Re: [RAM] Ramblings about "locator"

[Brian E Carpenter <brian.e.carpenter at gmail.com>]

On 2007-06-15 05:03, Ved Kafle wrote:
> > Marshall,
> >
> > ...
> > > > Maybe the essential point is that a locator can at least in
> > > > principle be mapped to topology and an identifier can't.
> > > If in Ethernet what is essentially a random number (the MAC 
> > address) 
> > > becomes
> > > a locator then maybe the distinction will never be crisp.
> > Well, that horrible thought crossed my mind. I think I disagree
> > with Jarno's comment, because as soon as an Ethernet address
> > gets into a spanning tree it has become a locator (at level 2).
>
> So, the distinction between an identifier and a locator is dependent on
> the avalaibility of routing/switching infrastructure. 
> If networks possess routing/switching insfrastructure based on a
> identifier namespace, the identifier simultaneously functions as a
> locator. 

My original RAMble (sorry) ended thus:

 Maybe the essential point is that a locator can at least in
 principle be mapped to topology and an identifier can't.

I think that's correct and actually consistent with much that's been
said. A slightly different way to say it is that a locator is a
handle for a route.

    Brian

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