Network Working Group W. Simpson
Internet Draft DayDreamer
expires in six months June 1996
PPP Vendor Extensions
draft-ietf-pppext-vendor-00.txt
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Abstract
The Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) [1] provides a standard method for
transporting multi-protocol datagrams over point-to-point links. PPP
defines an extensible Link Control Protocol (LCP) for establishing,
configuring, and testing the data-link connection; and a family of
Network Control Protocols (NCPs) for establishing and configuring
different network-layer protocols. This document defines a general
mechanism for proprietary vendor extensions.
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1. Control Packets
The Packet format and basic facilities are already defined for LCP
[1] and related NCPs.
Up-to-date values of the LCP Code field are specified in the most
recent "Assigned Numbers" [2]. This document concerns the following
values:
0 Vendor Specific
1.1. Vendor Specific Packet
Description
Some implementors might not need nor want to publish their propri-
etary algorithms and attributes. This mechanism is available to
specify these without encumbering the IANA with proprietary number
requests.
Vendor Specific packets MAY be sent at any time, including before
LCP has reached the Opened state.
The sender transmits a LCP or NCP packet with the Code field set
to 0 (Vendor Specific), the Identifier field set, the local Magic-
Number (if any) inserted, the OUI and Kind fields set, and the
Value(s) field filled with any desired data, but not exceeding the
default MRU minus twelve.
Receipt of a Vendor Specific packet causes the RXR or RUC event.
The response to the Vendor Specific packet is vender specific.
Receipt of a Code-Reject for the packet SHOULD generate the RXJ+
(permitted) event.
Rationale:
This is defined as general feature of all PPP Control Protocols,
to avoid future conflicts in vendor secretly self-assigned Code
numbers.
A summary of the Vendor Specific packet format is shown below. The
fields are transmitted from left to right.
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+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| Code | Identifier | Length |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| Magic-Number |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| OUI | Kind |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| Value(s) ...
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
Code
0 for Vendor Specific
Identifier
The Identifier field MUST be changed for each Vendor Specific
packet sent.
Length
>= 12
When the Length is twelve, no Value(s) field is present.
Magic-Number
The Magic-Number field is four octets and aids in detecting links
that are in the looped-back condition. Until the Magic-Number
Configuration Option has been successfully negotiated, the Magic-
Number MUST be transmitted as zero. See the Magic-Number Configu-
ration Option for further explanation.
OUI
three octets. The vendor's Organizationally Unique Identifier,
assigned by IEEE 802 (see [RFC-1700] for contact details). The
bits within the octet are in canonical order, and the most signif-
icant octet is transmitted first.
Kind
one octet. Indicates a sub-type for the OUI. There is no stan-
dardization for this field. Each OUI implements its own values.
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Value(s)
Zero or more octets. The details are implementation specific.
2. Configuration Options
The Configuration Option format and basic options are already defined
for LCP [1].
Up-to-date values of the LCP Option Type field are specified in the
most recent "Assigned Numbers" [2]. This document concerns the fol-
lowing values:
0 Vendor-Specific
2.1. Vendor-Specific Option
Description
Some implementors might not need nor want to publish their propri-
etary algorithms and attributes. This mechanism is available to
specify these without encumbering the IANA with proprietary number
requests.
Before accepting this option, the implementation must verify that
the Organizationally Unique Identifier and Kind specify a known
mechanism, and that any vendor specific negotiation values are
fully understood.
Rationale:
This is defined as general feature of all PPP Control Protocols,
to avoid future conflicts in vendor secretly self-assigned Type
numbers.
A summary of the Vendor-Specific Configuration Option format is shown
below. The fields are transmitted from left to right.
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| Type | Length | OUI
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
... | Kind | Value(s) ...
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
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Type
0
Length
>= 6
When the Length is six, no Value(s) field is present.
OUI
three octets. The vendor's Organizationally Unique Identifier,
assigned by IEEE 802 (see [RFC-1700] for contact details). The
bits within the octet are in canonical order, and the most signif-
icant octet is transmitted first.
Kind
one octet. Indicates a sub-type for the OUI. There is no stan-
dardization for this field. Each OUI implements its own values.
Value(s)
Zero or more octets. The details are implementation specific.
Security Considerations
Security issues are not discussed in this document.
References
[1] Simpson, W., Editor, "The Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP)",
RFC-1661, December 1993.
[2] Reynolds, J.K., Postel, J.B., "Assigned Numbers", RFC-1700,
July 1992.
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Contacts
Comments about this document should be discussed on the ietf-
ppp@merit.edu mailing list.
This document is a submission to the Point-to-Point Protocol Working
Group of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). The working
group can be contacted via the current chair:
Karl Fox
Morning Star Technologies
3518 Riverside Drive Suite 101
Columbus, Ohio 43221
karl@MorningStar.com
karl@Ascend.com
Questions about this document can also be directed to:
William Allen Simpson
DayDreamer
Computer Systems Consulting Services
1384 Fontaine
Madison Heights, Michigan 48071
wsimpson@UMich.edu
wsimpson@GreenDragon.com (preferred)
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