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Ideas for a Next Generation of the Reliable Server Pooling Framework
draft-dreibholz-rserpool-nextgen-ideas-22

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Author Thomas Dreibholz
Last updated 2024-09-30
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draft-dreibholz-rserpool-nextgen-ideas-22
Network Working Group                                       T. Dreibholz
Internet-Draft                                                 SimulaMet
Intended status: Informational                         30 September 2024
Expires: 3 April 2025

  Ideas for a Next Generation of the Reliable Server Pooling Framework
               draft-dreibholz-rserpool-nextgen-ideas-22

Abstract

   This document collects some idea for a next generation of the
   Reliable Server Pooling framework.

Status of This Memo

   This Internet-Draft is submitted in full conformance with the
   provisions of BCP 78 and BCP 79.

   Internet-Drafts are working documents of the Internet Engineering
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   This Internet-Draft will expire on 3 April 2025.

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   Copyright (c) 2024 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
   document authors.  All rights reserved.

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Table of Contents

   1.  Introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2

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     1.1.  Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
     1.2.  Reliable Server Pooling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
     1.3.  Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
   2.  What to Change in the Next Generation of RSerPool?  . . . . .   3
     2.1.  Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
     2.2.  IANA Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
   3.  Reference Implementation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
   4.  Testbed Platform  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
   5.  Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
   6.  References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
     6.1.  Normative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
     6.2.  Informative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
   Author's Address  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7

1.  Introduction

1.1.  Abbreviations

   *  ASAP: Aggregate Server Access Protocol

   *  ENRP: Endpoint Handlespace Redundancy Protocol

   *  ID: Identifier

   *  MPTCP: Multi-Path Transmission Control Protocol

   *  PE: Pool Element

   *  PR: Pool Registrar

   *  PU: Pool User

   *  RSerPool: Reliable Server Pooling

   *  SCTP: Stream Control Transmission Protocol

   *  TCP: Transmission Control Protocol

   *  VNFPOOL: Virtual Network Function Resource Pooling

1.2.  Reliable Server Pooling

   Reliable Server Pooling (RSerPool) has been defined as RFCs in [1],
   [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8].  There is also a detailed
   introduction provided by [16] as well as lots of further information
   material on [22].  RSerPool is therefore not introduced in more
   detail here.

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1.3.  Scope

   The scope of this document is to collect some ideas of what to
   update/change for a next generation of the RSerPool framework.  It is
   a result of lessons learned with more than one decade of RSerPool
   deployment (see also [17], [18], [19]) as well as ongoing discussions
   on applying RSerPool for Virtual Network Function Resource
   Pooling (VNFPOOL; as introduced in more detail in [15]).

2.  What to Change in the Next Generation of RSerPool?

   *  ENRP servers denote the management systems in the context of
      RSerPool.  The term "server" is misleading, since ENRP servers are
      actually ENRP peers.  Literature on RSerPool -- for example [16]
      -- therefore uses the more accurate term "Pool Registrar" (PR).  A
      future revision of RSerPool should also use this term.  (The
      RSerPool documents did not use "registrar" to avoid confusion with
      SIP registrars.)

   *  Pool Element Identifiers (PE ID) and Pool Registrar
      Identifiers (PR ID) are 32-bit random numbers used for the
      identification of PEs and PRs.  Since 64-bit CPUs are standard
      since quite a long time, these IDs should be extended to 64 bits.

   *  ENRP uses the Internet-16 checksum defined in [9] to detect
      handlespace inconsistencies.  It is trivially possible to extend
      the underlying algorithm to 32 bits, and the computation is more
      efficient on today's CPUs.  The checksum algorithm should
      therefore be changed.  (The Internet-16 checksum was finally
      chosen in 2005 after long decisions to avoid any possible patent
      issues.  The trivial extension of Internet-16 to Internet-32 is
      probably not an issue any more?)

   *  PR failures lead to possible concentration of all PUs and PEs at a
      single PR.  To achieve a better load balancing, the solution ENRP
      Takeover Suggestion -- as defined in [14] -- should be included in
      ENRP.

   *  For a Handle Resolution, a PR has to decide on how many PEs to
      select.  Selecting too many ones causes additional overhead (which
      might be unnecessary), selecting too few ones may cause problems
      for the applications.  The extension Handle Resolution Option --
      defined in [12] -- provides a possibility for the PU to specify
      the amount of PEs to be selected.  This possibility should be
      integrated into ASAP.

