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Network Service Header (NSH) Context Header Allocation (Data Center)
draft-guichard-sfc-nsh-dc-allocation-03

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This is an older version of an Internet-Draft whose latest revision state is "Replaced".
Authors Jim Guichard , Michael Smith , Surendra Kumar , Sumandra Majee , Puneet Agarwal , Kevin Glavin , Youcef Laribi
Last updated 2015-12-14
Replaced by draft-ietf-sfc-nsh-dc-allocation
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draft-guichard-sfc-nsh-dc-allocation-03
Service Function Chaining                                    J. Guichard
Internet-Draft                                                  M. Smith
Intended status: Informational                                  S. Kumar
Expires: June 16, 2016                               Cisco Systems, Inc.
                                                                S. Majee
                                                             F5 Networks
                                                              P. Agarwal
                                                                Broadcom
                                                               K. Glavin
                                                                Riverbed
                                                               Y. Laribi
                                                                  Citrix
                                                       December 14, 2015

  Network Service Header (NSH) Context Header Allocation (Data Center)
                draft-guichard-sfc-nsh-dc-allocation-03

Abstract

   This document provides a recommended default allocation for the fixed
   context headers within a Network Service Header (NSH).  NSH is
   defined in [I-D.ietf-sfc-nsh].  The allocation scheme is relevant
   when NSH is used for Service Function Chaining within a data center
   and may be used to support use cases such as those described in
   [I-D.ietf-sfc-dc-use-cases].

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
   Task Force (IETF).  Note that other groups may also distribute
   working documents as Internet-Drafts.  The list of current Internet-
   Drafts is at http://datatracker.ietf.org/drafts/current/.

   Internet-Drafts are draft documents valid for a maximum of six months
   and may be updated, replaced, or obsoleted by other documents at any
   time.  It is inappropriate to use Internet-Drafts as reference
   material or to cite them other than as "work in progress."

   This Internet-Draft will expire on June 16, 2016.

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Copyright Notice

   Copyright (c) 2015 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
   document authors.  All rights reserved.

   This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal
   Provisions Relating to IETF Documents
   (http://trustee.ietf.org/license-info) in effect on the date of
   publication of this document.  Please review these documents
   carefully, as they describe your rights and restrictions with respect
   to this document.  Code Components extracted from this document must
   include Simplified BSD License text as described in Section 4.e of
   the Trust Legal Provisions and are provided without warranty as
   described in the Simplified BSD License.

Table of Contents

   1.  Introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
     1.1.  Requirements Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
   2.  Definition Of Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
   3.  Network Service Header (NSH) Context Headers  . . . . . . . .   3
   4.  Recommended Data Center Mandatory Context Allocation  . . . .   4
     4.1.  Data Center Allocation Specifics  . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
   5.  Context Allocation and Control Plane Considerations . . . . .   5
   6.  Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
   7.  IANA Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
   8.  References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
     8.1.  Normative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
     8.2.  Informative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7
   Authors' Addresses  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7

1.  Introduction

   Network Service Headers (NSH) provide a mechanism to carry shared
   metadata between network devices and service functions, and between
   service functions.  Such metadata is carried within fixed 32-bit
   context headers that are part of the NSH structure as defined in
   [I-D.ietf-sfc-nsh].

   Although NSH also provides the capability to carry variable TLV
   information following the fixed context headers, the suggested
   allocation in this draft utilizes the 4 fixed length contexts in
   order to ensure the broadest possible applicability and support.  NSH
   is carried with packets / frames and is used to create a service
   plane.  The packets / frames are then encapsulated in an outer header
   for transport.

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   This document provides a recommended default allocation of these
   context headers for Service Function Chaining within a data center.
   The goal of this document is to provide a reference allocation that
   may be used with or without a control plane.  It also serves as a
   guide to implementers and network operators.

1.1.  Requirements Language

   The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT",
   "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this
   document are to be interpreted as described in RFC 2119 [RFC2119].

2.  Definition Of Terms

   This document uses the terms as defined in [RFC7498], [RFC7665], and
   [I-D.ietf-sfc-nsh].

3.  Network Service Header (NSH) Context Headers

   A Network Service Header in the context of Service Function Chaining
   is comprised of four parts as described in [I-D.ietf-sfc-nsh]; a
   4-byte base header, a 4-byte service path header, mandatory 4-byte
   context headers, and optional variable length context headers.

    0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
   +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
   |Ver|O|C|R|R|R|R|R|R|   Length  |  MD Type = 1  | Next Protocol |
   +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
   |          Service Path ID                      | Service Index |
   +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
   |                Mandatory Context Header                       |
   +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
   |                Mandatory Context Header                       |
   +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
   |                Mandatory Context Header                       |
   +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
   |                Mandatory Context Header                       |
   +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
   |                                                               |
   ~           Optional Variable Length Context Headers            ~
   |                                                               |
   +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

               Figure 1: Network Service Header - MD Type 1

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4.  Recommended Data Center Mandatory Context Allocation

   The following context header allocation provides information used to
   support SFC operation within a generic data center environment.
   [I-D.ietf-sfc-dc-use-cases] provides an overview of data center use
   cases and requirements to support the allocation.

   The 16 bytes of context headers is delivered to service functions
   that may then use the metadata contained within the headers for local
   policy enforcement and other functionality.

    0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
   +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
   |D|F|Res|    Source Node ID     |    Source Interface ID        |
   +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
   |    Reserved   |               Tenant ID                       |
   +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
   | Destination Class / Reserved  |        Source Class           |
   +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
   |A|            ServiceTag / Opaque Service Class                |
   +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

                    Figure 2: NSH DC Context Allocation

4.1.  Data Center Allocation Specifics

   The specific 16 byte allocation of the mandatory context headers is
   as follows:

   Flag bits: Bits 0-3 are flag bits.  Only bits 0 and 1 are defined in
   this document and the remaining bits are reserved.

