Path Aware Networking Proposed RG
charter-irtf-panrg-01

The Internet architecture assumes a division between the end-to-end
functionality of the transport layer and the properties of the path between the
endpoints. The path is assumed to be invisible, homogeneous, singular, with
dynamics solely determined by the connectivity of the endpoints and the Internet
control plane. Endpoints have very little information about the paths over which
their traffic is carried, and no control at all beyond the destination address.

Increased diversity in access networks, and ubiquitous mobile connectivity, have
made this architecture's assumptions about paths less tenable. Multipath
protocols taking advantage of this mobile connectivity begin to show us a way
forward, though: if endpoints cannot control the path, at least they can
determine the properties of the path by choosing among paths available to them.

This proposed research group aims to support research in bringing path awareness to
transport and application layer protocols, and to bring research in this space
to the attention of the Internet engineering and protocol design community.

The scope of work within the proposed RG includes, but is not strictly limited to:

• communication and discovery of information about the properties of a path on
  local networks and in internetworks, exploration of trust and risk models
  associated with this information, and algorithms for path selection at
  endpoints based on this information.

• algorithms for making transport-layer scheduling decisions based on
  information about path properties.

• algorithms for reconciling path selection at endpoints with widely deployed
  routing protocols and network operations best practices.

The group's scope overlaps with existing IETF and IRTF efforts (and also with
some past efforts. Of the existing overlaps, the group will collaborate
with WGs and RGs chartered to work on multipath transport protocols
(MPTCP, QUIC, TSVWG), congestion control in multiply-connected environments
(ICCRG), and alternate routing architectures (e.g. LISP). The charter is also
related to the questions discussed in a number of past BoF sessions, e.g. SPUD,
PLUS, BANANA).

The group will target 2-3 IETFs per year, initially 3, and also will collocate
with academic workshops about once per year as appropriate.