The examples given in this paper are based on the accompanying diagram, client-server-arch.dia, in dia format.
This diagram depicts a situation which can be described as follows:
Foo Company (foo.com) is an organisation of moderate size with some network infrastructure. It has its own mail server, and its own iCalendar server for the use of its staff, two of whom are A and B.
Bar Company (bar.com) is similar to Foo Company. Its staff includes C and D.
Baz.net is an ISP used by individuals and small businesses. Although it provides a mail server for its customers, it does not provide an iCalendar server.
Users A, B, C, D and E use an iCalendar client (presumably any client capable of handling RFC 2445 objects). User F has no iCalendar client, just email.
This paper will attempt to explain what happens in a number of calendaring and scheduling situations situations involving these people and organisations. The situations we will look at include attempts to schedule events where:
A invites B (within the same company with an iCal server)
A invites C (different companies, both have iCal servers)
A invites E (E has no iCal server)
E invites A (E has no iCal server)
A invites F (F has no iCal client or server)