IPv6 over Low power WPAN (6lowpan)

Last Modified: 2006-09-27

Additional information is available at tools.ietf.org/wg/6lowpan

Chair(s):

  • Carsten Bormann <cabo@tzi.org>

  • Geoffrey Mulligan <geoff-ietf@mulligan.org>

    Internet Area Director(s):

  • Jari Arkko <jari.arkko@piuha.net>
  • Mark Townsley <townsley@cisco.com>

    Internet Area Advisor:

  • Mark Townsley <townsley@cisco.com>

    Secretary(ies):

  • Christian Schumacher <schumacher@danfoss.com>

    Mailing Lists:

    General Discussion: 6lowpan@lists.ietf.org
    To Subscribe: 6lowpan-request@lists.ietf.org
    In Body: subscribe
    Archive: https://www1.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/6lowpan

    Description of Working Group:

    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:

    Mar 2005  Working group last call on draft-ietf-lowpan-goals-assumptions-xx.txt
    Apr 2005  Submit draft-ietf-lowpan-goals-assumptions-xx.txt to IESG for consideration of publication as Informational
    May 2005  Working Group Last Call on draft-ietf-lowpan-ipv6-over-802.15.4-xx.txt
    Jul 2005  Submit draft-ietf-lowpan-ipv6-over-802.15.4-xx.txt to IESG for consideration of publication as Proposed Standard

    Internet-Drafts:

    Transmission of IPv6 Packets over IEEE 802.15.4 Networks (72021 bytes)
    6LoWPAN: Overview, Assumptions, Problem Statement and Goals (28516 bytes)

    No Request For Comments

    IETF Secretariat - Please send questions, comments, and/or suggestions to ietf-web@ietf.org.

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