One document matched: draft-atlas-bryant-shand-lf-timers-00.txt





INTERNET DRAFT     Synch of Loop Free Timer Values           Jul 2005 
 

 
                                                                        
Network Working Group                                         S. Bryant 
Internet Draft                                                 M. Shand 
Expiration Date: January 2006                             Cisco Systems 
                                                                        
                                                               A. Atlas 
                                                             Google Inc 
                                                                        
                                                              July 2005 
                                                                        
              Synchronisation of Loop Free Timer Values 
             <draft-atlas-bryant-shand-lf-timers-00.txt> 
  
     
Status of this Memo  

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Abstract  
   This draft describes a mechanism that enables routers to agree on a 
   common convergence delay time for use in loop-free convergence.     

Conventions used in this document  
     
   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]. 



 
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1.     Introduction 

   Most of the loop-free convergence mechanisms [LFFWK] require one or 
   more convergence delay timers that MUST have a duration that is 
   consistent throughout the routing domain. This time is the worst 
   case time that any router will take to calculate the new topology, 
   and to make the necessary changes to the FIB. The timer is used by 
   the routers to know when it is safe to transition between the loop-
   free convergence states. 

   The time taken by a router to complete each phase of the loop-free 
   transition will be dependent on the size of the network and the 
   design and implementation of the router. It can therefore be 
   expected that the optimum delay will need to be tuned from time to 
   time as the network evolves. 

   Manual configuration of the timer is fraught for two reasons, 
   firstly it is always difficult to ensure that the correct value is 
   installed in all of the routers, and secondly, if any change is 
   introduced into the network that results in a need to change the 
   timer, for example due to a change in hardware or software version, 
   then all of the routers need to be reconfigured to use the new 
   timer value.  

   It is therefore desirable that a means be provided by which the 
   convergence delay timer can be automatically synchronized 
   throughout the network. 



2.    Required Properties 

   The timer synchronization mechanism MUST have the following 
   properties: 

     o The convergence delay time must be consistent amongst all 
        routers that are converging on the new topology. 

     o The convergence delay time must be the highest delay required 
        by any router in the new topology. 

     o The mechanism must increase the delay when a new router in 
        introduced to the network that requires a higher delay than is 
        currently in use. 

     o When the router that had the longest delay requirements is 
        removed from the topology, the convergence delay timer value 
        must, within some reasonable time, be reduced to the longest 
        delay required by the remaining routers. 


 
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     o It must be possible for a router to change the convergence 
        delay timer value that it requires. 

     o A router which is in multiple routing areas, or is running 
        multiple routing protocols may signal a different loop-free 
        convergence delay for each area, and for each protocol. 

   How a router determines the time that it needs to execute each 
   convergence phase is an implementation issue, and outside the scope 
   of this specification. However a router that dynamically determines 
   its proposed timer value must do so in such a way that it does not 
   cause the synchronized value to continually fluctuate.  



3.    Mechanism 

   The following mechanism is proposed.  

   A new information element is introduced into the routing protocol 
   that specifies the maximum time (in milliseconds) that the router 
   will take to calculate the new topology and to update its FIB as a 
   result of any topology change. 

   When a topology change occurs, the largest convergence delay time 
   required by any router in the new topology is used by the loop-free 
   convergence mechanism. 

   If a routing protocol message is issued that changes the 
   convergence delay timer value, but does not change the topology, 
   the new timer value MUST be taken into consideration during the 
   next loop-free transition, but MUST NOT instigate a loop-free 
   transition. 

   If a routing protocol message is issued that changes the 
   convergence timer value and changes the topology, a loop-free 
   transition is instigated and the new timer value is taken into 
   consideration. 

   The loop-free convergence mechanism should specify the action to be 
   taken if a timer change (only) message and a topology change 
   message are independently generated during the hold-off time. A 
   suitable action would be to take the same action that would be 
   taken if two uncorrelated topology changes occurred in the network. 

