Sfront Reference Manual: Part I/4: Sfront Networking
Description: A part of the Sfront reference manual, that describes how to use the program in real-time applications. Sfront is a program that translates MP4-SA files into C programs.
Keywords: MP4-SA, SASL, SAOL, MP4, render, midi, stream, timesync, real time, real-time, interaction, control, encode, encoding, decode, decoding, omissions, extensions

### From The `sfront` Reference Manual by John Lazzaro and John Wawrzynek.

# Part II/4: Sfront Networking

## Sections Introduction. Network Concepts. The sfront networking model. Network Testing. Echo packets from our mirror server. Network Musical Performance. Interactive networking with sfront. Network Streaming. Stream MIDI files to a session. Network Security. Playing safe in cyberspace. Technology Details. Inside sfront networking.

## Introduction In this chapter, we describe how to network together sfront clients running on machines connected to the public Internet. The right panel lists the platforms that support sfront networking. To begin the chapter, we explain the sfront networking model, and show how to test the network operation of a single client. We show how sfront networking enables musicians located in different physical locations to interact in a network musical performances. We describe how an sfront client can stream MIDI file data to a group of sfront clients. We conclude with a description of network security issues, and a section that describes the sfront networking model in more detail. Sfront networking has been designed with safe operation in mind; however, there is no such thing as perfect security on the public Internet. USE SFRONT NETWORKING AT YOUR OWN RISK. Using the network features described in this chapter could result in a malicious attack on your machine. | ## Supported Platforms `
    The real-time audio experiments
    in this chapter were tested
    under Linux (using OSS) and
    Mac OS X.

    The sfront network library
    uses standard Berkeley UNIX
    sockets, and the ascii control
    driver uses termios and other
    UNIX libraries. Network examples
    without audio output:

    -aout null -timesync -cin ascii

    have been tested under Linux,
    Solaris, HPUX, and Mac OS X.

    The network library and ascii
    control driver probably won't
    compile under Windows, but
    a port of this code should not
    be that difficult to do. Send
    me email if you are interested
    in doing a Windows port.
`

## Network Concepts As we describe in Part II/3, sfront can create C programs that accept control input from external sources during execution, by using the `-cin` option to specify a control driver. Control drivers may be interactive in nature, such as the `linmidi` driver that supports an external MIDI keyboard under Linux, or the `ascii` driver that supports the ASCII keyboard as a simple MIDI device. The control driver port also support file streaming, using the `fstr` driver. Sfront networking extends the control driver concept to the network. If an sfront client is participating in a networked session, it sends a copy of all MIDI commands on the control driver port to all other members of the session. Likewise, it receives MIDI commands from all other members of the session, and treats these commands as if they came from additional control driver ports. For example, imagine a session with three members. Each sfront client in the session runs the same SAOL program, which defines three SAOL instrument, each with its own MIDI preset number. Each session member chooses one MIDI preset number as its own. This configuration results in a simple network musical performance. Each sfront client generates sounds for the local member and the two remote members, as MIDI data arrives locally and remotely. Players adapt to the network delays on the Internet, just as players in the same room adjust to delays due to the speed of sound. The mean and variance of the latency limit the temporal complexity of the music. As described above, the sfront network model has several key attributes: The session. An sfront network client belongs exactly one session. At any point in time, other clients may also belong to the session. All-to-all. An sfront network client sends identical control driver data to all other session members. MIDI only. An sfront network client can only send MIDI data. See this chapter in the MP4-SA book to learn how to write SAOL programs that process MIDI data. This model, though limited, is able to support a variety of network applications. Future versions of sfront networking may lift some restrictions in the model. | ##

#### Session Management The sfront networking model uses a remote server to set up and tear down sessions. This server uses the IETF Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) for session management. By default, sfront is hardwired to contact a server on the public Internet, located on the Berkeley campus in California USA. The MIDI data streams do not flow through the Berkeley SIP server, only short messages to do session management. Note that if you wish to network several sfront clients on your own internal network, your network nonetheless needs to be connected to the public Internet in order for the Berkeley SIP server to set up your session. #### Creating a session To create a session, the session participants choose a name and passphrase for their session, and enter these items as options on the sfront command line. The right panel shows the syntax for session names and passphrases. Session names and passphrases should be treated as secrets. Sfront uses the passphrase as part of an authentication system, to ensure all network input comes from a session member. If a malicious attacker discovers your name and passphrase, he can forge packets into your session. By cranking up the volume or sending lots of notes, he could blow out your speakers. He might also be able to exploit SAOL or sfront bugs to take over your machine and delete all of your files. Note that players do not manually specify the Internet addresses of the session members. The SIP server takes care of this task for you. The SIP server also handles, in most cases, problems that arise through the use of Network Address Translation (NAT) boxes. However, if you are behind a firewall, you may need to reconfigure your firewall to let certain types of network traffic through. The right panel provides more information. #### Complex sessions In the examples described in this chapter, we only use the `-session` and `passphrase` sfront networking options. However, for more complex sessions, you may need to use the other network command line options, as described in Part I/5. | ## Session Options `
    -session name.

