IPv6 over Low-Power Wireless Personal Area Networks (6LoWPANs): Overview, Assumptions, Problem Statement, and Goals
RFC 4919
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RFC - Informational
(August 2007; Errata)
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2015-10-14
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IETF
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plain text
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(None)
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No shepherd assigned
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IESG state |
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RFC 4919 (Informational)
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Unknown
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Responsible AD |
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Mark Townsley
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Network Working Group N. Kushalnagar
Request for Comments: 4919 Intel Corp
Category: Informational G. Montenegro
Microsoft Corporation
C. Schumacher
Danfoss A/S
August 2007
IPv6 over Low-Power Wireless Personal Area Networks (6LoWPANs):
Overview, Assumptions, Problem Statement, and Goals
Status of This Memo
This memo provides information for the Internet community. It does
not specify an Internet standard of any kind. Distribution of this
memo is unlimited.
Copyright Notice
Copyright (C) The IETF Trust (2007).
Abstract
This document describes the assumptions, problem statement, and goals
for transmitting IP over IEEE 802.15.4 networks. The set of goals
enumerated in this document form an initial set only.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction ....................................................2
2. Overview ........................................................2
3. Assumptions .....................................................3
4. Problems ........................................................4
4.1. IP Connectivity ............................................4
4.2. Topologies .................................................5
4.3. Limited Packet Size ........................................6
4.4. Limited Configuration and Management .......................6
4.5. Service Discovery ..........................................6
4.6. Security ...................................................6
5. Goals ...........................................................7
6. Security Considerations .........................................9
7. Acknowledgements ...............................................10
8. References .....................................................10
8.1. Normative References ......................................10
8.2. Informative References ....................................10
Kushalnagar, et al. Informational [Page 1]
RFC 4919 6LoWPAN Problems and Goals August 2007
1. Introduction
Low-power wireless personal area networks (LoWPANs) comprise devices
that conform to the IEEE 802.15.4-2003 standard by the IEEE
[IEEE802.15.4]. IEEE 802.15.4 devices are characterized by short
range, low bit rate, low power, and low cost. Many of the devices
employing IEEE 802.15.4 radios will be limited in their computational
power, memory, and/or energy availability.
This document gives an overview of LoWPANs and describes how they
benefit from IP and, in particular, IPv6 networking. It describes
LoWPAN requirements with regards to the IP layer and the above, and
spells out the underlying assumptions of IP for LoWPANs. Finally, it
describes problems associated with enabling IP communication with
devices in a LoWPAN, and defines goals to address these in a
prioritized manner. Admittedly, not all items on this list may be
necessarily appropriate tasks for the IETF. Nevertheless, they are
documented here to give a general overview of the larger problem.
This is useful both to structure work within the IETF as well as to
better understand how to coordinate with external organizations.
2. Overview
A LoWPAN is a simple low cost communication network that allows
wireless connectivity in applications with limited power and relaxed
throughput requirements. A LoWPAN typically includes devices that
work together to connect the physical environment to real-world
applications, e.g., wireless sensors. LoWPANs conform to the IEEE
802.15.4-2003 standard [IEEE802.15.4].
Some of the characteristics of LoWPANs are as follows:
1. Small packet size. Given that the maximum physical layer packet
is 127 bytes, the resulting maximum frame size at the media
access control layer is 102 octets. Link-layer security imposes
further overhead, which in the maximum case (21 octets of
overhead in the AES-CCM-128 case, versus 9 and 13 for AES-CCM-32
and AES-CCM-64, respectively), leaves 81 octets for data
packets.
2. Support for both 16-bit short or IEEE 64-bit extended media
access control addresses.
3. Low bandwidth. Data rates of 250 kbps, 40 kbps, and 20 kbps for
each of the currently defined physical layers (2.4 GHz, 915 MHz,
and 868 MHz, respectively).
4. Topologies include star and mesh operation.
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