Subject: [L2CP] Updated draft charter

From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 1 Mar 2006 10:00:14 +0000

Folks,

First, please let me introduce myself. I'll be co-chairing the BoF with
Wojciech Dec at the upcoming IETF in Dallas.

Please find attached a revised charter. We have added the multicast use
case, updated the working group milestones, and trimmed some of the other
text.

Please post any comments to the list.

Best regards,

Matthew

-------------------WG CHARTER (DRAFT)------------------------

Layer 2 Control Protocol (L2CP)
===============================

Current Status: Non-existing Working Group

Chair(s):
Matthew Bocci ([email-masked])
Wojciech Dec  ([email-masked])

Internet Area Director(s):
Mark Townsley <[email-masked]>
Margaret Wasserman

Technical Advisor(s):
TBD <tbd>

Secretary(ies):
TBD <tbd>

Area Specific Mailing List:
[email-masked]

Mailing Lists:
General Discussion: [email-masked]
To Subscribe: [email-masked]
In Body: subscribe your_email_address
Archive: http://www.ietf.org/mail-archive/web/l2cp/index.html

Description of the charter for this WG:

The purpose of the L2CP WG is to standardize an IP based Layer 2
control protocol (L2CP) for use in service provider access and
aggregation type networks. The protocol is to be inter-operable among a
wide set of multi-vendor devices, including but not limited to DSL
Access Nodes and Broadband Network Gateways (BNGs).

L2CP is intended to addresses the requirement for a bidirectional, IP-
based protocol that operates across a number of access and aggregation
network technologies e.g. Ethernet, ATM. The goal of a L2CP message
exchange is to convey status and control information between access
devices and one or more other devices e.g. BNGs, that require the
information for executing local functions. An example of this is the
transmission of an access loop rate from the edge access node to a
Broadband Network gateway device tasked with shaping traffic to that
rate. A further example is to trigger a local action on an access
device, for example, the initiation of a local port testing mechanism.
The transmission of this information should not need to go through
intermediate element managers, so that rapid functional changes in
response to dynamic events can be achieved.

L2CP will address the following use-cases:

- Topology discovery
Various queuing and scheduling mechanisms are used in access networks
to avoid congestion while dealing with multiple flows with distinct QoS
requirements. Such mechanisms require that the BNG gains knowledge of
the topology of the access network, in particular the edge access-loop
characteristics e.g. DSL sync Rate. The layer 2 control protocol is
intended to convey this information between the access node and the
BNG.

- Line Configuration
Following dynamic line identification (subscriber local loop), assisted
by the mechanism described in the topology discovery case, the BNG
could then query a subscriber OSS system (e.g. RADIUS server) to
retrieve subscriber service profiles relating to the subscriber line.
Using L2CP could simplify the OSS infrastructure for service
management, allowing centralization of subscriber-related service data
(e.g. RADIUS server back-end) and avoiding complex cross-organization
interactions.

- OAM
Traditional DSL broadband access networks employ point-to-point ATM
circuits between a CPE and a BRAS. In such an environment,
troubleshooting can be achieved by means of end-to-end ATM loopbacks.
With the increasing deployment of Ethernet developing as a layer 2
technology in the aggregation network, operators require consistent
methods to test and troubleshoot connectivity for mixed Ethernet and
ATM access networks (including the local loop). L2CP allows them to
trigger a remote procedure for the OAM mechanism used on the local
loop.

- Multicast
Various mechanisms have been defined to create multicast replication in
the access nodes. There is a need to communicate multicast state
between the BNG and the access node in order to allow, for example,
centralized policy control.

The working group will define a framework and set of requirements, and
will investigate and define a solution for an IP based Layer 2 control
protocol that is robust, reliable and scalable. L2CP will be based on
extensions to existing protocols. The initial proposal for L2CP is
based on GSMPv3.

Goals and Milestones:

July 2006         Accept WG I-D for L2CP Framework / Requirements
July 2006         Accept WG I-D for L2C Protocol extensions
September 2006  Framework and requirements last call
November 2006   Accept WG I-D for L2C MIBs
December 2006   Protocol extensions last call
January 2007    MIBs last call
March 2007   Re-charter or conclude Working Group

Internet-Drafts:

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