FRIP

Automatic mail/file routing system for FidoNet-Style Networks

Introduction

FRIP: What for?

The reason behind FRIP is really simple. I don't like to do myself anything that is not fun and can be done with the help of computer or some other machine. For example, I don't like to keep routing tables for my FIDO node manually since it doesn't look fu nny for me, can be done automatically and, hopefully, automatic routing is more efficient. Second reason is ability of current FRIP to route files, which is virtually impossible and dangerous by standard FTN means.

Assumptions

You are not too paranoid. :-)

You have a decent computer, such as 486/8M/500HD. Even 386 will do, but it better should be running some multitasker to not to keep your mailer from answering a ring when mail processing takes place. FRIP has a DOS version, but it will be withdrawn in a ha lf of year or so, cause there's only 5% of DOS-based FIDO nodes even here in Russia - that's in August of 1996. FRIP is distributed with sources, so everybody can port it to any OS he likes.

You are able to modify sample config file to suit your system.

You have mailer either with Binkley-style outbound, T-Mail style fileboxes or some program that can create a file-attach for your mailer.

Basics

There is two loosely coupled parts in FRIP today. The FRIP itself and so-called FARA - frip Aided Router of Attaches. Both of them are in one executable, and it is done on purpose. It makes me sure that if FRIP works, FARA is operational too. Well, here's what each one does.

FRIP

Does the routing analysis and builds routing table for FARA. Frip is able to produce text-form routing table for other software too, but it is not a primary function. FRIP builds routing table with the help of RIP-files, or, to be short, RIPs. Such a files are sent on a regular basis (one in a two weeks by default) to all FRIPs around and relayed through all the FRIP-ified nodes. Those nodes, in turn, gather information from RIPs coming through and discover the shortest ways to other nodes, networks, zones and domains around. The description of FRIP operation here is VERY brief. Please, refer to page 9 to read more about it. As a user you don't have to know anything about it, though.

FARA

FRIP-Aided Routing of Attaches is a FRIP-based data (mail, files) delivery mechanism. FRIP is able to encapsulate data into a RIF files and transfer them through the FRIP-able nodes. FARA was brought to life after half of year testing of FRIP, which shown that a lot of people easily sets up FRIP, but does not let it produce routing tables for main system router. With the help of FARA FRIP can be used as a separate, add-on mail delivery system.

Usage

Minimal setup & usage

To be able to use most of the FRIP features you need to perform an easy set up: put FRIP in a separate directory and specify minimum of parameters in a config. File. The most complex parameters is those which let FRIP send files to your direct links. Thing s are real easy if your mailer supports Binkley-style outbound. Most current mailers, including The Brake, Binkley, Bink/+, T-Mail, Xenia and others do support such outbound. If your mailer supports Binkley-style outbound, define BinkOutBound and BinkOutBo undDefault parameters. First must specify path to your outbound, excluding last subdirectory, and second - that last directory name, whithout path. If your mailer does not support Binkley outbound but supports T-Mail style fileboxes (including tobesent.$$$ file feature), you can use TmailFileBoxesFAT or TmailFileBoxesHPFS for FAT (DOS) or HPFS (long name) style fileboxes. If both ways are not for you, still there is a workaround exist: DeliverCommand parameter can be used to tell FRIP which command it has t o execute to send file to some address. Note that file must be sent only directly and in kill file sent mode. Apart from this, you should specify Address (one per your AKA), Dir (where you put FRIP), Inbound (your secure inbound directory), FripMail (NetMa il, transferred by FRIP) and Log (log file name) parameters. In a directory, specified by FripMail parameter your mail, received by FARA will be put, and all netmail written in that folder will be sent by FARA, if possible.

