Ad-Hoc Network Autoconfiguration
charter-ietf-autoconf-05

RFC 5889 presents one possible IPv6 addressing model for ad hoc
nodes. In this model the ad hoc routers need to configure their
network interface(s) with addresses valid in the ad hoc network, and
may configure additional prefixes for use by attached nodes.

After completing the work on RFC 5889, the main purpose of the
AUTOCONF WG is to standardize how existing IPv6 address configuration
tools can be used for address configuration.

1. DHCPv6 operation over MANET, including:

• A DHCPv6-based mechanism for configuring required interface
  addresses for the routers in the ad hoc network. This mechanism
  is expected to produce addresses with properties outlined in RFC
  5889. This mechanism uses the existing DHCPv6 protocol unchanged,
  and assumes a central node that can allocate addresses on a
  first-come-first-served basis. Nodes in the ad hoc network
  will relay messages to the central node in order to help a new
  node get an address for itself. This mechanism is only suitable
  for deployments were a central node can be set up. It should be
  noted that many existing deployments employ Internet gateways
  that can act as such a central node as well. Future extensions
  such as central node election may make this mechanism suitable
  for also for stand-alone ad hoc networks.

• A DHCPv6-based mechanism for delegating a prefix(es) to each
  router for use by applications running on the routers themselves,
  or for configuration of attached hosts/networks. This mechanism
  works in a similar manner to the one above, but allocates
  prefixes instead of addresses.

Both mechanisms should be independent from operation of any specific
MANET routing protocol, although may exploit information maintained by
such a routing protocol, if available.

The working group will adapt and/or reuse existing protocols whenever
reasonable and possible. No new duplicate address detection mechanisms
will be specified.

2. Analysis of Problem Space for distributed address configuration and
   service discovery. This analysis is necessary in order to understand
   what type of distributed solution(s) can be standardized. There is
   already quite a lot of material about possible solutions in the
   literature.

The working group plans to establish design teams for rapidly advancing
towards initial submissions for these two work items. The group shall
also work with the 6LOWPAN and ROLL working group to ensure that
the results from AUTOCONF working group are useful for the larger
community and do not overlap with work already in progress in these
other working groups.