I'd like to ask the group one final time for comments on the proposed new charter. I've also asked the ROLL WG chairs to comment.
As I said before, soon after the format document was published, there is nothing stopping the WG from discussing and working on new and existing items at this time. In fact, activity helps us to decide what should be in and out of the charter. Please do not construe not having a charter in place as a reason not to update drafts, or discuss topics that need to be discussed. Just as when we have BoF's and mailing lists before creating a new WG, it is good to have WG meetings and on-lists discussions when creating new WG charters.
- Mark
Background/Introduction: Note: Given that there is not much precedent for this type of activity at the IETF, the text that follows is of an introductory nature. Hence, its objective is to give a general idea of the application area and motivations for the work. In particular, this section is not to be construed as detailing work items for the working group. That is done in the following section entitled "Scope of the Working Group." Well-established fields such as control networks, and burgeoning ones such as "sensor" (or transducer) networks, are increasingly being based on wireless technologies. Most (but certainly not all) of these nodes are amongst the most constrained that have ever been networked wirelessly. Extreme low power (such that they will run potentially for years on batteries) and extreme low cost (total device cost in single digit dollars, and riding Moore's law to continuously reduce that price point) are seen as essential enablers towards their deployment in networks with the following characteristics: * Significantly more devices than current networks * Severely limited code and ram space (e.g., highly desirable to fit the required code--MAC, IP and anything else needed to execute the embedded application-- in, for example, 32K of flash memory, using 8-bit microprocessors) * Unobtrusive but very different user interface for configuration (e.g., using gestures or interactions involving the physical world) * Robustness and simplicity in routing or network fabric A chief component of these devices is wireless communication technology. In particular, the IEEE 802.15.4 standard is very promising for the lower (physical and link) layers. As for higher layer functions, there is considerable interest from non-IETF groups in using IP technology (the ZigBee alliance, for example, is currently studying what such a work item might entail). The working group is expected to coordinate and interact with such groups. The required work includes items in the following (incomplete) list: * IP adaptation/Packet Formats and interoperability * Addressing schemes and address management * Network management * Routing in dynamically adaptive topologies * Security, including set-up and maintenance * Application programming interface * Discovery (of devices, of services, etc) * Implementation considerations Whereas at least some of the above items are within the purview of the IETF, at this point it is not clear that all of them are. Accordingly, the 6LoWPAN working group will address a reduced, more focused set of objectives. Scope of 6lowpan: Produce "Problems Statement, Assumptions and Goals for IPv6 for LoWPANs" (draft-ietf-lowpan-goals-assumptions-xx.txt) to define the problem statement and goals of 6lowpan networks. Produce "Transmission of IPv6 Packets over IEEE 802.15.4 WPAN Networks" (draft-ietf-lowpan-ipv6-over-802.15.4-xx.txt) to define the basic packet formats and sub-IP adaptation layer for transmission of IPv6 packets over IEEE 802.15.4. This includes framing, adaptation, header compression and address generation. Furthermore, IEEE 802.15.4 devices are expected to be deployed in mesh topologies. As such, the working group may also work on an informational document to show how to apply an existing MANET protocol to LoWPANs (e.g., AODV, OLSR, DYMO, etc). The working group will reuse existing specifications whenever reasonable and possible. The working group will also serve as a venue for ongoing discussions on other topics related to the more complete list outlined above. Additional related milestones may be added in the future via a rechartering operation. Note: As may be obvious from its official name above, this particular working group will not work on IPv4 over IEEE 802.15.4 specifications. Given the limitations of the target devices, dual-stack deployments are not practical. Because of its higher potential for header compression, its support for the huge number of devices expected and of cleanly built-in features such as address autoconfiguration, IPv6 is the exclusive focus of the working group. Goals and Milestones: Done Working group last call on draft-ietf-lowpan-goals-assumptions-xx.txt Done Submit draft-ietf-lowpan-goals-assumptions-xx.txt to IESG for consideration of publication as Informational Done Working Group Last Call on draft-ietf-lowpan-ipv6-over-802.15.4-xx.txt Done Submit draft-ietf-lowpan-ipv6-over-802.15.4-xx.txt to IESG for consideration of publication as Proposed Standard
