October 2008