Which protocol is used when sending files as attachments?

MIME stands for Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions. MIME extends the text-oriented basic Internet email system, allowing binary attachments in emails.

  • MIME emails are normal Internet text emails, which are composed of headers and formatted message contents that conform to RFC 2822/5322.

  • For more information about RFC addresses in the MIME protocol, click here.

    MIME messages

    A common text-based email is comprised of a header including From, To, Subject, and content. Generally, the content is either a single-part, such as text, image, audio, video, application, or multipart. The header and content are separated with a space, and the type of the body is described by the header Content-Type.

    • The meanings of headers are described in the following table:

    Domain Name

    Meaning

    Received

    Transfer path

    Return-Path

    Reply address

    Delivered-To

    Sending address

    Reply-To

    Reply address

    From

    The sender address

    To

    The recipient address

    Cc

    Carbon copy address

    Bcc

    Blind carbon copy address

    Date

    Date and time

    Subject

    Subject

    Message-ID

    Message ID

    MIME-Version

    MIME version

    Content-Type

    Content type

    Content-Transfer-Encoding

    Content transfer encoding

    • Content type is in the form of: Content-Type: [type]/[subtype].

      The type is in the form of:

      • Text: for standard representation of a text message, which may consist of various character sets or formats.

      • Image: for transfer of static image data.

      • Audio: for transfer of audio or sound data.

      • Video: for transfer of dynamic image data, which may be a video data format that includes audio.

      • Application: for transfer of application data or binary data.

      • Message: for packing an email message.

      • Multipart: for connecting multiple content parts to form a message, the parts can be different types of data.

      The subtype form can be:

      • text/plain (plain text)

      • text/html (HTML document)

      • application/xhtml+xml (XHTML document)

      • image/gif (GIF image)

      • image/jpeg (JPEG image)

      • image/png (PNG image)

      • video/mpeg (MPEG video)

      • application/octet-stream (Any binary data)

      • message/rfc822 (RFC 822 form)

      • multipart/alternative (HTML form and plain text form of HTML mail, the same content is expressed in different forms.)

    • Content Transfer Encoding specifies the character encoding method used in the content area. Typical methods include 7bit, 8bit, binary, quoted-printable, and base64.

    MIME email body

    • Common simple email types include text/plain (plain text) and text/html (hyper text).

    • Complex email content format uses multipart, which can include types of plain text/hyper text, embedded resource and attachment. A multipart email body contains multiple sections. Each section is comprised of a header and a body, which are also separated with a space.

    The meanings of section headers are explained in the following table:

    Domain Name

    Meaning

    Content-Type

    Content type

    Content-Transfer-Encoding

    Content transfer encoding

    Content-Disposition

    Content disposition

    Content-ID

    Content ID

    Content-Location

    Content location (path)

    Content-Base

    Content base

    Three common multipart types are multipart/mixed, multipart/related, and multipart/alternative.

    A sample graph of complex type hierarchy is shown as follows:

    Which protocol is used when sending files as attachments?

    Child sections within the content of multipart types are defined by the boundary parameter string specified in headers. All child sections start with -boundary, while parent sections end with -boundary-. Sections are separated with spaces.

    • Be careful:

    The total size of attachment mail shall not exceed 15m, and the maximum number of attachments at a time shall not exceed 100.Supplementary note: 15MB refers to the actual total size of SMTP email. Since the base64 encoded email code will expand by more than 1.5 times, the total size is not the size seen on the customer side. It is recommended to prepare according to 8MB for attachment restrictions. If you need to send large attachments, it is recommended to add hyperlinks to the content.

    DEFINITION File transfer protocol is a standardized method for sending unencoded binary files over IP connections. FTPing a file is more reliable than other methods, such as sending it as an attachment to an e-mail. The sending computer breaks the file data into numbered packets. The receiving computer uses the numbers to reassemble the packets in the right order.

    • Which protocol is used when sending files as attachments?
    • Which protocol is used when sending files as attachments?
    • Which protocol is used when sending files as attachments?
    • Which protocol is used when sending files as attachments?
    • Which protocol is used when sending files as attachments?
    • Which protocol is used when sending files as attachments?

    By Sami Lais

    Computerworld|

    FTP, developed in 1969 by the Department of Defense's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, is a standard for moving files across IP-based networks such as the Internet. Based on the TCP/IP protocol, FTP is platform-independent, which makes it possible for different computers running different operating systems to exchange files.

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    SometimeOld Ways Are Best

    More than 30 years after it was developed, FTP is still the most efficient way to download large files over the Internet.

    Want a map that shows the habitat of every vertebrate and plant, as well as the latitude, longitude, elevation, rainfall, temperature range and climate of the Grand Canyon? The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in Tucson, Ariz., uses a single Unix box to provide the data sets that create such multilayer maps and then FTPs the final map to the requesting computer.

