IP over Cable Data Network (ipcdn) Charter

NOTE: This charter is accurate as of the 37th IETF Meeting in San Jose. It may now be out-of-date. (Consider this a "snapshot" of the working group from that meeting.) Up-to-date charters for all active working groups can be found elsewhere in this Web server.

Chair(s)

Masuma Ahmed <mxa@terayon.com>
Mike St. John <stjohns@home.net>

Internet Area Director(s):

Frank Kastenholz <kasten@ftp.com>
Jeffrey Burgan <jburgan@baynetworks.com>

Mailing List Information

General Discussion:ipcdn@terayon.com
To Subscribe: ipcdn-request@terayon.com
Archive: ftp://ftp.terayon.com/pub/ipcdn

Description of Working Group

The goal of the IPCDN WG is to define how the Internet Protocol (IP) is to be supported on a Cable Television (CATV) Data Network. The working group will prepare a framework and requirements document describing a typical CATV infrastructure and how an IP based network might be architected to utilize this infrastructure. It will also address the service interface between IP and the CATV Data Network. The architecture document will discuss the technical details related to the differences between symmetric and asymmetric CATV Data Networks. A terms of reference document will also be published.

Currently, there are no standards available for supporting IP over a CATV Data Network. The IEEE 802.14 WG is chartered to specify the physical layer and data link layer protocols for the CATV Data Network. However, this does not address the issue of mapping higher level protocols onto the hybrid fiber coax (HFC) access networks. The IPCDN WG will define a specification of how IP is mapped onto HFC access networks. Both IPv4 and IPv6 will be addressed, although in separate documents. The following topics will be discussed:

multicast, broadcast, address mapping and resolution (for IPv4) and neighbor discovery (for IPv6).

The IPCDN WG will also address issues related to network management, especially as they concern HFC access networks. It is expected that other services (i.e. DHCP, RSVP, IPSEC, etc.) will operate unmodified. Also, depending on the capabilities provided by cable data network service, specific mappings of RSVP service classes to lower layer services might be desirable. If additional capabilities become necessary, these will be directed to the appropriate group.

The IPCDN WG will also keep informed on what other groups in the industry are doing as it relates to the work of this working group.

The WG is chartered to deliver the following set of documents:

- informational RFCs covering the framework, architecture, requirements and terms of reference for Cable Data Networks.

- an IPv4-over-HFC access network document covering the mapping of IP over RF channels, encapsulation and framing of IPv4 packets, IP to modem and/or PC address resolution, multicast, and broadcast.

- an IPv6-over-HFC access network document covering the mapping of IP over RF channels , encapsulation and framing of IPv6 packets, IP to modem and/or PC address resolution, neighbor discovery, multicast, and broadcast.

- a media-specific mib for managing HFC spectrum.

- a mib for managing cable data network service including management of IP over cable data network.

Goals and Milestones

Sep 96: Post Internet-Draft on CATV data network architecture framework and terminology document.
Sep 96: Post Internet-Draft on IP over CATV data network service (IPC) document.
Dec 96: Meet at San Jose IETF meeting to review the two Internet-Drafts and finalize any changes to the architecture framework document.
Jan 97: Submit the architecture framework I-D to IESG for publication as an Informational RFC.
Feb 97: Post I-D on the mailing list on the requirements document with pointers to the IETF standards.
Feb 97: Post I-D on the cable data network MIB/architecture document.
Feb 97: Post I-D on the HFC spectrum management MIB/architecture document.
Apr 97: Met at Memphis IETF to finalize review of the IP over CATV requirements, review the document on pointers to the IETF standards and the MIB/architecture documents.
Apr 97: Begin the WG last call on the IP over CATV I-D.
Aug 97: Finalize review of the requirements document on pointers to the IETF standards and the MIBs.
Aug 97: Submit the IP over CATV to IESG for publication as an RFC
Aug 97: Begin last call on the requirements document on pointer to the IETF standards and the MIB documents.
Dec 97: Conclude Working Group.

Current Internet-Drafts

IP Over Cable Data Network Service.