Multicast Protocol for Low-Power and Lossy Networks (MPL)
RFC 7731

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Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)                            J. Hui
Request for Comments: 7731                                     Nest Labs
Category: Standards Track                                      R. Kelsey
ISSN: 2070-1721                                             Silicon Labs
                                                           February 2016

       Multicast Protocol for Low-Power and Lossy Networks (MPL)

Abstract

   This document specifies the Multicast Protocol for Low-Power and
   Lossy Networks (MPL), which provides IPv6 multicast forwarding in
   constrained networks.  MPL avoids the need to construct or maintain
   any multicast forwarding topology, disseminating messages to all MPL
   Forwarders in an MPL Domain.

   MPL has two modes of operation.  One mode uses the Trickle algorithm
   to manage control-plane and data-plane message transmissions and is
   applicable for deployments with few multicast sources.  The other
   mode uses classic flooding.  By providing both modes and
   parameterization of the Trickle algorithm, an MPL implementation can
   be used in a variety of multicast deployments and can trade between
   dissemination latency and transmission efficiency.

Status of This Memo

   This is an Internet Standards Track document.

   This document is a product of the Internet Engineering Task Force
   (IETF).  It represents the consensus of the IETF community.  It has
   received public review and has been approved for publication by the
   Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG).  Further information on
   Internet Standards is available in Section 2 of RFC 5741.

   Information about the current status of this document, any errata,
   and how to provide feedback on it may be obtained at
   http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc7731.

Hui & Kelsey                 Standards Track                    [Page 1]
RFC 7731                           MPL                     February 2016

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (c) 2016 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.

Hui & Kelsey                 Standards Track                    [Page 2]
RFC 7731                           MPL                     February 2016

Table of Contents

   1. Introduction ....................................................4
   2. Terminology .....................................................5
   3. Applicability Statement .........................................6
   4. MPL Protocol Overview ...........................................7
      4.1. MPL Domains ................................................7
      4.2. Information Base Overview ..................................8
      4.3. Protocol Overview ..........................................8
      4.4. Signaling Overview ........................................10
   5. MPL Parameters and Constants ...................................11
      5.1. MPL Multicast Addresses ...................................11
      5.2. MPL Message Types .........................................11
      5.3. MPL Seed Identifiers ......................................11
      5.4. MPL Parameters ............................................11
   6. Protocol Message Formats .......................................14
      6.1. MPL Option ................................................14
      6.2. MPL Control Message .......................................15
      6.3. MPL Seed Info .............................................16
   7. Information Base ...............................................17
      7.1. Local Interface Set .......................................17
      7.2. Domain Set ................................................18
      7.3. Seed Set ..................................................18
      7.4. Buffered Message Set ......................................18
   8. MPL Seed Sequence Numbers ......................................19
   9. MPL Data Messages ..............................................19
      9.1. MPL Data Message Generation ...............................19
      9.2. MPL Data Message Transmission .............................20
      9.3. MPL Data Message Processing ...............................21
   10. MPL Control Messages ..........................................22
      10.1. MPL Control Message Generation ...........................22
      10.2. MPL Control Message Transmission .........................22