Background/Introduction: Note: Given that there is not much precedent for this type of activity at the IETF, the text that follows is of an introductory nature. Hence, its objective is to give a general idea of the application area and motivations for the work. In particular, this section is not to be construed as detailing work items for the working group. That is done in the following section entitled "Scope of the Working Group." Well-established fields such as control networks, and burgeoning ones such as "sensor" (or transducer) networks, are increasingly being based on wireless technologies. Most (but certainly not all) of these nodes are amongst the most constrained that have ever been networked wirelessly. Extreme low power (such that they will run potentially for years on batteries) and extreme low cost (total device cost in single digit dollars, and riding Moore's law to continuously reduce that price point) are seen as essential enablers towards their deployment in networks with the following characteristics: * Significantly more devices than current local area networks * Severely limited code and ram space (e.g., highly desirable to fit the required code--MAC, IP and anything else needed to execute the embedded application-- in, for example, 32K of flash memory, using 8-bit microprocessors) * Unobtrusive but very different user interface for configuration (e.g., using gestures or interactions involving the physical world) A chief component of these devices is wireless communication technology. In particular, the IEEE 802.15.4 standard is very promising for the lower (physical and link) layers. As for higher layer functions, there is considerable interest from non-IETF groups in using IP technology. The IEEE 1451.5 standard for wireless transducers has a chapter for 6LoWPAN and the ISA SP100 standard for wireless industrial networks has adopted 6LoWPAN for their network layer. This working group is expected to coordinate and interact with such groups. Description of Working Group: The working group has completed two RFCs: "IPv6 over Low-Power Wireless Personal Area Networks (6LoWPANs): Overview, Assumptions, Problem Statement, and Goals" (RFC4919) that documents and discusses the problem space and "Transmission of IPv6 Packets over IEEE 802.15.4 Networks" (RFC4944) which defines the format for the adaptation between IPv6 and 802.15.4. The Working Group will generate the necessary documents to enusre interoperable implementations of 6LoWPAN networks and will define the necessary security and management protocols and constructs for build 6LoWPAN networks, paying particular attention to protocols already available. Work Items: 1. Produce â6lowpan Bootstrapping and 6lowpan IPv6 ND Optimizationsâ to define the required optimizations to make IPv6 ND applicable in 6lowpans, given the fact that IPv6 ND is too expensive for the devices of 6lowpan and requires multicast. This document (or these documents - as the working group delves into this topic it may determine that this should be two separate documents) will define how to bootstrap a 6lowpan network and explore ND optimizations such as reusing the 802.15.4 network structure (use the coordinators), and obviate multicast by having devices talk to coordinators without creating a single point-of-failure, and changing the IPv6 ND multicast semantics. This document will be a proposed standard. 2. Produce âProblem Statement for Stateful Header Compression in 6lowpansâ to document the problem of using stateful header compression (2507, ROHC) in 6lowpans. Currently 6lowpan only specifies the use of stateless header compression given the assumption that stateful header compression may be too complex. This document will determine if the assumption is correct and will be an informational document. The WG will determine if the assumption is correct at this time and record the findings in this informational document. 3. Produce "6LoWPAN Architecture" to describe the design and implementation of 6LoWPAN networks. This document will cover the concepts of "Mesh Under" and "Route Over", 802.15.4 design issues, network components, addressing, and IPv4/IPv6 network connections. 4. Produce âRecommendations for 6lowpan Applicationsâ to define a set of recommendations of protocols to use for applications. The recommendations will cover protocols for transport, application layer, discovery, configuration and commissioning. This document will be an informational document. 5. Produce â6lowpan Security Analysisâ to define the threat model of 6lowpans and to document suitability of existing key management schemes and to discuss bootstrapping/installation/commissioning/setup issues. This document will be an informational document. The working group will continue to reuse existing protocols and mechanisms whenever reasonable and possible. Goals and Milestones: Jan 2008 - First Draft of Bootstrapping and ND Optimization document Feb 2008 - First Draft of Stateful Header Compression document Dec 2007 - First Draft of 6LoWPAN Architecture docuement Feb 2008 - First Draft of Applications document Mar 2008 - First Draft of Security Analysis Jun 2008 - Submit Bootstrapping and ND Optimiation document to IESG to be considered as Proposed Standard Jul 2008 - Submit Stateful Header Compression document to IESG to be considered as Proposed Standard May 2008 - Submit Architecture docuement to IESG to be considered as Informational RFC Jul 2008 - Submit Applications docuement to IESG to be considered as Informational RFC Sep 2008 - Submit Security Analysis document to IESG to be considered as Informational RFC.
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