3.2.4.6 Timer Events

Each time the connection time-out timer defined in section 3.2.1.2.2 expires, an implementation of this protocol MUST send a Ping RTS PDU (section 2.2.4.49) on the default OUT channel for this virtual connection. This will prevent network agents from closing the connection used by the OUT channel response due to it being idle. An implementation of this protocol MAY choose when to notify the server that it has sent a PDU to the client and thus consume part of the OUT channel lifetime. When it chooses to notify the server, it MUST do so using a Ping Traffic Sent Notify RTS PDU (section 2.2.4.47).<50>