    Why does the USGS use FTP? There are several reasons:

  • It's small. FTP was designed to send and receive files without encoding and decoding the data. To attach and send a graphics or map file using an e-mail program, it must be encoded. If a mail gateway at the receiving end limits the total length of an e-mail message, it will break up the file and send the pieces, which must be manually recombined.
  • It's fast. Because you send FTP directly, it doesn't need the extra processing "weight" of the messaging applications needed when you send a file by attaching it to an e-mail message.
  • It's simple. All you need is a PC with modem and Web browser, plus a phone line. Initiate the FTP transfer from within your browser. It's as easy as typing ftp:// and then the Web address.
  • It's reliable. Got "noisy" phone lines? It doesn't matter. When the computer on the receiving end of an FTP transfer reassembles the file, guided by each packet's number, it checks for lost packets. If any are missing, it signals the sender to resend them.
  • - Sami Lais1pixclear.gif

    Text files are, by default, sent in ASCII format. The client, or sending computer, converts the data into 8-bit ASCII format. The server, or receiving computer, converts the ASCII text into a format appropriate to its hardware and operating system. Images and other nontext data such as compiled programs are sent as binary data, using 8-bit bytes.

    Typically, FTP files are compressed. They can be self-extracting, or you may need to use a program such as PKZIP to uncompress them.

    A user contacts a server via the FTP client, establishes a connection, logs on to the network, requests directory listings and copies files. This can be done by typing commands or via an FTP utility running under a graphical user interface such as Windows.

    Rules of Engagement

    One variation of FTP is Trivial FTP, which has no directory or password capabilities. However, the most popular form is Anonymous FTP, which is dependent on the server configuration. When the FTP server is contacted, it asks for a user name and password. Users log in as "anonymous" and can access files on the server. By convention, users input their e-mail address as the password.

    Typically, users can download files but are unable to upload, change or delete them. If some users must be given those rights, the usual procedure is to set up a separate upload directory to maintain the security of the download section.

    For example, if your Web site is hosted by an Internet service provider, you might FTP Web site updates to such a directory. The Internet service provider would retrieve the updates from that directory.

    Without a firewall that provides authentication and privacy via virtual private networks, password-protected FTP is useful only for files of minor importance. Between client and server, FTP passes user names and passwords in clear text, which can easily be stolen.

    As an application, FTP is typically built into communications software, which supports other common file transfer protocols, such as Xmodem, Ymodem, Zmodem and Kermit.

    Xmodem, which transmits 128-byte blocks, was the first FTP for PCs. It performs a checksum on packets to help ensure accurate transmission. The sending computer uses an algorithm that calculates the binary values in a packet and sends the result as a tail on the packet. The receiving computer goes through the same algorithm. If the two sums match, then it's fine; if not, it requests that the packet be re-sent.

    Ymodem, which transmits 1,024-byte blocks, adds batch file processing to Xmodem.

    Both are stop-and-wait protocols. The sending computer transmits, waits to receive an acknowledgment, or ACK, from the receiving computer that the packet was received intact. A negative acknowledgment, or NAK, indicates a bad or missing packet and requests that the sending computer re-send the packet.

    Zmodem is a streaming protocol. The sending computer keeps sending packets until it gets a NAK. Then it backs up to the bad packet and resends from there.

    Zmodem also adjusts packet size, depending on line conditions. If transmission is interrupted midtransfer, Zmodem can restart and resume sending from the point at which it was interrupted. It's often used for satellite transmissions because of its ability to handle changeable line conditions.

    Kermit was developed in 1981 at Columbia University. When it breaks a file into packets, each packet is bracketed by control data. The receiving computer checks each packet's control data as it arrives and sends an ACK or NAK, as applicable, to the sending computer.

    The default communications protocol for the Web, Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), is used to transmit HTML pages from Web server to client browser. HTTP Secure offers a security option that FTP doesn't. And an HTML-coded page allows for greater complexity and flexibility in layout than does straight ASCII text. However, even with caching and persistent connections, HTTP adds overhead to a Web download.

    Which of the following protocol is used for email services?

    SMTP stands for Simple mail Transfer Protocol, it is a protocol used for sending e-mail messages between servers.

    Which protocol is used to send email messages quizlet?

    Simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP) is the protocol responsible for sending e-mail messages from an e-mail client to an e-mail server.

    Which of the following TCP IP protocol is used for transferring electronic mail messages?

    SMTP is part of the application layer of the TCP/IP protocol. Using a process called "store and forward," SMTP moves your email on and across networks. It works closely with something called the Mail Transfer Agent (MTA) to send your communication to the right computer and email inbox.

    Which of the following protocols is used to send an email message to the first server?

    The correct answer is SMTP and POP. SMTP stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. The Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) is an internet standard communication protocol for electronic mail transmission. Mail servers and other message transfer agents use SMTP to send and receive mail messages.