Subject: New draft about synchronizing hosts' periodical communications

From: Teemu Savolainen <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2012 17:47:19 +0300

Greetings 6man WG,

We have just published a draft about:"Optimal Transmission Window
Configuration Option for ICMPv6 Router Advertisement"

http://tools.ietf.org/internet-drafts/draft-savolainen-6man-optimal-transmission-window-00.txt

Abstract:
---
   This specification describes an ICMPv6 Router Advertisement option
   for a router to configure optimal transmission window for hosts
   transmitting packets through the router.
---

The RA already contains information host needs to address itself ("what")
and for selecting default and more specific routers ("where"). The intent
of this draft is to describe "when" would be the most appropriate time for
hosts to transmit, if they can choose (i.e. this is not to be used to slow
down active user experience or necessarily affect to real-time apps).

The intent is to synchronize periodical "idle-mode" communications of
several hosts behind a resource constrained gateway/router. For example, if
a low-power sensor network is provided Internet connectivity through a
battery powered gateway (e.g. a handset), it is beneficial to minimize
number of times the gateway's radio needs to be activated. For example, if
there were two nodes behind such a gateway sending messages out every two
minutes, the number of gateway's radio activation times can be halved by
ensuring the two nodes send periodical message about (but not exactly) at
the same time. In this case, as the second radio activation can be avoided,
the gateway's uplink radio power consumption can be about halved.

We would like to present this draft and some measurements in the Vancouver
IETF meeting.

However, we would also like to hear some comments from 6man WG prior the
IETF - especially if there is interest/objection for this piece of work.

Best regards,

Teemu