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The Architecture of Network-Aware Domain Name System (DNS)
draft-song-network-aware-dns-05

Document Type Active Internet-Draft (individual)
Authors Haoyu Song , Donald E. Eastlake 3rd
Last updated 2024-08-26
Replaces draft-song-apn-dns-application-aware-networking
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draft-song-network-aware-dns-05
Network Working Group                                            H. Song
Internet-Draft                                               D. Eastlake
Intended status: Informational                    Futurewei Technologies
Expires: 27 February 2025                                 26 August 2024

       The Architecture of Network-Aware Domain Name System (DNS)
                    draft-song-network-aware-dns-05

Abstract

   This document describes a framework which extends the Domain Name
   System (DNS) to provide network awareness to applications.  The
   framework enables DNS system responses that are dependent on
   communication service requirements such as QoS or path without
   changes in the format of DNS protocol messages or application program
   interfaces (APIs).  The different enhancement methods and use cases
   are discussed.

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 https://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 27 February 2025.

Copyright Notice

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

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   This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal
   Provisions Relating to IETF Documents (https://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 Revised BSD License text as
   described in Section 4.e of the Trust Legal Provisions and are
   provided without warranty as described in the Revised BSD License.

Table of Contents

   1.  Introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
     1.1.  Terminology and Acronyms  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
   2.  Architecture  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
   3.  Obtaining Needed Information from DNS . . . . . . . . . . . .   7
   4.  Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
   5.  IANA Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
   6.  Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
   7.  References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
     7.1.  Normative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
     7.2.  Informative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9
   Authors' Addresses  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  10

1.  Introduction

   Different application flows have different requirements on
   networking, such as bandwidth, delay, jitter, reliability, security,
   and so on.  Many requirements are critical for the quality of
   service.  Users are more willing to pay for premium services (e.g.,
   Virtual Reality (VR)) than before.  Meanwhile, today's networks have
   advanced beyond the best-effort model and are capable of providing
   per-flow services to meet various application requirements (e.g.,
   QoS) by means of programmability, resource management (e.g., network
   slicing), traffic engineering, and path regulation (e.g., segment
   routing and service function chaining).

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   However, a clear gap exists.  Applications usually only care about
   the abstract requirements ("WHAT") instead of the actual measures for
   networks to meet such requirements ("HOW").  So far there is no
   direct means for networks to tell applications their capabilities
   because the applications do not know what to do about them.  On the
   other hand, due to the limitation of the commonly available network
   socket API, it is also difficult for applications to convey their
   service requirements to networks.  Currently, if any service that
   different from "best effort" is desired, one either assumes the
   requirements can be expressed to network controllers through some
   out-of-band manner or resorts to encoding the requirements into the
   packets (e.g., options in IPv6 extension headers network tokens
   [I-D.yiakoumis-network-tokens]).  We need a simpler and more
   extensible way to set up the service contract.

   We define a framework to support network awareness through DNS.
   Requirements for network services can be incorporated into DNS
   queries from a host (e.g., as specified in
   [I-D.eastlake-dnsop-expressing-qos-requirements]) and the returned
   information enables access to services meeting those requirements.
   For example, by including new semantics representing a service
   commitment embedded in the returned IP addresses (i.e., semantic
   addressing [I-D.farrel-irtf-introduction-to-semantic-routing]).
   Alternatively, a richer format for expressing how to obtain the
   desired service would be to query for a service binding (SVCB) RR
   [RFC8460].

   The Domain Name System (DNS) is a distributed database that stores
   data under hierarchical domain names and supports redundant servers,
   data caching, and security features.  The data is formatted into
   resource records (RRs) whose content type and structure are indicated
   by the RR Type field.  A typical use of DNS is that, by running the
   DNS protocol, a host gets the IP addresses stored at a domain name
   from DNS servers through a DNS resolver.  Many other types of data
   besides IP addresses can be stored in and returned by the DNS.

   In a nutshell, the application's service requirements are embedded
   into the DNS queries from a host.  The DNS replies either provide
   semantic IP addresses or data that help construct the packet header
   or headers signaling the special packet handling in networks.  The
   application flow packets may use the existing socket API to send the
   packet.  Network devices, after capturing such packets, would decode
   the semantics and apply any special packet handling accordingly.

   This document describes the architecture, requirements, and use cases
   of the Network-Aware DNS.  The details on DNS query encoding and
   semantic addressing/data in DNS replies will be described in other
   documents.

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1.1.  Terminology and Acronyms

   The following terminology and acronyms are used in this document.

   The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT",
   "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "NOT RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and
   "OPTIONAL" in this document are to be interpreted as described in BCP
   14 [RFC2119][RFC8174] when, and only when, they appear in all
   capitals, as shown here.

   API -  Application Program Interface

   DNS -  Domain Name System

   RR -  Resource Record [RFC8499].  The unit of data stored in the DNS.

   Semantic Addressing -  Encoding extra semantics beyond the
      destination ID in an address

2.  Architecture

   The architecture of the Network Aware DNS where the required DNS
   reply information can be statically stored in the DNS is shown in
   Figure 1.

