Re: Interest in IPv6 Hop by Hop options

[Alan Davy <adavy at tssg.org>]

Hi Rémi,


Rémi Denis-Courmont wrote:
> Le mercredi 4 novembre 2009 18:40:26 Alan Davy, vous avez écrit :
>   
> > We are currently specifying an IPv6 hop by hop option which will be used
> > to carry node related information along a path within a network domain.
> > There has been previous proposals submitted to the IETF within this
> > area, such as IPv6 Route Record [1] and Connection/Link Status
> > Investigation[2]. We are aware of the reasons these proposals have been
> > rejected previously, being mainly related to the problems of the hop by
> > hop option and the operators unwillingness to share private data.
> >     
>
> Every router and middlebox on the path needs to parse HBH, which causes severe 
> challenge with some hardware and/or software architecture. Hence, I believe 
> many, if not all, network gears vendors hate HBH.
>
> With HBH, you can in principle extend IPv6 routing to do really anything. But 
> then you need to upgrade all the routers. And that's simply not going to 
> happen. So basically, HBH is only useful in the mythical "walled garden" 
> networks.
>
>   
The point of our proposed solution is to specify a common set of rules 
or guidelines for managing the entry of data into the hop by hop option 
header data field. The hop by hop option can be ignored by routers that 
do not support it or blocked by edge routers that do not like/recognise 
it. However by setting in place a standard interface, operators can use 
this feature to build future in-line network management and monitoring 
protocols.

Alan


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