Subject: [eap] Issue 4: EAP multiplexing model not described

From: [email-masked] (Bernard Aboba)
Date: Mon, 25 Mar 2002 10:04:15 -0800 (PST)

Issue 4: EAP multiplexing model not described
Submitter: Bernard Aboba
Submitter email address: [email-masked]
Date first submitted: March 25, 2002
Reference:
Document: RFC2284bis-02
Comment type: T
Priority: S
Section: 5
Rationale/Explanation of issue:

Several EAP methods have attempted to send data to an EAP method using
Identity, NAK, Notification, Success or Failure messages. This won't work
because EAP multiplexing only delivers data to an EAP method if an EAP
Type field is included within the message, and Type=X where X is the type
of the method to which the message is addressed. 

Add the following text to Section 5:

"Within EAP, the Type functions much like a port number in UDP or TCP. EAP
implementation multiplex incoming EAP messages according to their Type,
and deliver them to the appropriate EAP method. EAP Requests addressed to
a Type that is not installed on the peer elicit a NAK message in
response.  EAP Res that is not installed on the server are silently
discarded by the server. EAP messages sent with command codes of Success
or Failure are processed by the EAP implementation; these messages cannot
carry data, so they are not delivered to an EAP method. Similarly, EAP
messages of Types Identity, NAK, and Notification are assumed to be
handled by by code within the EAP implementation that is specific to those
Types. As a result, these messages MUST NOT be used to carry data destined
for delivery to other EAP methods."