    The name of session, chosen
    by the session participants
    and treated as a secret. If
    the name contains spaces, it
    should be enclosed in double
    quotes.

    -passphrase key.

    A secret phrase, at least 20
    characters long, shared among
    the session participants. If
    the passphrase has spaces, it
    should be enclosed in double
    quotes.

    Example:

    -session twentieth_century_plusplus
    -passphrase "17jdk+-  +-$ieurjfkghj"

    The IP number for the Berkeley
    SIP server changed on Oct 6,
    2004, and sfront versions 0.87
    and later are aware of the new
    server. To tell earlier sfront
    versions about the new server,
    use this option:

    -sip_ip 169.229.59.210
` ## Firewalls `
    Sfront networking sends
    and receives UDP packets on
    ports 5060 and 5061. Sfront
    sends on these ports first.
    Configure your firewall to
    allow this to happen. Email
    me configuration details for
    different firewall setups,
    and I'll add them to this
    section.

    At present, sfront does not
    work with SIP proxies and
    ALGs. Do not attempt to
    use the -sip_ip and -sip_port
    options for this purpose, but
    do send me email if you are
    interested in testing proxy or
    ALG support that may be added
    to a future sfront release.
`

## Network Testing Sfront networking has a special test mode, so that new users can experiment with networking without other session members. The test mode is activated by using the special session name `mirror`. The mirror session always has two members: the sfront client under test, and a client running on a machine in Berkeley California. The Berkeley client, conceptually, acts as a simple reflector for Real Time Protocol (RTP) packets that hold the MIDI data. When the Berkeley client receives a packet, it returns it to the sending client unaltered. From an audio perspective, the mirror session implements a simple delay line effect, with the round trip time from Berkeley setting the delay period. To make short echoes easier to hear, the MIDI data sent to the Berkeley client is transposed up by a perfect fifth (use the sfront option m_semitones to change this interval). | ##

The sfront distribution includes the `sfront/examples/rtime/mirror` example, that is set up to test sfront networking using the mirror session. The right panel shows an edited console screen of a mirror session using this example, which we describe in detail below. #### The `mirror` session The mirror example is a physical model of a marimba, controlled by pressing alpha keys on the ASCII keyboard. To execute the example, simply `cd` to `sfront/examples/rtime/mirror` and type `make`. The Makefile runs `sfront`, `gcc`, and the executable produced by gcc in sequence, as shown on the right panel. After printing a banner with information about using the ASCII keyboard, a successful run prints the four network messages shown in abbreviated form on the right panel. Each message describes a different phase of network startup: Contacting SIP server. The first phase of networking; the sfront client checks in with the SIP server at Berkeley. SIP server contact successful, awaiting client SIP. The SIP server has added the sfront client to the special mirror session. The sfront client awaits a SIP message from the server that describes how to contact the packet reflector client. SIP INVITE accepted from [...] The sfront client now knows how to contact the packet reflector client. Any alpha keys (a to z) you press from this point on will result in MIDI packets being sent to the packet reflector. Media flowing from [...] The sfront client is receiving reflected packets. This message may appear before you press the first alpha key, because occasional keep-alive packets are also sent to the reflector. The right panel also shows error messages that may occur if startup is not successful, and offers suggestions for debugging a failed session. #### Playing the mirror example After this network startup phase completes, you should be able to press the letter keys on the keyboard, and hear a perfect fifth marimba chord. The lower chord note happens as soon as you hit the key; the higher note happens once the MIDI note returns from Berkeley, and so will be delayed. If you are located far from Berkeley, these delays may be very long. Note that your distance from Berkeley does not impact the delays of sessions other than the special mirror session. Sfront networking maintains a model of the delay time between clients. If a network packet undergoes significantly more delay than normal, it will be ignored when it arrives. The sonic result is that most key presses will be chords, but some will be single notes. The sfront option latetime adjusts the mechanism for dropping late notes. MIDI packets lost on the Internet have a more complex behavior. Each packet sent has recovery information so that the receiver can adjust if earlier notes were lost on the network. Usually, this information is used to recover lost information about the end of notes, so that a note does not stay stuck on forever. In some cases, though, the start of a new note can also be recovered. The sfront option fec lets an sfront client trade off network bandwidth usage and the strength of the recovery system. If you have a MIDI controller hooked up to your machine, you can replace the `ascii` control driver with a MIDI driver, and play the mirror in a more comfortable way. The sfront networking system is not aware of the control driver in user -- any driver should work, but only the `linmidi` driver has been tested. Running as root under Linux lets the client use POSIX real-time schedules to eliminate clicks and pops. However, running as root increases the security risk of using sfront networking, because a successful exploit gives the attacker root access. Because a mirror session uses more server bandwidth and CPU than simple SIP serving, we limit the length of a mirror session to several minutes, and limit the number of simultaneous mirror sessions. | ## A Successful `mirror` Session `
    sfront -session mirror -aout linux \
           -playback -cin ascii -orc \
            mirror.saol -sco mirror.sasl