            +----------+                +----------+
            |          | 1.registration | Network  |
            |   DNS    |<---------------+ Operator |
            |          |                |          |
            +------+---+                +----+-----+
               ^   | 4.                      | 2.
             3.|   | r                       | p
             q |   | e                       | o
             u |   | p                       | l
             e |   | l                       | i
             r |   | y                       | c
             y |   V                         V y
            +--+-------+                +----------+
            |          | 5.pkt thru     |          | 6.pkt w/ met
            |  Host    +--------------->| Network  +------------->
            |          | socket API     |          | requirements
            +----------+                +----------+

                       Figure 1: Static Architecture

   The architecture of the Network Aware DNS where the required DNS
   reply information is dynamically computed is shown in Figure 2.

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                +----------+ 1.configuration +------------+
                |          |<----------------+ Network    |
                |   DNS    |                 | Controller |
                |          +---------------->|            |
                |          |  3B. query      |            |
                |          |                 |            |
                |          |<----------------|            |
                +------+---+  4B. reply      +----+-------+
                   ^   | 4.                       | 2.
                 3.|   | r                        | p
                 q |   | e                        | o
                 u |   | p                        | l
                 e |   | l                        | i
                 r |   | y                        | c
                 y |   V                          V y
                +--+-------+                 +----------+
                |          | 5.pkt thru      |          | 6.pkt w/ met
                |  Host    +---------------->| Network  +------------->
                |          | socket API      |          | requirements
                +----------+                 +----------+

                               Figure 2: Dynamic Architecture

                       Figure 2: Dynamic Architecture

   The procedure steps are explained as follows:

   1.   The network operator registers the semantic addresses/data
        associated with a name in authoritative DNS servers in form of
        RRs.  In addition to the location, the semantics represent the
        commitments for network to meet certain service requirements.
        The semantic addresses or data can be dynamically computed or
        statically configured by the network operator.

   2.   Meanwhile, the packet processing policy corresponding to each
        semantic address/data is configured to the network devices such
        as routers.  How the network meets the service requirements is
        opaque to host applications.

   3.   A host application, when conducting a DNS query to a name, would
        also express its service requirement.  A host application can
        also be ignorant of this service requesting scheme; in this
        case, the normal DNS query is used and the best-effort results
        are returned.  In the static case, this is answered directly by
        a normal DNS server.  In the dynamic case, the query is
        redirected, through a CNAME or zone referral, to a network
        controller that can emulate a DNS server and which dynamically
        computes the response.

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   4.   If the query with service requirements can be satisfied by some
        RRs in DNS, the result will be returned to the host, either
        directly in the static case or from the network controller in
        the dynamic case; otherwise, a normal DNS response, or either an
        error or the best effort result, will be returned.

   5.   Once the host application receives the reply, assuming the reply
        is not an error, it simply uses the address (or assembles the
        header fields as directed by the semantic data) to forward the
        packet through a standard socket API.  The semantic address or
        data may be cached at the host for the lifetime of the flow.
        Alternatively, the DNS response TTL may indicate the period of
        time for which the semantic address will provide the service
        assurances, and the application may again query the DNS at or
        shortly before the end of the time to refresh the semantic
        address/data or obtain a new address or data that will be
        effective for a future interval; however, it is not common for
        TTL information to be returned to an application doing a DNS
        query.

   6.   The network devices would process the packets based on the
        configured policies if the packets carry semantic addresses and/
        or header fields.  Using a semantic address/data other than for
        the best effort service might be subject to extra cost based on
        some service agreement.

   We enforce some requirements on the architecture to make it practical
   for incremental deployment.

   *  No new protocol is introduced to enable the architecture.

   *  As an infrastructural system and protocol, DNS is stable.  No
      change to DNS architecture and protocol is made.  However, within
      the DNS framework, we explore the freedom to introduce new
      semantics and new RR types to encode semantic data.

   *  Similarly, it is hard to change the ubiquitous network socket
      APIs, so we just rely on the existing ones.

   *  The system would be better used in limited domains where the
      network operator owns not only the networks but also the proper
      name servers.  In some cases, it is also possible to extend the
      scope into multiple domains if the packet processing to meet the
      service requirements can be coordinated cross domains.

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   *  The semantic address or data should be per application or per flow
      based.  So each application or flow may need its own DNS name
      resolution even for the same service.  Most applications can still
      use the conventional best effort service without noticing any
      change.

   In the more dynamic architecture, DNS queries with service
   requirements can be dynamically sent to a controller maintained by
   the network operator when received by a resolver, allowing network
   operator to generate on-demand semantic addresses or data for the
   name server, which will eventually return the information back to the
   host application.

3.  Obtaining Needed Information from DNS

   A host application can have three methods to obtain information from
   the DNS to enable the application to meet its service requirements.
   These methods are as follows:

   Method 1:  It sends a requirement-encoded name to ask for an IP
      address type RR (e.g., AAAA) and expects the semantics to meet the
      requirements to be embedded in the returned addresses.  The
      encoding method is described in
      [I-D.eastlake-dnsop-expressing-qos-requirements].