   All routers that support loop-free convergence MUST advertise a 
   loop-free convergence delay time. The loop-free convergence 
   mechanism MUST specify the action to be taken if a router does not 
   advertise a convergence delay time. 





 
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4.    Protocol Details 

   This section describes the protocol changes needed to implement the 
   timer synchronization function. 


4.1.     ISIS 

   The controlled convergence timer value will be carried in a new 
   Sub-TLV of the capability TLV as defined in [ISIS-CAP].  

   This draft defines one such SUB-TLV where the type is for the 
   worst-case FIB compute/install time, the value is 16 bits and is 
   specified in milliseconds; this gives a max value of about 65s.  

   The format of the Sub-TLV is as shown below. 

       Sub-TLV FIB-Convergence Timer  

       TYPE: <TBD>  

       Length: 2 octets  

       Value: <16-bit timer value expressed in milliseconds>  

   This MUST be carried in a capability TLV with the S-bit set to zero 
   (indicating that it MUST NOT be leaked between levels).  


4.2.     OSPF 

   A new type-10 opaque LSA (the controlled convergence LSA) will be 
   defined as part of OSPF changed needed to define the loop-free 
   convergence mechanism. This will consist of one or more TLVs.  This 
   draft defines one such TLV where the type is for the worst-case FIB 
   compute/install time, the value is 16 bits and is specified in 
   milliseconds; this gives a max value of about 65s. 



5.    IANA considerations 

   There will be IANA considerations that arise as a result of this 
   draft, but they are not yet determined. 



6.    Security Considerations 

   If an abnormally large timer value is proposed by a router, the 
   there is a danger that the loop-free convergence process will take 
   an excessive time. If during that time the routing protocol signals 
   the need for another transition, the loop-free transition will be 
 
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   abandoned and the default best case (traditional) convergence 
   mechanism used. 

   It is still undesirable that the routers select a convergence delay 
   time that has an excessive value. The maximum value that can be 
   specified in the LSP/LSA is limited through the use of a 16 bit 
   field to about 65 seconds. When sufficient implementation 
   experience is gained, an architectural constant will be specified 
   which sets the upper limit of the convergence delay timer.  



7.    Intellectual Property Statement 

 
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8.     Full copyright statement 

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2005). This document is subject 
   to the rights, licenses and restrictions contained in BCP 78, and 
   except as set forth therein, the authors retain all their rights. 

   This document and the information contained herein are provided on 
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   EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTY THAT 
   THE USE OF THE INFORMATION HEREIN WILL NOT INFRINGE ANY RIGHTS OR 


 
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   ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A 
   PARTICULAR PURPOSE. 



9.    Normative References 

   Internet-drafts are works in progress available from   
   <http://www.ietf.org/internet-drafts/> 

    [ISIS-CAP]     Vasseur JP. et al,  "IS-IS extensions for 
                   advertising router information",  draft-ietf-
                   isis-caps-03.txt , Work in Progress. 

 



10.     Informative References 

   Internet-drafts are works in progress available from   
   <http://www.ietf.org/internet-drafts/> 

   [LFFWK]       Bryant, S., Shand, M., A Framework for Loop-
                 free Convergence <draft-bryant-shand-lf-conv-
                 frmwk-01.txt>, (work on progress) 

 


11.    Acknowledgements 

   Our thanks to Stefano Previdi for his useful coments. 




















 
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12.    Authors' Addresses 

   Alia K. Atlas 
   1600 Amphitheatre Parkway 
   Mountain View CA 94043     Email: akatlas@gmail.com 
    
   Stewart Bryant 
   Cisco Systems, 
   250, Longwater, 
   Green Park, 
   Reading, RG2 6GB, 
   United Kingdom.            Email: stbryant@cisco.com 

   Mike Shand 
   Cisco Systems, 
   250, Longwater, 
   Green Park, 
   Reading, RG2 6GB, 
   United Kingdom.            Email: mshand@cisco.com 

    

    





























 
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PAFTECH AB 2003-20262026-04-24 00:11:37