One document matched: draft-coene-multi6-sctp-00.txt




Multihoming IPV6 Working group                                  L. Coene
Internet-Draft                                                   Siemens
Expires: July 30, 2004                                       J. Loughney
                                                                   Nokia
                                                        January 30, 2004


                     Multihoming: the SCTP solution
                    <draft-coene-multi6-sctp-00.txt>

Status of this Memo

   This document is an Internet-Draft and is in full conformance with
   all provisions of Section 10 of RFC2026.

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   This Internet-Draft will expire on July 30, 2004.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2004). All Rights Reserved.

Abstract

   This document describes the multhoming solution used in SCTP. It
   tries to answer the questions posed in "Things MULTI6  developers
   should think about" [1].











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Table of Contents

   1.     INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
   1.1    Terminology  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
   2.     Answer to Questions  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
   2.1    Routing  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
   2.1.1  How does SCTP solve the multihoming problem  . . . . . . .   4
   2.1.2  Uniqueness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
   2.2    Identifiers and locators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5
   2.2.1  Does SCTP provide a split between identifier and
          locator? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5
   2.2.2  What is the lifetime of a binding from locator to
          identifier?  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5
   2.2.3  How is the binding updated?  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5
   2.3    On the Wire  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5
   2.3.1  At what layer is SCTP applied to?  . . . . . . . . . . . .   5
   2.3.2  Why is this layer the correct one? . . . . . . . . . . . .   5
   2.3.3  Does SCTP expand the size of a IP packet?  . . . . . . . .   6
   2.3.4  Does SCTP change the way fragmenting is handled? . . . . .   6
   2.3.5  Are there any changes to ICMP error semantics? . . . . . .   6
   2.4    Names, hosts, endpoints? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
   2.4.1  Relation of SCTP to DNS  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
   2.4.2  Interaction of SCTP with 2-faced DNS.  . . . . . . . . . .   6
   2.4.3  Does SCTP require a centralized registration?  . . . . . .   6
   2.4.4  Has SCTP checked for DNS circular dependencies?  . . . . .   6
   2.4.5  What happens if the DNS server itself is multihomed? . . .   6
   2.4.6  What application/API changes are needed? . . . . . . . . .   7
   2.4.7  Is this backward compatible with IPv6? . . . . . . . . . .   7
   2.4.8  Is this backward compatible with IPV4? . . . . . . . . . .   7
   2.4.9  What are the interactions with other middleboxes?  . . . .   7
   2.4.10 Implications of SCTP for scoped addressing . . . . . . . .   7
   2.4.11 Implications of SCTP with layer2?  . . . . . . . . . . . .   7
   2.4.12 SCTP and referrals?  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
   2.4.13 Legal stuff  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
   3.     Security considerations  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9
   4.     Acknowledgments  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  10
          References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  11
          Authors' Addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  11
          Intellectual Property and Copyright Statements . . . . . .  13












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1. INTRODUCTION

   SCTP is a transport protocol which among its features offers support
   for multihoming. The mechanism is described in detail in "RFC2960"
   [2]. A more general description of its uses can be found in "RFC3257"
   [4] and "SCTP multihoming Issues" [3].

1.1 Terminology

   The terms are commonly identified in related work "RFC2960" [2],
   "RFC3257" [4] and "SCTP multihoming Issues" [3] .








































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2. Answer to Questions

2.1 Routing

2.1.1 How does SCTP solve the multihoming problem

   A general overview of the solution can be found in "SCTP multihoming
   Issues" [3] in paragraph 2.1. The detail message elments with their
   syntax and semantics can be found in  "RFC2960" [2].

   The present solution allows for the exchange of the multiple
   addresses of each endpoint at the start of the association. Once the
   association has been set up, then heartbeat messages are used to
   check the reachability of each address. If the reachability test
   fails(because the heartbeat went unanswered for X times(with X =
   1..n)), then that particular address is deemed not reachable and will
   NOT be used to send data on. If the reachability test is successfull,
   then the address may be used to send data to. If changeover is
   requested(by the application or by SCTP itself), then this address
   will be used to send data on. No IP address can be added or deleted
   from to association once it has been setup.

   A extension to SCTP is in the works which allows a already active
   SCTP association to add or delete a IP address [5] to a
   association.(Thus new "paths" are added or removed). The association
   will use this addresses based on the reachability information
   obtained by the use of the SCTP heartbeat just as mentioned above.

   An additional extension allows to secure this sort of ADDDELIP msg
   exchange via the use of Purpose Built keys(PBK) [7]. If a more secure
   association is required, then TLS or IPSEC are recommended.

2.1.2 Uniqueness

2.1.2.1 Does SCTP address mobility?

   SCTP does NOT solve the "where is the endpoint?" problem. It assumes
   that  the location of the mobile user is known, because it has a IP
   address(which is the locator). It will try to setup a association
   with that IP address and exchange IP addresses between the two
   endpoints of the association at the start of the association(as in
   RFC 2960) or during the association lifetime(ADDELIP) [5].

