Rules for NFSv4 Extensions and Minor Versions
RFC 8178

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Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)                         D. Noveck
Request for Comments: 8178                                        NetApp
Updates: 5661, 7862                                            July 2017
Category: Standards Track
ISSN: 2070-1721

             Rules for NFSv4 Extensions and Minor Versions

Abstract

   This document describes the rules relating to the extension of the
   NFSv4 family of protocols.  It covers the creation of minor versions,
   the addition of optional features to existing minor versions, and the
   correction of flaws in features already published as Proposed
   Standards.  The rules relating to the construction of minor versions
   and the interaction of minor version implementations that appear in
   this document supersede the minor versioning rules in RFC 5661 and
   other RFCs defining minor versions.

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 7841.

   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/rfc8178.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (c) 2017 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.

Noveck                       Standards Track                    [Page 1]
RFC 8178                     NFSv4 Extension                   July 2017

Table of Contents

   1.  Introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
   2.  Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
     2.1.  Use of Keywords Defined in RFCs 2119 and 8174 . . . . . .   4
     2.2.  Use of Feature Statuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
     2.3.  NFSv4 Versions  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5
   3.  Consolidation of Extension Rules  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
   4.  XDR Considerations  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7
     4.1.  XDR Extension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
     4.2.  Rules for XDR Extension within NFSv4  . . . . . . . . . .   8
     4.3.  Handling of Protocol Elements by Responders . . . . . . .   9
     4.4.  Inter-version Interoperability  . . . . . . . . . . . . .  11
       4.4.1.  Requirements for Knowledge of Protocol Elements . . .  11
       4.4.2.  Establishing Interoperability . . . . . . . . . . . .  12
       4.4.3.  Determining Knowledge of Protocol Elements  . . . . .  14
     4.5.  XDR Overlay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  15
   5.  Other NFSv4 Protocol Changes  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  15
     5.1.  Field Interpretation and Use  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  15
     5.2.  Behavioral Changes  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  16
   6.  Extending Existing Minor Versions . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  17
   7.  Minor Versions  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  18
     7.1.  Creation of New Minor Versions  . . . . . . . . . . . . .  18
   8.  Minor Version Interaction Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  18
     8.1.  Minor Version Identifier Transfer Issues  . . . . . . . .  19
     8.2.  Minor Version Compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  19
   9.  Correction of Existing Minor Versions and Features  . . . . .  20
     9.1.  XDR Changes to Implement Protocol Corrections . . . . . .  21
     9.2.  XDR Corrections to OPTIONAL Features  . . . . . . . . . .  21
     9.3.  XDR Corrections to REQUIRED Features  . . . . . . . . . .  22
     9.4.  Addressing XDR Corrections in Later Minor Versions  . . .  24
   10. Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  24
   11. IANA Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  25
   12. References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  25
     12.1.  Normative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  25
     12.2.  Informative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  25
   Acknowledgements  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  25
   Author's Address  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  26

Noveck                       Standards Track                    [Page 2]