OSI/MHS Gateway Programmatic Interface (GPI) Reference Manual

Introduction to the GPI
OSI/MHS Gateway Programmatic Interface (GPI) Reference Manual—522223-001
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X.400 Messages
X.400 Messages
The three types of X.400 messages that the GPI service translates and transfers in from
and out to an MTA are messages, probes, and reports:
•
A message conveys information from an originator to one or more recipients. A
user who sends a communication is an originator. A user who receives a
communication is a recipient. A message consists of an envelope and content.
•
A probe is used to verify an address and determine whether or not a communication
can be delivered. A probe consists of an envelope only.
•
A report provides status information about an attempted delivery of a message or
probe. A report consists of an envelope and optional content.
The envelope of a message conforms to the P1 protocol; that is, MTA-to-MTA.
The content of a message or report can be one of the following:
•
An interpersonal message (IPM) is like an office memo. It contains a heading and
body parts that conform to the P2 protocol; that is, User Agent to User Agent.
•
An interpersonal notification (IPN) is like an acknowledgment that indicates
whether or not an intended or alternate recipient has received an IPM. A nonreceipt
IPN indicates the IPM was discarded or forwarded. A receipt IPN indicates the IPM
was received or future receipt was arranged. IPNs conform to the P2 protocol.
•
General content does not necessarily conform to the P2 protocol. It consists of
binary data encoded in an unidentified format agreed upon by two parties or
encoded to other standards.
•
External content denotes a content reserved for use in interworking between 1988
and 1984 X.400 systems.
•
Electronic data interchange (EDI) denotes a content reserved for use in
exchanging electronic data (for instance, information specific to particular
application programs) and associated notifications concerning EDI traffic.
The structures of X.400 communications conform to the information architecture
described in Section 2, Information Architecture and Data Structures
. Detailed
specifications for the architecture are provided in Section 3, Object Classes and
Attribute Types.
Note. In the X.400 specifications, the generic term “message” refers to a message, a probe, or
a report. In this manual, “X.400 message” (or simply “communication”) refers generically to a
message, probe, or report. When the discussion refers to a specific type of communication,
the specific name is used.