Subject: Re: [v6ops] new draft: draft-ietf-v6ops-dhcpv6-slaac-problem

From: RJ Atkinson <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 18 Dec 2013 10:27:07 -0500

On Weds, 18 Dec 2013 @ 08:36:38 +1300, Brian E Carpenter wrote:
> However, the whole motivation for inventing the SLAAC and RA 
> mechanism was for zeroconf networks (which we often called 
> "Dentist's Office networks" to suggest the use case). 

This also is my recollection.

> I can't prove it with archived email, but I'm pretty sure that 
> somebody said "and then we certainly won't need DHCP for IPv6".

This also is my recollection.

> So I can equally well argue that an isolated network is the
> perfect use case for SLAAC/RA.

Agreed.

Among the reasons to prefer SLAAC/RA over DHCPv6 in an 
isolated (or otherwise unmanaged) network is to eliminate 
the need to purchase, deploy, configure, and operate 
extraneous servers (such as a DHCP Server).

The subsequent widespread deployment of mDNS and DNS-SD 
also has been beneficial in eliminating the need for other
extraneous servers (e.g. DNS) in an isolated network, 
furthering the goal of "Zero Configuration Networking".

> Exactly. It is a solution searching for a problem.

I fully agree.

Yours,

Ran Atkinson