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Draft ROLC minutes from 12/5

  • From: Andy Malis <malis@maelstrom.timeplex.com>
  • From: Andy Malis <malis@maelstrom.timeplex.com>
  • Date: Thu, 8 Dec 1994 08:04:59 -0800
  • Cc: malis@maelstrom.acton.timeplex.com

These are the draft minutes from Monday's ROLC meeting.  Please review and
respond with comments and corrections.

I would like to thank Rich Verjinski, Ken Hayward, and Dave Piscitello,
without whom these minutes would not have been so detailed (or even
possible).  Thanks also go to Dave Katz and Dave Piscitello for their
excellent work as the NHRP editors.

Andy
Andy
__________________________________________________________________________
Andrew G. Malis   malis@maelstrom.timeplex.com             +1 508 266-4522
Andrew G. Malis   malis@maelstrom.timeplex.com             +1 508 266-4522
Ascom Timeplex    289 Great Rd., Acton MA 01720 USA   FAX: +1 508 264-4999
Ascom Timeplex    289 Great Rd., Acton MA 01720 USA   FAX: +1 508 264-4999

-------

Routing Over Large Clouds (ROLC) Working Group Minutes
IETF Meeting, December 5, 1994
San Jose, California

Chair: Andrew Malis, Ascom Timeplex
Chair: Andrew Malis, Ascom Timeplex

Mailing lists:
General Discussion:rolc@maelstrom.timeplex.com
To Subscribe:      rolc-request@maelstrom.timeplex.com
Archive:           ftp://cnri.reston.va.us/ietf-mail-archive/rolc/
Archive:           ftp://cnri.reston.va.us/ietf-mail-archive/rolc/

There were 108 attendees, many of whom were newcomers.

The chair announced that in order to get work done, the group
would focus its discussion on the current draft and not rehash
earlier decisions (especially the requirements and goals).

He then presented the following overheads to start the meeting
and provide some background to the first-timers:

Agenda
Agenda
* Agenda bashing
* Agenda bashing
* ROLC introduction
* ATM Forum update
* ATM Forum update
* NARP and NHRP implementation experience
* NARP and NHRP implementation experience
* NHRP specification discussion
* Open technical issues (authentication, etc.)
* Discussion of NHRP status and WG recommendation to the
  IESG (if any)
* Planning for the NHRP Protocol Analysis document
* Planning for the NHRP Protocol Analysis document
* Updating the workplan

Problem Statement
* Analyze  and  propose enhancements to IP routing  over
* Analyze  and  propose enhancements to IP routing  over
  large  "shared  media" link layer  (with  respect  to  IP)
  networks
  * ATM
  * ATM
  * Frame Relay
  * X.25
  * SMDS
  * etc.
* Avoid "extra hops" when routing IP
* Avoid "extra hops" when routing IP
  *  Defined as IP datagrams leaving and re-entering  the
     same link-layer cloud as a result of an IP routing decision,
     such as when routing between different IP subnets overlaid
     on the same cloud

ROLC Requirements
* Enable communications between two entities in different
  IP subnets on the same cloud.
* Support policy restrictions (cannot subvert filtering,
  etc.).
* Be compatible with existing routing protocols.
* No new infrastructure deployed.
* Must apply to multiple media and routing technologies.
* Must be loop free.
* Support for complex cases should not unduly burden
  simple cases.
* Support routing hierarchies and aggregation.
* Operate in the presence of multiple layers of  routing
  aggregation,  including aggregates which cross  the  cloud
  boundary.

ROLC Goals
* Should  be  effective and cheap in  terms  of  network
  resources.
* Be extensible to handle QoS (and other new features) in
  the future.
* Be able to determine the path before having sent any
  data packets over it.
* Should be diagnosable.
* Should be deterministic.
* Should work on a cloud where not all attached routers
  are NHRP-capable.
* Reasonable robustness in the face of misconfiguration.
* As much autoconfiguration as possible.
* As much autoconfiguration as possible.
* Non-goal:  the working group is not trying  to  couple
  this  work  to  link  layer routing  (this  would  involve
  significantly more complexity).

