Re: [Autoconf] Discussion on link types and status of documents

["Charles E. Perkins" <charles.perkins at earthlink.net>]

Hello Alex,

Alexandru Petrescu wrote:
> Shubhranshu wrote:
>   
>>
>> I agree that defining term "MANET link" is not appropriate but I do 
>> not see any point in listing all the links on which MANET has been 
>> run.
>>     
>
> How would one otherwise start describing link types?
>   

I think of them as links over which IP can be run.  There is no prior 
restriction
that they must run only protocols defined in [manet] wg, or [dhc] wg for 
that matter.
There is no prior restriction that the addresses used by IP over these 
links must
be able to be aggregated into contiguous address ranges.

 
> If one understands link types the way people having deployed ND and DHCP
> understood link types then one wouldn't see a problem in running ND and
> DHCP on the link types on which MANET runs.
>   

One can certainly run IP over a link without being required to also
run DHCP and/or ND.  IP was around for a long time before those
two protocols.

Moreover, I am sure that we can have useful networks running various
manet protocols that do not run DHCP or ND.  Of course, as Joe Macker
pointed out quite forcefully at the autoconf meeting, we can certainly
have manets that DO run DHCP (and, presumably, ND).

I'd be very, very surprised and unhappy if someone were able to
legislate that manets were REQUIRED to run DHCP or ND.

My own opinion is that there are many instances in which it is not
at all appropriate to run DHCP (as currently specified), and that
these instances are more common percentagewise, perhaps even
predominant, in mobile ad-hoc networks.  Which in no way implies
that one should not consider DHCP when appropriate!

Maybe instead of arguing over link types, it would be better to
have a task force making a report about when DHCP is appropriate,
and let the working group get on with other useful work.

Regards,
Charlie P.

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