Ad-Hoc Network Autoconfiguration (autoconf)

Last Modified: 2007-12-17

Additional information is available at tools.ietf.org/wg/autoconf

Chair(s):

  • Shubhranshu Singh <shubhranshu@samsung.com>

  • Thomas Heide Clausen <T.Clausen@computer.org>

    Internet Area Director(s):

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

    Internet Area Advisor:

  • Jari Arkko <jari.arkko@piuha.net>

    Mailing Lists:

    General Discussion: autoconf@ietf.org
    To Subscribe: https://www1.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/autoconf
    Archive: http://www.ietf.org/mail-archive/web/autoconf/current/index.html

    Description of Working Group:

    In order to communicate among themselves, ad hoc nodes (refer to RFC
    2501) need to configure their network interface(s) with local
    addresses that are valid within an ad hoc network. Ad hoc nodes may
    also need to configure globally routable addresses, in order to
    communicate with devices on the Internet.

    From the IP layer perspective, a MANET presents itself as a L3
    multi-hop network formed over a collection of links. Thus, each ad hoc
    node in the MANET is, potentially, acting as a L3 router in order to
    provide connectivity to other nodes within the MANET. Each ad hoc node
    maintains host routes to other ad hoc nodes
    within the MANET - in addition to network routes to destinations
    outside the MANET. If connected to the Internet, MANETs are edge
    networks, i.e. their boundary is defined by their edge routers. Due to
    the nature of the links over which a MANET is formed, ad hoc nodes
    within a MANET do not share access to a single multicast-capable link
    for signaling. This implies that the usual delivery semantics of
    link-local multicast and broadcast are not preserved within a MANET.

    The address autoconfiguration related protocol specifications such as
    RFCs 2462, 2461, as used in traditional IP networks, assume that
    subnet-local signals (e.g. link-local multicast signals) are received
    by each of the hosts on the particular subnet without being forwarded
    by the routers defining the subnet boundary. Hence, ad hoc networks
    (as defined and understood by the IETF MANET WG) cannot use these
    protocol specifications as-is.

    The main purpose of the AUTOCONF WG is to standardize mechanisms to be
    used by ad hoc nodes for configuring unique local and/or globally
    routable IPv6 addresses. The ad hoc nodes under consideration are,
    once configured, expected to be able to support multi-hop
    communication by running MANET routing protocols as developed by the
    IETF MANET WG. An AUTOCONF mechanism should not be dependent on any
    specific MANET routing protocol, however the routing protocol may
    provide for optimizations. With this in mind, the goals of AUTOCONF WG
    are to:

    - Produce a "MANET architecture" document defining the MANET
    architecture as is related to IP networks and the Internet.

    - Produce a "terminology and problem statement" document, defining the
    problem statement and goals for AUTOCONF.

    - Develop an IPv6 address autoconfiguration mechanism to be used by ad
    hoc nodes for configuring unique local addresses as well as, in cases
    where Internet connectivity exists, globally routable unique
    addresses.

    - Develop a mechanism to promote configured address uniqueness in the
    situation where different ad hoc networks merge.

    Issues and requirements related to prefix and/or address providing
    entities, such as an Internet gateway, will be addressed within the
    group to the extent that they are directly related to the AUTOCONF
    mechanisms. Security concerns related to AUTOCONF mechanisms will also
    be discussed within the group.

    The working group will reuse existing specifications whenever
    reasonable and possible.

    Goals and Milestones:

    Done  Submit an initial 'MANET architecture' WG document
    Done  Submit an initial 'terminology and problem statement' WG document
    Done  Submit 'MANET architecture' document to IESG for publication as an informational RFC
    Sep 2007  Submit 'terminology and problem statement' document to IESG for publication as an informational RFC
    Dec 2007  Submit initial I-D of 'MANET router IPv6 prefix autoconfiguration mechanism' for WG review
    Mar 2008  Revise documents based upon implementation experience Proposed Standard
    Sep 2008  Submit 'MANET router IPv6 prefix autoconfiguration mechanism' to IESG for publication as Proposed Standard RFC
    Nov 2008  Close or recharter the WG

    Internet-Drafts:

    Mobile Ad hoc Network Architecture (43456 bytes)
    Address Autoconfiguration for MANET: Terminology and Problem Statement (32302 bytes)

    No Request For Comments

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

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