      D bit: The D-bit is used to indicate whether the Destination Class
      field in the 3rd word is used.  If D-bit is not set then the 3rd
      word is reserved.

      F bit: The F-bit indicates that the 4th word contains a
      ServiceTag.  If F-bit is not set then the 4th word is an opaque
      field that can be used by service functions.

   Source Node ID: An identifier indicating the source device where the
   original traffic initially entered the Service Function Chain.  This
   identifier is unique within an SFC-enabled domain.

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   Source Interface ID: An identifier indicating the source interface
   where the original traffic initially entered the Service Function
   Chain.  This identifier is scoped within the context of the Source
   Node ID.

   Tenant ID: The tenant identifier is used to represent the tenant that
   the Service Function Chain is being applied to.  The Tenant ID is a
   unique value assigned by a control plane.  The distribution of Tenant
   ID's is outside the scope of this document.  As an example
   application of this field, hardware may insert a VRF ID, VLAN number
   or VXLAN VNI.

   Destination Class: The destination class represents the logical
   classification of the destination of the traffic.  This field is
   optional and/or the Destination Class may not be known.  The D-bit is
   used to indicate that this field contains a valid Destination Class.

   Source Class: represents the logical classification of the source of
   the traffic.  For example, this might represent a source application,
   a group of like endpoints, or a set of users originating the traffic.
   This grouping is done for the purposes of applying policy.  Policy is
   applied to groups rather than individual endpoints.

   ServiceTag: When the F-bit is set, a ServiceTag is used to identify a
   particular flow, transaction or an application message unit.  The
   ServiceTag may be used to augment the source and/or destination
   class.  A ServiceTag is a unique identifier that can be used to
   enable functionality such as classification bypass, slow path
   skipping and flow programming.  As part of the ServiceTag word, bit 0
   is the A bit and is used, when needed, to indicate acknowledgment of
   a ServiceTag by a service function.

5.  Context Allocation and Control Plane Considerations

   This document describes an allocation scheme for the NSH mandatory
   context headers defined in [I-D.ietf-sfc-nsh].

   The context header allocations specified in this document are one of
   many possible allocation schemes and should be used as a guideline
   only; that is to say these allocations may vary based upon deployment
   specifics and use cases.  The suggested allocation is valid with or
   without a control plane but the semantics of context values MUST be
   shared amongst participating nodes via some mechanism.  The actual
   method of defining and distributing the allocation scheme is outside
   of the scope of this document.

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6.  Security Considerations

   This document describes an allocation scheme for the metadata carried
   within the NSH mandatory context headers.  This allocation includes a
   number of identifiers that must be distributed to participating
   network elements.  While the control plane protocols for distributing
   these identifiers is outside the scope of this document, any control
   plane protocol should ensure that these identifiers are securely
   distributed to the network elements participating in the SFC.

   Additionally, many of the fields such as Source and Destination Class
   described in the metadata directly impact the network policy applied
   to the traffic flowing through the SFC.  There is a risk that these
   identifiers may be spoofed and proper precautions should be put in
   place to ensure that these fields can only be updated by trusted
   entities.  Due to the importance of these fields, confidentiality may
   also be required to ensure that traffic cannot be targeted for attack
   based on the policy identifiers.  This document does not directly
   address these threats but provides input to the NSH specification as
   requirements to be considered in securing the contents of the
   metadata.

7.  IANA Considerations

   This document includes no request to IANA.

8.  References

8.1.  Normative References

   [I-D.ietf-sfc-dc-use-cases]
              Surendra, S., Tufail, M., Majee, S., Captari, C., and S.
              Homma, "Service Function Chaining Use Cases In Data
              Centers", draft-ietf-sfc-dc-use-cases-03 (work in
              progress), July 2015.

   [I-D.ietf-sfc-nsh]
              Quinn, P. and U. Elzur, "Network Service Header", draft-
              ietf-sfc-nsh-01 (work in progress), July 2015.

   [RFC2119]  Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate
              Requirement Levels", BCP 14, RFC 2119,
              DOI 10.17487/RFC2119, March 1997,
              <http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc2119>.

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   [RFC7665]  Halpern, J., Ed. and C. Pignataro, Ed., "Service Function
              Chaining (SFC) Architecture", RFC 7665,
              DOI 10.17487/RFC7665, October 2015,
              <http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc7665>.

8.2.  Informative References

   [RFC7498]  Quinn, P., Ed. and T. Nadeau, Ed., "Problem Statement for
              Service Function Chaining", RFC 7498,
              DOI 10.17487/RFC7498, April 2015,
              <http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc7498>.

Authors' Addresses

   Jim Guichard
   Cisco Systems, Inc.

   Email: jguichar@cisco.com

   Michael Smith
   Cisco Systems, Inc.

   Email: michsmit@cisco.com

   Surendra Kumar
   Cisco Systems, Inc.

   Email: smkumar@cisco.com

   Sumandra Majee
   F5 Networks
   90 Rio Robles
   San Jose, CA  95134

   Email: S.Majee@f5.com

   Puneet Agarwal
   Broadcom

   Email: pagarwal@broadcom.com

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   Kevin Glavin
   Riverbed

   Email: Kevin.Glavin@riverbed.com

   Youcef Laribi
   Citrix

   Email: Youcef.Laribi@citrix.com

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