Network Working Group S. Senum
Request for Comments: 1762 DigiBoard
Obsoletes: 1376 March 1995
Category: Standards Track
The PPP DECnet Phase IV Control Protocol (DNCP)
Status of this Memo
This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
improvements. Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
and status of this protocol. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.
Abstract
The Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) [1] provides a standard method of
encapsulating Network Layer protocol information over point-to-point
links. PPP also defines an extensible Link Control Protocol, and
proposes a family of Network Control Protocols (NCPs) for
establishing and configuring different network-layer protocols.
This document defines the NCP for establishing and configuring
Digital's DNA Phase IV Routing protocol (DECnet Phase IV) over PPP.
This document applies only to DNA Phase IV Routing messages (both
data and control), and not to other DNA Phase IV protocols (MOP, LAT,
etc).
1. Introduction
There are two basic approaches to running the DNA Phase IV Routing
protocol over a serial line:
1. The approach that several router vendors have taken which is to
treat the serial link as an Ethernet, using the same data and
control messages an Ethernet would use.
2. The approach defined by Digital, which uses DDCMP and slightly
different control messages.
This document will define a method that uses the first approach.
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RFC 1762 PPP DNCP March 1995
2. Overview Of Phase IV DNA Protocols
The Phase IV DNA protocols which act as data link clients are:
o DNA Phase IV Routing
The Phase IV Digital Network Architecture (DNA) Routing
protocol is a network layer protocol providing services similar
to that of DoD IP. It routes messages in Phase IV DECnet
networks and manages the packet flow. The complete definition
of the DNA Phase IV Routing protocol can be found in [2].
o DNA System Console
The Digital Network Architecture (DNA) System Console protocol
is a maintenance protocol providing low level access to a
system for the functions of:
. Identify processor
. Read data link counters
. Boot system
. Console carrier (a general purpose i/o channel)
The complete definition of the DNA System Console protocol can
be found in [3].
o Digital Customer Use
The Digital Customer Use protocol is a value reserved for use
by Digital customers. It allocates a type for private use
which will not conflict with Digital or other vendor protocols.
o DNA Diagnostics
The Digital Network Architecture (DNA) Diagnostics protocol is
reserved to allow diagnostic software communications in
parallel with other data link clients.
o DNA Naming Service (DNS)
The Digital Network Architecture Naming Service (DNS) provides
a distributed naming service. It allows clients to register
named objects and to bind a set of attributes to the objects in
a distributed database.
o DNA Time Service (DTS)
The Digital Network Architecture Time Service (DTS) is a
protocol providing global clock synchronization in a
distributed environment.
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RFC 1762 PPP DNCP March 1995
o DNA Load/Dump
The Digital Network Architecture (DNA) Load/Dump protocol is a
maintenance protocol for copying the contents of processor
memory to or from a remote system. For example, a system
manager can load an operating system into an unattended, remote
system. The complete definition of the Phase IV DNA Load/Dump
protocol can be found in [3].
o DNA Experimental Use
The Digital Network Architecture (DNA) Experimental Use
protocol allows Digital experimental protocols to share a data
link with other data link clients. It is for use by Digital
Equipment Corporation only.
o DNA Communications Test
The Digital Network Architecture (DNA) Communications Test
protocol is a maintenance protocol for testing the data link
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