STORage Maintenance
charter-ietf-storm-05

The IETF IPS (IP Storage) and RDDP (Remote Direct Data Placement)
  working groups have produced a significant number of storage protocols
  (e.g., iSCSI, iSER and FCIP) for which there is significant usage. The
  time has come to reflect feedback from implementation and usage into
  updated RFCs; this work may include:
  
  - Implementation-driven revisions and updates to existing protocols
  (i.e., updated RFCs that match the "running code").
  
  - Interoperability reports as needed for the resulting revised protocols
  that are appropriate for Draft Standard RFC status.
  
  - Minor protocol changes or additions. Backwards compatibility is required.
  
  Significant changes to the existing protocol standards are out of scope,
  including any work on version 2 of any of these protocols. Security for
  these protocols is based on the functionality specified in RFC 3723
  (Securing Block Storage Protocols over IP); the working group does not
  intend to make major changes or updates to that RFC.
  
  Stability is critical to the usage of these protocols, so backwards
  compatibility with existing implementations will be a requirement
  imposed on for all protocol changes and additions. Note that this is a
  requirement for implementation compatibility - if it is the case that
  all implementations of a protocol have done something different than
  what the RFC specifies, it is appropriate for a new RFC to document what
  the "running code" actually does and deprecate the unused original behavior.
  
  List of work items:
  
  (1) iSCSI: Combine RFCs 3720 (iSCSI), 3980 (NAA names), 4850 (node
  architecture key) and 5048 (corrections/clarifications) into one draft
  (3720bis), removing features that are not implemented in practice. This
  draft should be prepared so that it could become a Draft Standard RFC,
  but the Working Group has decided not to advance it to Draft Standard
  status.
  
  (2) iSCSI: Add features to support at least SAM-4 (4th version of the
  SCSI architecture) in a backwards-compatible fashion, as iSCSI is
  currently based on SAM-2. This will be a separate draft from the iSCSI
  update in the previous item. The Working Group may add additional minor
  useful iSCSI features to this draft, including features from draft
  versions of SAM-5. The iSCSI MIB (RFC 4544) should be updated to provide
  SNMP support for new features as appropriate.
  
  (3) FCIP: IP Protocol number 133 was allocated to a precursor of the
  FCIP protocol in 2000, but this allocated number is not used by FCIP.
  The Working Group has documented the deployed pre-standard use of this
  protocol number in RFC 6172, and IANA has updated the registry entry
  to reference RFC 6172.
  
  (4) iFCP: The Address Translation mode of iFCP needs to be deprecated
  (SHOULD NOT implement or use), as there are significant technical
  problems with its specification, and moreover, only the Address
  Transparent mode of iFCP is in use. This will be done via a short draft
  that updates RFC 4172, and not via a complete rewrite of RFC 4172.
  The Working Group has deprecated iFCP Address Translation mode in
  RFC 6172 and made the corresponding changes to the iFCP MIB (originally
  RFC 4369) in RFC 6173.
  
  (5) RDDP MPA: Good support for MPI applications requires a small update
  to the startup functionality to allow either end of the connection to
  initiate. In addition, a couple of minor changes to RDDP connection
  setup are needed based on implementation experience.
  
  (6) iSER: Experience with Infiniband implementations suggest a few minor
  updates to reflect what has been done in practice.
  
  (7) RDMA Protocol: Experience with the rddp (iWARP) RDMA Protocol
  (RFC 5040) suggests that some minor extensions are needed, specifically,
  the addition of immediate data support and remote atomic operations.
  
  The Working Group is expected to maintain good working relationships
  with INCITS Technical Committee T10 (SCSI standards) and INCITS
  Technical Committee T11 (Fibre Channel standards) via overlaps in
  membership as opposed to appointment of formal liaisons. The liaison
  process (including IAB appointment of a liaison or liaisons) remains
  available for use if needed.
  
  Recent changes in INCITS rules have removed public access to some T10
  and T11 standards documents that are expected to be needed for the WG's
  program of work. Arrangements have been made with T10 and T11 for IETF
  participants to obtain copies of specific standards their personal use
  in IETF work as needed; contact the WG chair(s) for details.