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   *  RSerPool defines SCTP (defined in [10]) as transport protocol for
      RSerPool.  TCP and particularly Multi-Path TCP (MPTCP; see [11])
      should be possible further transport protocols for all RSerPool
      traffic.  SCTP should still be the recommended choice, but
      allowing TCP/MPTCP could make the deployment much easier.  (SCTP
      is superior, but it lacks of support in operating systems and
      support by underlying network infrastructure, like firewalls and
      middleboxes.)

2.1.  Security Considerations

   Security considerations for RSerPool can be found in [6].

2.2.  IANA Considerations

   This document introduces no additional considerations for IANA.

3.  Reference Implementation

   The RSerPool reference implementation RSPLIB, including example
   applications, can be found at [22].  It supports the functionalities
   defined by [2], [3], [4], [5] and [6] as well as the options [12],
   [14] and [13].  An introduction to this implementation is provided in
   [16].

4.  Testbed Platform

   NorNet is a large-scale and realistic Internet testbed platform with
   support for Reliable Server Pooling as well as the underlying
   transport protocols SCTP and MPTCP.  A description of and
   introduction to NorNet is provided in [19], [20], [21].  Further
   information can be found on the project website [23].

5.  Acknowledgments

   The author would like to thank Randall R.  Stewart, Michael Tuexen,
   Ning Zong for their discussions and support.

6.  References

6.1.  Normative References

   [1]        Tuexen, M., Xie, Q., Stewart, R., Shore, M., Ong, L.,
              Loughney, J., and M. Stillman, "Requirements for Reliable
              Server Pooling", RFC 3237, DOI 10.17487/RFC3237, January
              2002, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc3237>.

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   [2]        Lei, P., Ong, L., Tuexen, M., and T. Dreibholz, "An
              Overview of Reliable Server Pooling Protocols", RFC 5351,
              DOI 10.17487/RFC5351, September 2008,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc5351>.

   [3]        Stewart, R., Xie, Q., Stillman, M., and M. Tuexen,
              "Aggregate Server Access Protocol (ASAP)", RFC 5352,
              DOI 10.17487/RFC5352, September 2008,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc5352>.

   [4]        Xie, Q., Stewart, R., Stillman, M., Tuexen, M., and A.
              Silverton, "Endpoint Handlespace Redundancy Protocol
              (ENRP)", RFC 5353, DOI 10.17487/RFC5353, September 2008,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc5353>.

   [5]        Stewart, R., Xie, Q., Stillman, M., and M. Tuexen,
              "Aggregate Server Access Protocol (ASAP) and Endpoint
              Handlespace Redundancy Protocol (ENRP) Parameters",
              RFC 5354, DOI 10.17487/RFC5354, September 2008,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc5354>.

   [6]        Stillman, M., Ed., Gopal, R., Guttman, E., Sengodan, S.,
              and M. Holdrege, "Threats Introduced by Reliable Server
              Pooling (RSerPool) and Requirements for Security in
              Response to Threats", RFC 5355, DOI 10.17487/RFC5355,
              September 2008, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc5355>.

   [7]        Dreibholz, T. and M. Tuexen, "Reliable Server Pooling
              Policies", RFC 5356, DOI 10.17487/RFC5356, September 2008,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc5356>.

   [8]        Dreibholz, T. and J. Mulik, "Reliable Server Pooling MIB
              Module Definition", RFC 5525, DOI 10.17487/RFC5525, April
              2009, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc5525>.

   [9]        Braden, R., Borman, D., and C. Partridge, "Computing the
              Internet checksum", RFC 1071, DOI 10.17487/RFC1071,
              September 1988, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc1071>.

   [10]       Stewart, R., Ed., "Stream Control Transmission Protocol",
              RFC 4960, DOI 10.17487/RFC4960, September 2007,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc4960>.

   [11]       Ford, A., Raiciu, C., Handley, M., and O. Bonaventure,
              "TCP Extensions for Multipath Operation with Multiple
              Addresses", RFC 6824, DOI 10.17487/RFC6824, January 2013,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc6824>.

