RE: draft of a core protocol spec

[email protected] Mon, 18 Nov 2002 10:39:15 -0800
Newsgroups gmane.ietf.iporpr
Message-ID <[email protected]>
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I completely agree with Glenn (on this topic :-).
=20
jl
-----Original Message-----
From: Glenn Parsons [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Sunday, November 17, 2002 11:20 AM
To: [email protected]
Cc: 'Frank Kastenholz'
Subject: RE: [IPORPR] draft of a core protocol spec



Frank,=20

You have confirmed my concern.=20

In my short experience (~10 yrs) I notice that designers read the least =
number of docs before implementing.  That is, if there any description =
of RPR in this document (beyond a short abstract), I submit that it =
would be taken by some to be the 'de facto' definition of RPR.

I would prefer to avoid that situation.=20

As you may be aware, IEEE 802.17 will be forwarding a copy of the WG =
ballot version of RPR (similar to an ID in IETF WG last call) to the =
IESG (for MIB review) and will also copy this WG.  As a result, I do not =
see any issue with not being able to access the document.

As a result, my comment stands that this document should contain no RPR =
descriptive text beyond a simple abstract.=20

Cheers,=20
Glenn.=20

	----------=20
From:   Frank Kastenholz=20
Sent:   Monday, November 11, 2002 3:59 PM=20
To:     Parsons, Glenn [CAR:6L81:EXCH]; [email protected]=20
Subject:        RE: [IPORPR] draft of a core protocol spec=20

	At 05:36 PM 11/10/2002 -0500, Glenn Parsons wrote:=20

	>Frank,=20
>=20
>You have noted the various minor corrections to the details on RPR that =
you have included in this draft.  However, I have a more fundamental =
concern.  As we are doing for the RPR MIB, I believe that the =
specification for RPR should be definitively in IEEE 802.17.  That is, =
your proposed document (or any IETF document) should not include any =
details of RPR that could be construed as being a definition.  Even if a =
subset of the RPR definition looks the same, I would suggest that it may =
be interpreted differently.  That is something we want to avoid.  This =
document should only describe the payload format when it is IP, the =
details of RPR are irrelevant (since it is a broadcast media).

	>=20
>As such, I would recommend that all of the RPR pedagogy (all of section =
3 and most of 4) be deleted.=20

	Glenn=20
Thanks for your comments=20

	In no way should this draft be considered to attempt to replace=20
or supplant the 802.17 work. Section 3 is meant to be just enough=20
of an overview of the technology so that people reading the spec=20
by itself (such as the IESG will be doing when they review it) will=20
be able to understand the rest of it. I would be more than happy=20
to put some stronger text at the front saying that the section is=20
just a brief, highlevel, description of the aspects of 802.17 that=20
are relevant to the work that IPoRPR is doing, and/or move it to=20
an appendix. But I do feel that having some "RPR pedagogy" is=20
both useful and necessary.=20

	As to section 4 -- that section's goal is to describe various=20
common things that one needs to do to do IP/MPLS over 802.17.=20
Things like what values to put in the Ether-type field, where=20
the payload is to begin, and so on. Some of the things in=20
here that I thought were 'adjustable' (like the TTL) turn out=20
not to be and those would get moved into section 3. Also,=20
some things may seem to be too obvious (e.g. that the=20
IP header immediately follows the 802.17 header, or that the=20
packet type is "data") but one thing that I've learned=20
over the last 20+ years of doing TCP/IP development is that=20
more often than we would like, the engineers writing the=20
code need to be told these simple things.=20

	Again, thanks for taking the time and brain-cycles to read=20
and comment on the document.=20

	Frank Kastenholz=20



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<TITLE>RE: [IPORPR] draft of a core protocol spec</TITLE>

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<DIV><SPAN class=3D748523818-18112002><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#008080 =
size=3D2>I=20
completely agree with Glenn (on this topic :-).</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D748523818-18112002><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#008080 =

size=3D2></FONT></SPAN>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D748523818-18112002><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#008080 =

size=3D2>jl</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV class=3DOutlookMessageHeader dir=3Dltr align=3Dleft><FONT =
face=3DTahoma=20
size=3D2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> Glenn Parsons=20
[mailto:[email protected]]<BR><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, November =
17, 2002=20
11:20 AM<BR><B>To:</B> [email protected]<BR><B>Cc:</B> 'Frank=20
Kastenholz'<BR><B>Subject:</B> RE: [IPORPR] draft of a core protocol=20
spec<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<P><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>Frank,</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>You have confirmed my =
concern.</FONT>=20
</P>
<P><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>In my short experience =
(~10 yrs) I=20
notice that designers read the least number of docs before =
implementing.&nbsp;=20
That is, if there any description of RPR in this document (beyond a =
short=20
abstract), I submit that it would be taken by some to be the 'de facto'=20
definition of RPR.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>I would prefer to avoid =
that=20
situation.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>As you may be aware, IEEE =
802.17 will=20
be forwarding a copy of the WG ballot version of RPR (similar to an ID =
in IETF=20
WG last call) to the IESG (for MIB review) and will also copy this =
WG.&nbsp; As=20
a result, I do not see any issue with not being able to access the=20
document.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>As a result, my comment =
stands that=20
this document should contain no RPR descriptive text beyond a simple=20
abstract.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>Cheers,</FONT> <BR><FONT =
face=3DArial=20
color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>Glenn.</FONT> </P>
<UL>
  <P><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>----------</FONT> <BR><B><FONT =
face=3DArial=20
  size=3D2>From:</FONT></B> &nbsp; <FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Frank =
Kastenholz</FONT>=20
  <BR><B><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Sent:</FONT></B> &nbsp; <FONT =
face=3DArial=20
  size=3D2>Monday, November 11, 2002 3:59 PM</FONT> <BR><B><FONT =
face=3DArial=20
  size=3D2>To:</FONT></B> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <FONT face=3DArial =
size=3D2>Parsons,=20
  Glenn [CAR:6L81:EXCH]; [email protected]</FONT> <BR><B><FONT =
face=3DArial=20
  size=3D2>Subject:</FONT></B> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; =
<FONT=20
  face=3DArial size=3D2>RE: [IPORPR] draft of a core protocol =
spec</FONT> </P>
  <P><FONT face=3DMonaco size=3D2>At 05:36 PM 11/10/2002 -0500, Glenn =
Parsons=20
  wrote:</FONT> </P>
  <P><FONT face=3DMonaco size=3D2>&gt;Frank, </FONT><BR><FONT =
face=3DMonaco=20
  size=3D2>&gt;</FONT> <BR><FONT face=3DMonaco size=3D2>&gt;You have =
noted the various=20
  minor corrections to the details on RPR that you have included in this =