Address 2:5030/16.555

Address 666:777/888.999

Dir c:\net\Frip

Inbound c:\Net\Inbound\Secure

FripMail c:\Net\Mail\Frip

Log c:\Net\Logs\Frip.Log

; The following parameters assume that your main Bink outbound is c:\Net\Outbound

BinkOutBound c:\Net

BinkOutBoundDefault Outbound

In addition to frip.cfg file links.cfg must be defined too. It is even more easy to create this file. For the first time just list all your direct links with neighbor nodes using FRIP, one node per line, together with your main aka first:

<your main address> <first link node address>

<your main address> <second link node address>

...

That's all. Now just run frip.exe when you need to pack fripmail, unpack received RIPs, RIFs and RIZs, and at least daily.

Common errors

To be gathered. :)

Simple tweaking

Total Control

Configuration File Reference

Lines, beginning with ':' and empty lines are ignored.

Boolean parameters can have value of Yes/No/On/Off.

Configuration file keywords reference

The following table lists keywords, used in external router mode. This mode is obsolete, not recommended and can be used only if neighbor FRIP nodes are support this mode too.

Obsolete Keywords Reference

Protocol

For those who curious

For those who real interested

For those who's serious to implement

Details, data formats, etc.

RIP structure

RIP file is an ASCII text file with the name beginning with letters »rip«, extension beginning with ».ri« and ending with one letter or digit. Lines in RIP file can end with either Unix-style newline character or RSX-style CRLF. Last line must end with new line or CRLF too. Each line begins with keyword and possibly contains a value. There are a few types of RIPs, distinguished by value of TYPE line.

RIP types

Here goes description of all possible RIP fields. Note that FRIP passing all the unknown fields through, so all the new fields that will be invented are to come through unnoticed by old FRIPs.

RIP fields

RIF structure

RIZ file is a binary file with the name beginning with letters »rif«, extension beginning with ».ri« and ending with one letter or digit. RIF is used to carry mail, and beginning of it is a data carried. All the envelope info including addresses, path/seen by info, etc. etc. is kept in a »tailer«.

RIZ structure

RIZ file is a regular ZIP archive (InfoZIP 2.1 level), with the name beginning with letters »riz«, extension beginning with ».ri« and ending with one letter or digit. There can be RIPs and RIFs in RIZ file.

Final words

Thanks!

I'd like to thank Kirill Lebedev, Kirill Shirokov, Anton Tsarevsky, Alex Tutubalin, Mike Bravo, Serge Troffimovsky, Dmitry Efimov, Andrew Iwanov, Ivan Munitsyn, Alexander Erlikh, Fyodor Ustinov, Basil Dolmatov, Yuri Safronov, Dmitry Morozovsky, Pavel Bour danov, Vladimir Kopiev and all the other people, who took part in protocol discussions, betatesting, etc. etc.

Plans

Time zones must be used in RIPs.

Rescan requests and responses are not done.

Direct RIZ processing - without pre-unzip. Tricky, but possible.

Fatal routing loss. If some database record was not updated in a two months or so, remove it at all and generate routing loss event (OFF-type RIPs to all).

Make FRIP know does it rule the main netmail router or not. If not, add a special flag to a routes coming through to make sure these routes will not be used in generation of external routing tables as well.

Bugs

Not that FRIP has real serious bugs which are known but not fixed. Here is just things that can be done better:

FRIP should discover that routing base is empty and request links for rescan.

Inability to send mail because of route absence should force routing loss (OFF) request, but NOT TOO FREQUENT! I have to be careful here and not to bring OFF-storms to life.

In addition to Deliver command FRIP must understand arcmail-attach style mailers by itself.

Contacts

Yours truly Dmitry Zavalishin aka dz can be reached via:

E-mail (preferred): dz@phantom.ru, dz@kiae.su, dz@virgin.relcom.eu.net, Dmitry_Zavalishin@f32.n5020.z2.fidonet.org, fidonet#2:5020/32.

Phone: +7 (095) 110-6728. If somebody non-English speaking answers your call and you can't speak Russian just keep saying my name. :) Try German, if you can - my mother used to it. :)

Snail-Mail: Arteckovskaya 7-4-260, Moscow, Russia.