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   [12]       Dreibholz, T., "Handle Resolution Option for ASAP", Work
              in Progress, Internet-Draft, draft-dreibholz-rserpool-
              asap-hropt-29, 6 September 2021,
              <https://www.ietf.org/archive/id/draft-dreibholz-rserpool-
              asap-hropt-29.txt>.

   [13]       Dreibholz, T. and X. Zhou, "Definition of a Delay
              Measurement Infrastructure and Delay-Sensitive Least-Used
              Policy for Reliable Server Pooling", Work in Progress,
              Internet-Draft, draft-dreibholz-rserpool-delay-28, 6
              September 2021, <https://www.ietf.org/archive/id/draft-
              dreibholz-rserpool-delay-28.txt>.

   [14]       Dreibholz, T. and X. Zhou, "Takeover Suggestion Flag for
              the ENRP Handle Update Message", Work in Progress,
              Internet-Draft, draft-dreibholz-rserpool-enrp-takeover-26,
              6 September 2021, <https://www.ietf.org/archive/id/draft-
              dreibholz-rserpool-enrp-takeover-26.txt>.

   [15]       Zong, N., Dunbar, L., Shore, M., Lopez, D., and G.
              Karagiannis, "Virtualized Network Function (VNF) Pool
              Problem Statement", Work in Progress, Internet-Draft,
              draft-zong-vnfpool-problem-statement-06, 1 July 2014,
              <https://www.ietf.org/archive/id/draft-zong-vnfpool-
              problem-statement-06.txt>.

6.2.  Informative References

   [16]       Dreibholz, T., "Reliable Server Pooling – Evaluation,
              Optimization and Extension of a Novel IETF Architecture",
              7 March 2007, <https://duepublico.uni-duisburg-
              essen.de/servlets/DerivateServlet/Derivate-16326/
              Dre2006_final.pdf>.

   [17]       Dreibholz, T. and E. P. Rathgeb, "A Powerful Tool-Chain
              for Setup, Distributed Processing, Analysis and Debugging
              of OMNeT++ Simulations", Proceedings of the 1st ACM/ICST
              International Workshop on OMNeT++ ISBN 978-963-9799-20-2,
              DOI 10.4108/ICST.SIMUTOOLS2008.2990, 7 March 2008,
              <https://www.wiwi.uni-due.de/fileadmin/fileupload/I-
              TDR/ReliableServer/Publications/OMNeTWorkshop2008.pdf>.

   [18]       Dreibholz, T., "Evaluation and Optimisation of Multi-Path
              Transport using the Stream Control Transmission
              Protocol",  Habilitation Treatise, 13 March 2012,
              <https://duepublico.uni-duisburg-
              essen.de/servlets/DerivateServlet/Derivate-29737/
              Dre2012_final.pdf>.

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   [19]       Dreibholz, T. and E. G. Gran, "Design and Implementation
              of the NorNet Core Research Testbed for Multi-Homed
              Systems", Proceedings of the 3nd International Workshop on
              Protocols and Applications with Multi-Homing
              Support (PAMS) Pages 1094-1100, ISBN 978-0-7695-4952-1,
              DOI 10.1109/WAINA.2013.71, 27 March 2013,
              <https://www.simula.no/file/
              threfereedinproceedingsreference2012-12-207643198512pdf/
              download>.

   [20]       Dreibholz, T., "The NorNet Core Testbed – Introduction and
              Status",  Proceedings of the 1st International NorNet
              Users Workshop (NNUW-1), 18 September 2013,
              <https://www.simula.no/file/simulasimula2124pdf/download>.

   [21]       Dreibholz, T., "The NorNet Core Testbed – An Experiment
              Tutorial",  Proceedings of the 1st International NorNet
              Users Workshop (NNUW-1), 19 September 2013,
              <https://www.simula.no/file/simulasimula2130pdf/download>.

   [22]       Dreibholz, T., "Thomas Dreibholz's RSerPool Page", 2022,
              <https://www.nntb.no/~dreibh/rserpool/>.

   [23]       Dreibholz, T., "NorNet – A Real-World, Large-Scale Multi-
              Homing Testbed", 2022, <https://www.nntb.no/>.

Author's Address

   Thomas Dreibholz
   Simula Metropolitan Centre for Digital Engineering
   Pilestredet 52
   0167 Oslo
   Norway
   Email: dreibh@simula.no
   URI:   https://www.simula.no/people/dreibh

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