RTGWG Working Group                                              F. Yang
Internet-Draft                                                   M. Chen
Intended status: Standards Track                                 T. Zhou
Expires: August 26, 2021                             Huawei Technologies
                                                       February 22, 2021


                      Associated Channel over IPv6
              draft-yang-rtgwg-ipv6-associated-channel-00

Abstract

   In this document, an associated channel is introduced to provide a
   control channel based on IPv6, carrying types of control and
   management messages.  By using the associated channel, messages can
   be transmitted between the network nodes to provide functions like
   path identification, OAM, protection switchover signaling, etc.,
   targeting to provide high quality SLA guarantee to service.

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].

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
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   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 August 26, 2021.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (c) 2021 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
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   described in the Simplified BSD License.

Table of Contents

   1.  Introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
   2.  Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
   3.  Associated Channel  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
     3.1.  Identification of Associated Channel  . . . . . . . . . .   3
     3.2.  ACH TLV to Carry Message  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
     3.3.  Encapsulation of ACH TLV in IPv6  . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
       3.3.1.  Encapsulated in IPv6 Destination Options Header . . .   5
       3.3.2.  Encapsulated in IPv6 Hop-by-Hop Options Header  . . .   5
       3.3.3.  Encapsulated in IPv6 Segment Routing Header . . . . .   6
       3.3.4.  Encapsulated in Payload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
     3.4.  Processing of ACH TLV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7
   4.  Applicability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7
     4.1.  Path Identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7
     4.2.  OAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7
     4.3.  Assist to Protection Switchover . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7
   5.  IANA Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
   6.  Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
   7.  Acknowledgements  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
   8.  References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
     8.1.  Normative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
     8.2.  Informative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
   Authors' Addresses  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9

1.  Introduction

   IPv6 is becoming widely accepted to provide the connectivity in many
   new emerging scenarios, including Cloud Network convergence, Cloud-
   Cloud interconnection, 5G vertical industries, Internet of Things, as
   well as the legacy networks migrating towards SR over IPv6.  However,
   IP packet is locally lookup, and forwarded hop by hop without aware
   of the forwarding path.  Path segment over SRv6
   [I-D.ietf-spring-srv6-path-segment] provides a good solution to
   identify an SR path over IPv6, but can only be applicable in source
   routing paradigm.





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   To identify an IPv6 forwarding path, further to better control and
   manage the path, this document introduces an associated channel based
   on IPv6, intenting to create a control channel for the control and
   management usages.  By using the associated channel, messages can be
   transmitted between the network nodes to provide functions like path
   identification, OAM, protection switchover signaling, etc., targeting
   to provide high quality SLA guarantee to service.

   This document also defines a TLV format for the associated channel
   and how it can be encapsulated in IPv6 packet, and the potential
   applicability in IPv6 networks.  Applications of associated channel
   in IPv6 shall be specified in different documents and thus are out of
   scope of this document.

2.  Terminology

   OAM: Operations, Administration, and Maintenance

   SLA: Service Level Agreement

   ACH: Associated CHannel

3.  Associated Channel

   An associated channel provides a control channel that carries at
   least one or more types of control and management messages.  The type
   of message is not limited to any specific usage.  The associated
   channel is specified by two parts of information, including the
   identification of associated channel and the carried message.

3.1.  Identification of Associated Channel

   The identification of associated channel indicates the path where the
   packets of associated channel are transmitted on.  This
   identification also indicates the same path of the service forwarding
   path which the associated channel is associated to.

3.2.  ACH TLV to Carry Message

   An Associated CHannel (ACH) TLV is designed to carry the message of
   an associated channel.  ACH TLV has the following format:










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      0                   1                   2                   3
      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
     +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
     |    Type=TBD1  |    length     |          Channel Type         |
     +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
     //                 Associated Channel ID                       //
     +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
     |                                                               ~
     ~                             Value                             ~
     ~                                                               |
     +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

                          Figure 1 ACH TLV Format

   Type: 8 bits, indicates it is an associated channel (ACH) TLV, and
   request a value assigned by IANA.  The uniform type of TLV
   generalizes the applicability of ACH TLV to support various types of
   messages.

