Subject: RE: Flow Label discussion

From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 09:17:38 -0600

Steve,

I would like to present the case for the hybrid. the limitations that should
be imposed when one is not using the immutable form.  and a conceptual model
how it can be used for RIB and FIB processes in software to support fast
path in hardware.  I would assume any of us would only have 10 minutes on
the stage?

cc the list if folks want to connect with me on this.

thanks
/jim

> -----Original Message-----
> From: ext Steve Deering [mailto:[email-masked]]
> Sent: Wednesday,March 14,2001 2:25 AM
> To: [email-masked]
> Cc: Bob Hinden
> Subject: Flow Label discussion
> 
> 
> As Bob mentioned, we have set aside a chunk of time in the Minneapolis
> agenda to discuss the various proposals for what to do with the IPv6
> Flow Label field.  This was a hot topic here on the list just before
> the San Diego IETF, and then we ended up with an agenda that was too
> full to allow in-depth face-to-face discussion, so we said we would
> defer it to the proposed interim meeting, which never happened.
> Therefore, we have made time next week for this topic.
> 
> At the moment, we have one scheduled presentation on Flow 
> Label issues,
> by Winston Seah (draft-shen-ipv6-flow-trans-00.txt), and we would like
> to offer the opportunity for others who were arguing for alternative
> semantics for the Flow Label field to summarize their proposals.  If
> I recall correctly, the debate came to down to basically three
> different choices for Flow Label semantics:
> 
>     (1) a non-mutable value that, when concatenated with the source
> 	address, can be used by routers to identify flows.  (This was
> 	the original design, described in pre-RFC2460 versions of
> 	the IPv6 spec.)
> 
>     (2) a mutable value that can be or will be modified hop-by-hop,
> 	like an ATM virtual circuit identifier or an MPLS label.
> 
>     (3) a hybrid of (1) and (2) in which, say, one bit of the Flow
> 	Label field indicates whether or not the rest of the field
> 	is mutable.
> 
> It would be best if we had one presenter for each of those choices
> (assuming my list of the different choices is right), with 10 minutes
> provided for each speaker to make their case.  I.e., if, for example,
> five people all volunteer to make the case for choice (2), we will
> ask them to choose one presenter among themselves to summarize all
> the arguments.  The goal is to quickly lay out all the issues, and
> then allow some time for interactive discussion and trying to see if
> any sort of consensus might emerge.  (Of course, any results will be
> written up in the minutes and subject to further 
> discussion/ratification
> here on the list and in Last Calls, etc.)
> 
> So, if anyone would like to make a summary presentation of a 
> Flow Label
> proposal, please send a message to Bob and me (you may also cc it to
> the list if you wish, or not), saying in a sentence or two what your
> specific proposal is.  If there are multiple people proposing the same
> thing, we'll ask that set of people to coordinate on a single 
> presentation.
> 
> OK?
> 
> Steve
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---

From: Steve Deering <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 08:18:31 -0800

At 9:17 AM -0600 3/14/01, [email-masked] wrote:
>I would assume any of us would only have 10 minutes on the stage?

Yes, give or take a minute or two.

Steve