  draft.&nbsp; However, I have a more fundamental concern.&nbsp; As we =
are doing=20
  for the RPR MIB, I believe that the specification for RPR should be=20
  definitively in IEEE 802.17.&nbsp; That is, your proposed document (or =
any=20
  IETF document) should not include any details of RPR that could be =
construed=20
  as being a definition.&nbsp; Even if a subset of the RPR definition =
looks the=20
  same, I would suggest that it may be interpreted differently.&nbsp; =
That is=20
  something we want to avoid.&nbsp; This document should only describe =
the=20
  payload format when it is IP, the details of RPR are irrelevant (since =
it is a=20
  broadcast media).</FONT></P>
  <P><FONT face=3DMonaco size=3D2>&gt;</FONT> <BR><FONT face=3DMonaco =
size=3D2>&gt;As=20
  such, I would recommend that all of the RPR pedagogy (all of section 3 =
and=20
  most of 4) be deleted. </FONT></P>
  <P><FONT face=3DMonaco size=3D2>Glenn</FONT> <BR><FONT face=3DMonaco =
size=3D2>Thanks=20
  for your comments</FONT> </P>
  <P><FONT face=3DMonaco size=3D2>In no way should this draft be =
considered to=20
  attempt to replace</FONT> <BR><FONT face=3DMonaco size=3D2>or supplant =
the 802.17=20
  work. Section 3 is meant to be just enough</FONT> <BR><FONT =
face=3DMonaco=20
  size=3D2>of an overview of the technology so that people reading the =
spec</FONT>=20
  <BR><FONT face=3DMonaco size=3D2>by itself (such as the IESG will be =
doing when=20
  they review it) will</FONT> <BR><FONT face=3DMonaco size=3D2>be able =
to understand=20
  the rest of it. I would be more than happy</FONT> <BR><FONT =
face=3DMonaco=20
  size=3D2>to put some stronger text at the front saying that the =
section=20
  is</FONT> <BR><FONT face=3DMonaco size=3D2>just a brief, highlevel, =
description of=20
  the aspects of 802.17 that</FONT> <BR><FONT face=3DMonaco size=3D2>are =
relevant to=20
  the work that IPoRPR is doing, and/or move it to</FONT> <BR><FONT =
face=3DMonaco=20
  size=3D2>an appendix. But I do feel that having some "RPR pedagogy" =
is</FONT>=20
  <BR><FONT face=3DMonaco size=3D2>both useful and necessary.</FONT> =
</P>
  <P><FONT face=3DMonaco size=3D2>As to section 4 -- that section's goal =
is to=20
  describe various </FONT><BR><FONT face=3DMonaco size=3D2>common things =
that one=20
  needs to do to do IP/MPLS over 802.17.</FONT> <BR><FONT face=3DMonaco=20
  size=3D2>Things like what values to put in the Ether-type field, =
where</FONT>=20
  <BR><FONT face=3DMonaco size=3D2>the payload is to begin, and so on. =
Some of the=20
  things in </FONT><BR><FONT face=3DMonaco size=3D2>here that I thought =
were=20
  'adjustable' (like the TTL) turn out</FONT> <BR><FONT face=3DMonaco =
size=3D2>not=20
  to be and those would get moved into section 3. Also,</FONT> <BR><FONT =

  face=3DMonaco size=3D2>some things may seem to be too obvious (e.g. =
that=20
  the</FONT> <BR><FONT face=3DMonaco size=3D2>IP header immediately =
follows the=20
  802.17 header, or that the</FONT> <BR><FONT face=3DMonaco =
size=3D2>packet type is=20
  "data") but one thing that I've learned</FONT> <BR><FONT face=3DMonaco =

  size=3D2>over the last 20+ years of doing TCP/IP development is =
that</FONT>=20
  <BR><FONT face=3DMonaco size=3D2>more often than we would like, the =
engineers=20
  writing the</FONT> <BR><FONT face=3DMonaco size=3D2>code need to be =
told these=20
  simple things.</FONT> </P>
  <P><FONT face=3DMonaco size=3D2>Again, thanks for taking the time and =
brain-cycles=20
  to read</FONT> <BR><FONT face=3DMonaco size=3D2>and comment on the=20
  document.</FONT> </P>
  <P><FONT face=3DMonaco size=3D2>Frank Kastenholz</FONT> =
</P><BR></UL></BODY></HTML>

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