    gcc -O3 sa.c -lm  -o sa

    ./sa

    [... banner deleted ...]

    Netstat: Contacting SIP server
    Netstat: Server contact successful
    Netstat: SIP INVITE from [...]
    Netstat: Media flowing from [...]
` ## Session Failure: SIP `
    ./sa

    Netstat: Contacting SIP server
    Netstat: SIP server is overloaded
    Netstat: Please try again later.

    Comment: Only 5 clients per
    session can run, for any session.
    If you see this message in the
    mirror session, chances are
    that many people tried to
    start a mirror session at once.
    Exit and try again in a
    few minutes. Send email to

    lazzaro@cs.berkeley.edu

    if this persists for several
    retries over 15 minutes or so.
` ## Session Failure: Reflector `
    ./sa

    Netstat: Contacting SIP server
    Netstat: SIP contact successful.

    [no further messages]

    Comment: The client at Berkeley
    that reflects packets probably
    has crashed; is is uncommon, but
    not impossible, for this message
    to indicate an overloaded mirror
    session. Exit and try again in a
    few minutes. Send email to

    lazzaro@cs.berkeley.edu

    if this persists for several
    retries over 15 minutes or so.
` ## Session Failure: Generic `
    ./sa

    Netstat: Contacting SIP server
    Netstat: Server not responding.
    Netstat: Server not responding.
    Netstat: Server not responding.

    Comment: This error is the hardest
    to diagnose. Perhaps the SIP server
    or the Berkeley network it connects
    to has crashed. Or perhaps your own
    network connection is not working.
    Finally, it might be an sfront
    networking bug. Try accessing the

    http://brass.cs.berkeley.edu/

    webpage; if you can reach this
    page successfully, the problem
    is probably related to the SIP
    server or sfront networking,
    and so send me email at

    lazzaro@cs.berkeley.edu
`

## Network Musical Performance In this section, we describe how to use sfront networking for network musical performance, by walking through the sfront example: `sfront/examples/rtime/nmp_audio` This setup lets several musicians perform together. Each musician runs a copy of the client on an computer connected to the public Internet. Each computer must have a soundcard. As configured, the example works for 2 or 3 musicians; for larger groups, use the `-bandsize` option to increase the maximum session size. The SAOL file has three SAOL physical models of percussive instruments: a plucked string sound on MIDI preset 0, a marimba sound on MIDI preset 1, and a vibraphone-like sound on MIDI preset 2. As configured, this example uses the ascii control driver. The numeric keys above the letter keys can be used to pick MIDI preset 0, 1, or 2, and the letter keys can be used as a two-octave pentatonic scale. If an external MIDI keyboard is available, the `linmidi` OSS driver can be used instead of the ASCII driver (`alsamidi` and `freebsdmidi` have not been tested but should work). Before the session begins, the participants should decide on a session name and a passphrase. These items should be treated as a secret; if a malicious attacker learns the passphrase, he can forge packets into your session. We discuss good secrecy practices in detail in an later section in this chapter. Once a session name and password has been decided upon, each participant should configure the Makefile of their sfront client, as shown on the right panel, and then type `make` to start the session. | ## Makefile Configuration `
    Change this line:

    NETWORK = -session "your_session" \
              -passphrase "passwd"

    near the top of the Makefile in

    sfront/examples/rtime/nmp_audio

    to the session name and passphrase
    you chose for your session.