   Length: 8 bits, defines the length of Value field in bytes.

   Channel Type: is a 16-bit-length fixed portion as a part of Value
   field.  It indicates the specific type of messages carried in
   associated channel.  Note that a new ACH TLV Channel Type Registry
   would be requested to IANA.  In the later documents which specify
   application protocols of associated channel, MUST also specify the
   applicable Channel Type field value assigned by IANA.

   Associated Channel ID: indicates the identification of associated
   channel.  The length is TBD.

   Value: is a variable part of Value field.  It specifies the messages
   indicated by Channel Type and carried in associated channel.  Note
   that the Value field of ACH TLV MAY contain sub-TLVs to provide
   additional context information to ACH TLV.

3.3.  Encapsulation of ACH TLV in IPv6

   In the context of IPv6, ACH TLV can be encapsulated in different
   types of IPv6 extension header or even IPv6 payload.  Note that, no
   matter which way ACH TLV is applied, there is no semantic change to
   IPv6 extension headers.  Moreover, ACH TLV can be carried either with
   user data in an in-situ way, or in a independent synthetic packet.








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3.3.1.  Encapsulated in IPv6 Destination Options Header

   ACH TLV can be encapsulated in IPv6 Destination Options Header as the
   TLV-encoded options.  Figure 2 gives an example of an ACH TLV
   encapsulated in IPv6 Destination Options Header.

    0                   1                   2                   3
    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
   +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
   | Next Header   |  Hdr Ext Len  |    Type=ACH   |    Length     |
   +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
   |         Channel Type          |      Associated Channel ID   //
   +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
   |                                                               ~
   ~             Value (depends on the specific protocol)          ~
   ~                                                               |
   +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

            Figure 2 ACH TLV in IPv6 Destination Options Header

   According to the note 1 and note 3 described in section 4.1
   of[RFC8200], ACH TLV encapsulated in IPv6 Destination Options Header
   can provide two semantics of associated channel.  When only IPv6
   Destination Options Header exists or IPv6 Destination Options Header
   exists after the Routing Header, an end to end associated channel is
   provided to transmit the messages between two endpoints.  When both
   IPv6 Destination Options Header and Routing Header exist, and IPv6
   Destination Options Header exists before the Routing Header, an
   associated channel is provided at network nodes of the first
   destination that appears in the IPv6 Destination Address field plus
   subsequent destinations listed in the Routing header.

3.3.2.  Encapsulated in IPv6 Hop-by-Hop Options Header

   ACH TLV can be encapsulated in IPv6 Hop-by-Hop Options Header as the
   TLV-encoded options.  Same option type numbering space is used for
   both Hop-by-Hop Options header and Destination Options header.
   Similarly, the ACH TLV in IPv6 Hop-by-Hop Options Header shares the
   same encapsulation shown in Figure 2.

   When it is encapsulated in IPv6 Hop-by-Hop Options Header, it
   provides an associated channel at every node along the forwarding
   path.








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3.3.3.  Encapsulated in IPv6 Segment Routing Header

   ACH TLV can be encapsulated in IPv6 Segment Routing Header, as SRH
   optional TLV.  Figure 3 gives an example of an ACH TLV encapsulated
   in IPv6 Segment Routing Header.

    0                   1                   2                   3
    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
   +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
   | Next Header   |  Hdr Ext Len  |  Routing Type | Segments Left |
   +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
   |    Last Entry |    Flags      |              Tag              |
   +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
   ~                  Segment List[0] (128 bits)                   ~
   +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
   ~                                ...                            ~
   +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
   ~                   Segment List[n] (128 bits)                  ~
   +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
   |   Type=ACH    |  Length       |           Channel Type        |
   +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
   //                 Associated Channel ID                       //
   +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
   |                                                               ~
   ~             Value (depends on the specific protocol)          ~
   ~                                                               |
   +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
   |                                                               ~
   ~     Other Optional Type Length Value objects (variable)       ~
   ~                                                               |
   +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

              Figure 3 ACH TLV in IPv6 Segment Routing Header

   When ACH TLV is encapsulated in IPv6 Segment Routing Header, it
   provides an associated channel at every SRv6 endpoints along the
   path.