   Method 2:  It sends a normal name to ask for a different type of RR
      and the semantic data in the returned RRs represents the means to
      meet the service requirements (e.g.,
      [I-D.eastlake-dnsop-svcb-rr-tunnel]).

   Method 3:  Combining 1 and 2, it sends a requirement-encoded name to
      ask for a different type of RR, which might be in addition to or
      lead to (such as the SRV type RR) an IP address type RR, and the
      semantic data in the RR represents the means to meet the service
      requirements.

   This architecture can support multiple use cases using one of the
   above methods.  Below are some examples.

   E2E SRv6:  This use case may use method 2.  We can support true end-
      to-end SRv6 service where a Segment List (SL) is acquired from DNS
      using the RR Type specified in [I-D.eastlake-dnsop-rrtype-srv6]
      and an SRH (Segment Routing Header) is directly inserted in the
      IPv6 packet header.  While the SRH determines the packet's
      forwarding path, different packet handling and QoS treatment can
      also be applied to the packet along the path.

   Semantic Addressing:  This use case may use method 1.  Due to the

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      abundance of IPv6 addresses, each name can be assigned multiple
      addresses with each representing some special network services.
      While the network devices are configured or programmed to be able
      to interpret and process the semantics embedded in addresses,
      different services can be applied to flows for the same
      destination.  The details are described in a companion draft.

   Service Header Fields:  This use case may use method 3.  Some
      service-defining header fields (e.g., DSCP in IPv4 header and
      traffic class and flow label in IPv6 header) can be used to
      indicate QoS or other service requirements.  Such semantic data
      can also be provided by DNS replies in form of RRs.  The details
      are described in a companion draft.

   Other Semantic Data:  This use case may apply the method 2 or 3.
      Some services may have other means to be encapsulated into a
      packet (e.g., IPv6 Extension Header).  The required information
      can also be returned by DNS reply as semantic data.

4.  Security Considerations

   TBD

5.  IANA Considerations

   This document requires no IANA actions.

6.  Acknowledgments

   The comments and suggestions of the following are gratefully
   acknowledged:

   *  TBD

7.  References

7.1.  Normative References

   [I-D.eastlake-dnsop-expressing-qos-requirements]
              Eastlake, D. E. and H. Song, "Expressing Quality of
              Service Requirements (QoS) in Domain Name System (DNS)
              Queries", Work in Progress, Internet-Draft, draft-
              eastlake-dnsop-expressing-qos-requirements-04, 29 March
              2024, <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-
              eastlake-dnsop-expressing-qos-requirements-04>.

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

   [RFC8174]  Leiba, B., "Ambiguity of Uppercase vs Lowercase in RFC
              2119 Key Words", BCP 14, RFC 8174, DOI 10.17487/RFC8174,
              May 2017, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8174>.

7.2.  Informative References

   [I-D.eastlake-dnsop-rrtype-srv6]
              Eastlake, D. E. and H. Song, "The IPv6 Segment Routing
              (SRv6) Domain Name System (DNS) Resource Record", Work in
              Progress, Internet-Draft, draft-eastlake-dnsop-rrtype-
              srv6-06, 23 August 2024,
              <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-eastlake-
              dnsop-rrtype-srv6-06>.

   [I-D.eastlake-dnsop-svcb-rr-tunnel]
              Eastlake, D. E. and H. Song, "A Domain Name System (DNS)
              Service Parameter and Resource Record for Tunneling
              Information", Work in Progress, Internet-Draft, draft-
              eastlake-dnsop-svcb-rr-tunnel-05, 7 May 2024,
              <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-eastlake-
              dnsop-svcb-rr-tunnel-05>.

   [I-D.farrel-irtf-introduction-to-semantic-routing]
              Farrel, A. and D. King, "An Introduction to Semantic
              Routing", Work in Progress, Internet-Draft, draft-farrel-
              irtf-introduction-to-semantic-routing-04, 25 April 2022,
              <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-farrel-irtf-
              introduction-to-semantic-routing-04>.

   [I-D.yiakoumis-network-tokens]
              Yiakoumis, Y., McKeown, N., and F. Sorensen, "Network
              Tokens", Work in Progress, Internet-Draft, draft-
              yiakoumis-network-tokens-02, 22 December 2020,
              <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-yiakoumis-
              network-tokens-02>.

   [RFC8460]  Margolis, D., Brotman, A., Ramakrishnan, B., Jones, J.,
              and M. Risher, "SMTP TLS Reporting", RFC 8460,
              DOI 10.17487/RFC8460, September 2018,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8460>.

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   [RFC8499]  Hoffman, P., Sullivan, A., and K. Fujiwara, "DNS
              Terminology", RFC 8499, DOI 10.17487/RFC8499, January
              2019, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8499>.

Authors' Addresses

   Haoyu Song
   Futurewei Technologies
   2220 Central Expressway
   Santa Clara, CA 95050
   United States of America
   Email: haoyu.song@futurewei.com

   Donald Eastlake
   Futurewei Technologies
   2386 Panoramic Circle
   Apopka, FL 32703
   United States of America
   Phone: +1-508-333-2270
   Email: d3e3e3@gmail.com

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