    Be sure to pick a non-obvious
    session name and passphrase
    ("jam session" is not a good
    choice for session name), for
    security and practical reasons
    (your name + password might
    match another current session).

    The passphrase must have at
    least 20 characters. Both session
    name and passphrase should be
    treated as a secret.
`

The right panel shows a successful network musical performance with three session members, as seen by one of the sfront clients. Just like the mirror test session, this test session begins with a successful SIP server contact. Then, as the other session members join in, SIP INVITE messages arrive for the new member, and soon afterwards MIDI starts flowing. Note that a session member does not need to wait for the other members to arrive before playing -- in fact, playing warm up notes helps the media connection happen quickly. The failure modes we described for the mirror test session can also happen in normal sessions. | ## A Successful `nmp_audio` Session `
    sfront -session "your_session" \
           -passphrase "passwd" \
           -aout linux -playback \
           -cin ascii -orc nmp.saol \
           -sco nmp.sasl

    gcc -O3 sa.c -lm  -o sa
    ./sa

    Netstat: Contacting SIP server
    Netstat: Server contact successful
    Netstat: SIP INVITE from [member 1]
    Netstat: SIP INVITE from [member 2]
    Netstat: Media flowing from [member 1]
    Netstat: Media flowing from [member 2]
`

The right panel shows another way that network musical performance sessions can fail. This example shows a session from the view of two players in the session. One of the players misspelled the session name. The result is two separate sessions, each with one member. Each client waits for the second member, who never arrives. The SIP server can't detect this problem, just like the phone company doesn't know when a subscriber has dialed a wrong number. Note that mistyping the passphrase causes the same symptoms. The solution is easy: type carefully! #### Clients without audio output In some situations, a player might want to join a session using an sfront client that does not send audio to the soundcard on the machine. This requirement usually occurs when testing or debugging a session. For example, a player might wish to run two sfront clients on the same machine: under most audio drivers, only one sfront client may access the soundcard on the machine. In other situations, a player may log in remotely to a distant machine, and connect an sfront client to a session in progress. The sfront example directory: `sfront/examples/rtime/nmp_null` is an sfront networking client that does not access the audio driver. By running a copy of both the `nmp_null` and `nmp_audio` driver in the same session, a player can test network musical performance without enlisting a second person, by moving the mouse between the two `xterm` windows running the clients. The `nmp_null` client may be run on a local or a remote machine. When running the `nmp_audio` and `nmp_null` on the same machine, the demo might be marred by audio artifacts due to the two processes competing for CPU. If this occurs, see the Makefile of `nmp_audio` for suggestions. Note that the `krate` parameter in `silence.saol` has a relatively low value, resulting in a relatively high sample period. The low sampling period reduces the CPU load on the system, but also increases latency. If lower latency is desired, try increasing `krate` and recompiling. | ## Session Failure: Spelling Mistake `
    Client 1:

    sfront -session "yoor_session" \
           -passphrase "passwd" \

    [... many lines deleted ...]

    Netstat: Contacting SIP server
    Netstat: Server contact successful

    [no further messages]

    Client 2:

    sfront -session "yrrr_session" \
           -passphrase "passwood" \

    [... many lines deleted ...]

    Netstat: Contacting SIP server
    Netstat: Server contact successful

    [no further messages]

    Comment: In this example, one
    player misspelled with session
    name (a password misspelling
    will also cause the error). The
    result is that both clients are
    in different sessions, and so
    no connection is made. Just
    like your phone company can't
    tell you've dialed a wrong
    number, the SIP server can't
    detect this user error.
`

## Network Streaming Sfront networking clients can be configured to stream a MIDI file to other members of its session. The sfront example: `sfront/examples/rtime/nmp_stream` creates a streamable MP4 file from a MIDI file, and then streams the MP4 file to other session members. The local client also hears the streaming performance through the soundcard, along with any MIDI events generated by the other session members. To run this example, set the `-session` and `-passphrase` options in the Makefile, and then type make. The right panel shows key parts of the example execution. Note that the `-mstr` option must be used when creating the mp4 file, and that the `-bitc` option must be used when executing the mp4 file. Note that sfront networking in its current form is optimized for low-latency applications such as network musical performances, not for file streaming. In the current system, clients process received MIDI commands upon receipt. A system optimized for streaming would buffer MIDI commands to smooth out network jitter. | ## Streaming Example `
    Part 1: Create mp4 file

    sfront -mstr bach.mid    \
           -orc stream.saol  \
           -sco stream.sasl  \
           -bitout stream.mp4

    Note: use -mstr, not -midi, for
          MIDI file.

