Subject: [rohc] Protocol Convergence Layer for header compression negotiation

From: "Aniruddha Kulkarni" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 12:45:47 +0100

We would like to propose a Protocol Convergence Layer for header compression
negotiation.

The functionality of the layer need not limit to header compression
negotiation
but that is the motivation for proposing such a layer. This layer is not
a link layer like PPP or Ethernet but it is more aligned to the idea of
Packet Data
Convergence Layer (PDCP) from 3GPP specifications.

			|  IP  |
  			--------
			| PCL  |
			--------
			| Link |

Header compression negotiation is the first starting point for using header
compression
functionality. In some cases (unidirectional link, administrator's choice)
it can be
avoided but in most of the cases it is needed. A standardized solution for
such negotiation
process is always preferable over any propritary solutions. This poses the
problem
of updating all link layer standards for different header compression
schemes like IPHC over
PPP (IETF), ROHC over PDCP (3GPP) etc.

Many networks/links can benefit from header compression like 802.11x,
802.16x (already has a
header compression scheme but could also support IETF defined header
compression scheme),
MANET with lot of differnet types of links etc. It would a long and tedious
process to
standardize header compression over all those link layers.

We propose a link layer which takes over the function of header compression
negotiation. This
layer would add no or minimal overhead to the data (compressed or
uncompressed) packets. It
could be extended to provide other functions such as providing frame length,
segmentation (if
not provided by lower links), buffering to handle packet reordering etc. All
these features
are independant of the header compression schemes and all header compression
schemes could
benefit from these features. Ofcourse, all features will be optional and
configurable.

Adoptation of such a layer will enable easy integration of header
compression function in
many different links and networks.

Any comments?

---Aniruddha Kulkarni
Tommy Lundemo

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