3.3.4.  Encapsulated in Payload

   ACH TLV can also be encapsulated in the payload of an IPv6 packet.
   The term of payload here means the octets after the IPv6 header and
   extension headers.  A synthetic packet is created with the payload of
   messages. and transmitted in an associated channel.  The synthetic
   packet can use the same routing information with service data whose
   associated channel is associated to.  For example, synthetic packet
   can encapsulate the same segment list as the one used in IPv6 SRH of
   service data.



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3.4.  Processing of ACH TLV

   Take the ACH TLV encapsulated in Segment Routing Header as an
   example.  At headend, ACH TLV is encapsulated with control and
   management messages in Segment Routing Header.  When midpoint or
   tail-end receives an SRv6 packet with ACH TLV, it recognizes the ACH
   TLV, check the Channel Type field to interpret the protocol, and
   continue with processing of messages.  The processing of message is
   not limited, for example READ or/and WRITE.  It should depend on the
   specification of protocols used in the associated channel.

4.  Applicability

4.1.  Path Identification

   In a native IPv6 network, packets is transmitted hop by hop, there is
   no way to identify an IPv6 forwarding path.  The path needs to be
   identified when OAM or protection switchover is applied to the path.

4.2.  OAM

   OAM includes the a group of functions such as connectivity
   verification, fault indication and detection, and performance
   measurement of loss and delay etc.  For example, BFD defines a
   generic control packet format that can be encapsulated in different
   data planes to provide low-overhead and short-duration failure
   detection function.  The format can also be encapsulated in ACH TLV
   as the option TLV of Destination Options Header, to provide the same
   connectivity verification and fault detect functions without
   introducing upper layer protocols.  Another example is to encapsulate
   PDU formats of Ethernet OAM [ITU-T G.8013] in Value field of ACH TLV
   to provide a set of OAM functions.  By using ACH TLV to carry OAM
   messages in associated channel, different OAM functions can be easily
   integrated.  The OAM functions can be performed in either end-to-end
   or hop-by-hop mode.  For example, signal degrade happens on the
   intermediate node could be discovered and further indicated in
   associated channel to monitor the path status.

4.3.  Assist to Protection Switchover

   Linear protection [RFC6378] provides a very flexible protection
   mechanism in a mesh network because it can operate between any pair
   of endpoints.  ACH TLV can be used to transmit the protection state
   control messages on an IPv6 forwarding path to provide the function
   of bidirectional protection switchover.






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5.  IANA Considerations

   o  This document requests IANA to assign a codepoint of Destination
      Options and Hop-by-Hop Options.

   o  This document requests IANA to assign a codepoint of Segment
      Routing Header TLVs to indicate ACH TLV.

   o  This document request IANA to create a new IANA-managed registry
      of ACH Channel Type to identify the usage of associated channel.

6.  Security Considerations

   TBD

7.  Acknowledgements

   TBD

8.  References

8.1.  Normative References

   [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>.

8.2.  Informative References

   [I-D.ietf-spring-srv6-path-segment]
              Li, C., Cheng, W., Chen, M., Dhody, D., and R. Gandhi,
              "Path Segment for SRv6 (Segment Routing in IPv6)", draft-
              ietf-spring-srv6-path-segment-00 (work in progress),
              November 2020.

   [RFC6378]  Weingarten, Y., Ed., Bryant, S., Osborne, E., Sprecher,
              N., and A. Fulignoli, Ed., "MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-
              TP) Linear Protection", RFC 6378, DOI 10.17487/RFC6378,
              October 2011, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc6378>.

   [RFC8200]  Deering, S. and R. Hinden, "Internet Protocol, Version 6
              (IPv6) Specification", STD 86, RFC 8200,
              DOI 10.17487/RFC8200, July 2017,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8200>.






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Authors' Addresses

   Fan Yang
   Huawei Technologies
   Beijing
   China

   Email: shirley.yangfan@huawei.com


   Mach(Guoyi) Chen
   Huawei Technologies
   Beijing
   China

   Email: mach.chen@huawei.com


   Tianran Zhou
   Huawei Technologies
   Beijing
   China

   Email: zhoutianran@huawei.com



























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