    Part 2: Stream mp4 file

    sfront -session your_session \
           -passphrase passwd    \
           -aout linux           \
           -playback -cin fstr   \
           -bitc stream.mp4

    Note: Use -bitc, not -bit, for
          MP4 file.
`

## Network Security Sfront networking includes an authentication system to protect you against unwanted intruders into your session. These intruders may be benign (a stranger arrives playing notes in tune and on time), irritating (a player injects many loud notes at once, hurting eardrums and perhaps speakers too), or truly malicious (an attacker examines the sfront source code and finds an exploit, which he uses to hijack your machine and delete you files, using RTP or SIP packets as the attack medium). Your protection against these forgeries lies in the secrecy of your session name and passphrase. These items are used to attach digital signatures to each SIP and RTP packet sent by a client. When a packet receives a SIP and RTP packet, it checks the signature, and discards it if its incorrect. Precautions are also taken against replay attackers, who collect your legitimate packets to play back later in time at you. This system breaks down if someone finds out your passphrase; even finding out your session name can make an attack a bit easier. People can find out your name in three ways: To get ready for the session, you communicate the session and passphrase to the other session members, and an attacker is listening in. See the right panel for risk reduction ideas. You choose a session and passphrase that is easy to guess. See this FAQ on choosing passphrases, written for PGP but applicable to sfront networking. You meet someone in a chat room who seems nice enough, and invite her to play in a session ... but he is actually malicious. He finds out the passphrase because you purposely gave it to him, in order to play together. The third problem is less amenable to technical solutions, since its actually a social problem. Perhaps the best technical solution is the web of trust concept for evaluating the intentions of strangers, based on a cryptographic technique somewhat reminiscent of the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon game. Finally, note that sfront networking does not encrypt your packets, it only authenticates them. A passive attacker could record your compositions, and do with them what they wish. #### Security and SAOL As specified by MPEG, SAOL is a safe language, in the sense that Java is safe. For example, a SAOL decoder must prevent an attempt to index an array out of bounds, and terminate the program. However, as discussed in the incompatibilities section of this manual, sfront does not fully implement a safe model at the present time. Users should be careful when running SAOL programs from untrusted sources with sfront, as an attacker could write a SAOL program that is malicious. Users should also check SAOL network code they write themselves for inadvertent safety errors, especially if this code is offered publicly for others to use. Use the sfront conformance options to help find safety errors. Note that sfront networking does not let session members run SAOL programs by sending them along in packets -- an attacker would need to trick you into running a malicious SAOL program by using social methods. | ## Secure Passphrase Transmission `
    1. The Best Methods.

       -- Face-to face (in person).
       -- Over the telephone.
       -- Secure email
       -- Secure file copy (scp/ssh)
       -- Password-protected webpage on a
          secure webserver
       -- Short Message Service, done
          end-to-end over cellular.

    2. Risky methods.

       -- Regular email. Email is not
          secure. Many people can read
          it as it travels and queues.
          However, this attack takes
          forethought and some skill.

       -- A password-protected webpage
          on a non-secure web server.
          Attackers can watch the page
          download, and watch you log
          in. However, the page won't
          show up on Google, and a
          snooping attack takes some
          forethought and skill.

       -- Instant messenger. Not
          secure (usually), but takes
          some forethought and skill
          to snoop.

    3. Really bad ideas.

       -- Announcing session and
          passphrase on mailing lists.

       -- A non-password protected
          webpage. Google will index
          it eventually, since a session
          member will slip up and link
          to it. Then, its a search away.
`

## Technology Details Our Network Musical Performance webpage includes links to technical publications on sfront networking, including a paper from the NOSSDAV conference describing the system. If you read this paper, you may find it easier tuning the network parameters for good performance over temperamental links. Sfront uses an RTP payload format for MIDI whose format document and implementation guides are working-group items of the Audio-Video Transport group of the IETF. Note that the NOSSDAV paper and IETF documents do not discuss the techniques we use for handling NAT, and the techniques we use for security. We briefly discuss these methods below. Our NAT techniques are based on Dan Kegel's peer-to-peer techniques, but are adapted for the SIP and RTP environment. Our SIP security techniques are based on standard SIP authorization, but use an HMAC-MD5-16 signature. Our RTP security techniques are loosely based on the Secure RTP standard under development in the IETF AVT working group, but we do not encrypt the payload, and use a truncated HMAC-MD5-16 signature for authorization. | ##

Next section: Part I/5: Command Line Options |

Copyright 1999 John Lazzaro and John Wawrzynek.