Introduction to Next Hop Resolution Protocol
* Used  by  IP  source station to determine "best" link
  layer address to use to reach a destination station
* Result may be link layer address of:
  * The destination itself
  * Closest exit router to the destination
  * An intermediate router, if required by policy
  * An intermediate router, if required by policy
    restrictions
* NHRP may be incrementally deployed
  * First in some routers - Server Mode
  * In all routers - Fabric Mode
* Hosts are identical no matter which mode is in use
  *  Host  support may be incrementally deployed as  well
     (existing hosts can benefit via NHRP-capable router)

Protocol Overview
* Participating hosts register with their Next Hop Server
  (NHS),  exit routers may register entire IP subnets behind
  them
* Source host sends NHRP request to NHS, host may also
  send data along routed path
* NHSes forward the request to the destination's NHS
* Destination's NHS returns proper link layer address,
  result cached on way back
* Source opens direct connection to destination for
  subsequent datagrams

Server Mode and Fabric Mode
* In  Server  Mode, only a small number of routers  also
  NHSes
  * Static configuration used for NHS-to-LIS associations
    and NHS adjacencies
* This produces NHRP request/reply route
* In  Fabric Mode, all ingress/egress routers  are  also
  NHSes
  * IP Routing used to produce NHRP request/reply route
* No static configuration required
* Host configuration is identical for both modes

NHRP Supports ...
* Network-layer policy restrictions
  * If a router on the path has filtering enabled, it can
     provide its own address in the response
* Quality of Service
  * Desired QoS of the final path can be included in NHRP
     Requests
* Supportability
  * Includes forward and reverse route recording and full
     error indications
* Other network layer protocols
  * Protocol ID field allows use of IPng and other network
    layer address formats in NHRP requests and replies

Current Workplan
Dec 94  Meet at San Jose, put finishing touches on NHRP,
        plan implementations and analysis document.
Dec 94  Submit NHRP document to IESG as a Proposed
        Standard.
Apr 95  Submit companion analysis document to IESG.
Apr 95  Submit companion analysis document to IESG.

During the presentation, Curtis Villamiza reminded the group that
at the Seattle meeting, a goals and requirements document was
discussed.  While they have been documented in both the Seattle
and Toronto minutes and proceedings, The chair invited him to
write such a document.  He may do so if he has the time.

ATM Forum Update
ATM Forum Update

The WG received an ATM Forum update from Drew Perkins and
The WG received an ATM Forum update from Drew Perkins and
Joel Halpern, direct from the previous week's ATM Forum
Joel Halpern, direct from the previous week's ATM Forum
meeting in Kyoto.

The primary news was from the Multiprotocol over ATM group.
The primary news was from the Multiprotocol over ATM group.
Most of the discussion there was concerning requirements,
along with some discussion of reference models. The main
agreement from the meeting was there will be one host
behavior, query-response (based upon Classical IP over ATM,
behavior, query-response (based upon Classical IP over ATM,
NHRP, and ATM Forum LAN Emulation).
NHRP, and ATM Forum LAN Emulation).

Implementation Experience Reports

The one detailed report was from Kanan Shah of NRL.  She has
been finishing her code is almost at the testing stage.
Testing will take place on the ATDnet (a large-scale OC-48
Testing will take place on the ATDnet (a large-scale OC-48
ATM testbed that rings the Washington DC area).  She plans
ATM testbed that rings the Washington DC area).  She plans
on testing with Rob Coltun's PNNI routing code.  Dave Katz
said that Cisco also has an implementation under way (being
developed by Bruce Cole), but was not at liberty to further
discuss its status.

Current NHRP Draft Review

Dave Katz, along with Dave Piscitello, the NHRP editors, led a
detailed review of the current draft, draft-ietf-rolc-
nhrp-03.txt, which had been distributed on the mailing list the
previous week.  Among the major issues discussed were:
previous week.  Among the major issues discussed were:

* There has been a change in the packet format.  The MBMA
* There has been a change in the packet format.  The MBMA
  family identifier is now a 16 bit number, and can be found
  in "Assigned Numbers".
  in "Assigned Numbers".
* The Authentication option has also been changed.  An
* The Authentication option has also been changed.  An
  option has been added for MD5.
* Curtis Villamizar brought up a question as to the
  semantics of the S bit, which will be better clarified in
  the text.  There will be further investigation of the
  usefulness of the "S" bit, which is used to identify whether
  a potential looping scenario exists.
* The WG needs to further investigate the usefulness of a "C"
  bit to distinguish destinations attached directly to NBMA
  bit to distinguish destinations attached directly to NBMA
  fabric from those that are not, and a "J" bit to say "I
  assert that the destination I'm informing you of is directly
  reachable via me (no intervening routers)".
* Curtis was recognized for his contribution in section
  8.1.
* The WG needs to improve the description of destination masks
  (guidelines for constructing the mask, means by which
  requester distinguishes the appropriate mask length).
* There was discussion on "hole punching" in cached
  aggregated destinations.
* A discussion on options was made referencing non-
* A discussion on options was made referencing non-
  optional and optional options. For clarification, there is
  an option bit that tells the implementation what to do if it
  does not support particular options.  The terminology has
  been changed to "discretionary" and "non-discretionary"
  options.  Three of the options have been made discretionary:
  destination mask option (Section 5.6.1); QoS option (Section
  5.6.6); vendor-private (Section 5.6.8).
* The discussion on page 2 that suggests that NHRP obviates the
  need for LISs will be revised.
* A discussion of routing loops was led by Curtis.  The
* A discussion of routing loops was led by Curtis.  The
  solution when a routing loop is detected is to break the VC.
  We concluded that routing loops only occur in the router-to-
  router case, and then only if routers use NHRP information
  to take precedence over information learned by routing
  protocols.  Curtis is going to send mail to the list on the
  subject.
* The question of when you use Classical ARP and when you
* The question of when you use Classical ARP and when you
  use NHRP was raised.  The sequence of events will be:
  1. Only ARP servers are used as per RFC 1577.
  1. Only ARP servers are used as per RFC 1577.
  2. NHRP is phased in:
     * Hosts continue to register with the ARP server (until
     * Hosts continue to register with the ARP server (until
       ARP servers go away, for the benefit of non-NHRP hosts).
       ARP servers go away, for the benefit of non-NHRP hosts).
       ARP servers will leak registrations to NHRP servers, so NHRP
       ARP servers will leak registrations to NHRP servers, so NHRP
       hosts don't have to register twice if they don't wish to
       (but then they must agree to certain defaults, such as the
       registration timeout period).  If NHRP hosts wish to set
       these values, then they must also register with the NHRP
       server.  Explicit registrations always take precedence over
       leaked registrations.
     * NHRP source hosts send all address resolution requests
       to the NHRP server (without regard to the "mask and match"
       operation).
     * NHRP source hosts may send ARP requests to their ARP
     * NHRP source hosts may send ARP requests to their ARP
       server if they get a NHRP NAK and the destination is in the
       server if they get a NHRP NAK and the destination is in the
       same LIS.
  3. NHRP servers completely replace ARP servers.  All hosts
  3. NHRP servers completely replace ARP servers.  All hosts
     are NHRP-capable.
* Intermediate router operation: If the IR is willing to
  set up a direct VC to the destination, it must be willing to
  cache the fact it has generated and/or forwarded the NHRP
  request for that address (so that it won't generate
  another).  If it is not willing to set up a VC, then it will
  not need to cache the fact that the request was forwarded.
* On a related issue, the document should adequately
  cover how to restrict generation of NHRP requests (will
  every packet generate one if one is already in flight, will
  every NHS generate a request along the routed path, etc.).
* Note that when a router returns an NHRP reply for its
  own IP address, it should mark the S bit as originating from
  a host.
* A request to the group was made for someone to help
* A request to the group was made for someone to help
  with authentication, and Sandra Murphy of TIS volunteered to
  provide assistance.
* It was agreed that more text should be added to the
  document discussing the aging of information.
* The suggestion was made for a host implementation
  cookbook.
* There was a request for volunteers who are willing  to
  explore  other  protocols in the context of  NHRP.   Other
  protocols  of  interest are IPv6 and IPX.  There  were  no
  volunteers in the room.  Please send mail to the chair  if
  you are interested.

Dave and Dave will be producing a new revision reflecting the
discussion.

New Work Items:

The Routing Area Director told the WG that a protocol analysis
The Routing Area Director told the WG that a protocol analysis
document, while required for protocol standardization, was
probably premature at this point.  However, Kanan Shah has
volunteered to begin its preparation.

Two other documents were assigned to volunteers:
* Protocol Applicability: Derya Cansever.
* Protocol Applicability: Derya Cansever.
* The NHRP MIB: Mike Patrick.  Mike will begin by compiling an
  initial list of objects of "interest" for debugging,
  operational support, tuning knobs, and so on, and sending them
  to the list for review and suggestions.

Anyone interested in helping out with these documents should
Anyone interested in helping out with these documents should
contact either the authors or the chair.

Work Plan Update:

* It was decided that the NHRP document should be
  submitted to the IESG as a proposed standard following at
  least one more revision.  The WG has a goal of Feb. 95
  submission.
* The WG should submit the companion applicability document
  to the IESG in April 95.
  to the IESG in April 95.
* The WG should have a draft of the MIB document by April 95.
* The WG should have a draft of the MIB document by April 95.

An updated charter will be forthcoming.
An updated charter will be forthcoming.