   SCTP does solve the "handover" problem, namely the problem of moving
   the traffic through the association from one IP address to another IP
   address. The new address can be the result of a DHCP request by the
   lower layers, renumbering in IPv6...




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   Mobility in SCTP is only a byproduct of putting in  multihoming in
   SCTP. SCTP can be used for mobility if add or delete a IP address [5]
   is implemented.

2.2 Identifiers and locators

2.2.1 Does SCTP provide a split between identifier and locator?

   Not really. SCTP uses the IP address as the locator but the
   identifier is assumed to be implicit. SCTP do NOT exchange any
   identifier between the peer endpoints, only IP addresses are
   exchanged. The association ID used between the application and SCTP
   may be regarded as the identifier, but this identifier is completely
   local.

   SCTP allows endpoints to be addressed by multiple IP addresses, the
   concept of an SCTP endpoint is much broader than in TCP.  In this
   way, a SCTP association can use multiple interfaces and multiple
   addresses for upper layer protocols.

2.2.2 What is the lifetime of a binding from locator to identifier?

   The lifetime of a binding from locator to identifier is equal to the
   lifetime of a SCTP association(RFC 2960) or less(in case of ADDELIP).

2.2.3 How is the binding updated?

   A control message(called a chunk in SCTP) is used to exchanged the IP
   addresses between the endpoints. It can be done at setup of the
   association(see RFC 2960) or during the lifetime of the
   association(see ADDELIP).

2.3 On the Wire

2.3.1 At what layer is SCTP applied to?

   It is a layer 4 solution(=transport layer).

2.3.2 Why is this layer the correct one?

   Every IP address corresponds to a single path through the network.
   Each path can have different delay, loss and so forth,
   characterstics. The congestion control algorithm depends on some of
   this info to perform its congestion control. Thus the transport layer
   has to measure this himself so that it internal variables are
   updated. Otherwise the info may be distributed and/or duplicated
   accross multiple layers. Therefore decisions about using or changing
   of path are taken by the transport layer.



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2.3.3 Does SCTP expand the size of a IP packet?

   SCTP contains its own header just as other transport protocols. It
   comes in the place of the header of other transport protcols.

2.3.4 Does SCTP change the way fragmenting is handled?

   No. It leaves IP fragementation alone and uses its own fragmenting
   and reassembly code.

2.3.5 Are there any changes to ICMP error semantics?

   No.

2.4 Names, hosts, endpoints?

2.4.1 Relation of SCTP to DNS

   SCTP has no direct interface to DNS. It however uses the result that
   come back from a DNS query by the application software on the host,
   to setup a association to the peer with the returned IP address. If
   DNS returns a non-reachable address, then SCTP will not be able to
   reach the peer. If the DNS returns a reachable address, then SCTP can
   start its association and figure out if the peer is multihomed via a
   approriate message exchange. It already knows for his own endpoint if
   it is multihomed, yes or no.

2.4.2 Interaction of SCTP with 2-faced DNS.

   SCTP has no direct interaction with DNS, so it does not need direct
   interaction with 2 faced DNS either.

2.4.3 Does SCTP require a centralized registration?

   NO.

2.4.4 Has SCTP checked for DNS circular dependencies?

   As SCTP does not rely on the DNS for any functionality of its
   multihoming solution, no dependecy exists on DNS and as a result, no
   circular dependencies are possible.

2.4.5 What happens if the DNS server itself is multihomed?

   No dependcy exits on the DNS, so DNS multihoming is invisible to SCTP
   in the host. If naturally the communcation between the DNS resolver
   and the DNS server itself uses SCTP then there is still no problem as
   only SCTP internal mechanism are used for doing the multihoming.



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2.4.6 What application/API changes are needed?

   The application software has to be ported on a socket api very
   similar to the already present socketapi of TCP. The application will
   use multihoming unknowingly as No specific API change is needed to
   activate multihoming on the own endpoint.

   If the application wishes to activily control the multihoming of the
   association, new socketapi [8] options exists to do that but then
   this must be considered as adding new features to applications, not
   porting old applications.

   It should be noted that SCTP is a connection-oriented, congestion
   control protocol.  Therefore, traffic running over UDP is not
   considered at this time. A UDP style socket is present in SCTP but
   requires more changes to the application. UDP traffic can also use
   thepartial reliability feature of SCT [9] if required.

2.4.7 Is this backward compatible with IPv6?

   Yes, it is even backward compatible with IPv4. The SCTP association
   can be multihomed across a ipv4 and ipv6 network( meaning the single
   assocaition will use Ipv4 and Ipv6 address within the same
   association).

2.4.8 Is this backward compatible with IPV4?

   Yes. see also paragraph above.

2.4.9 What are the interactions with other middleboxes?

   Middleboxes which do not change or drop SCTP chunks, do not impact
   the multihoming. Only NAT boxes have to do their work in the INIT and
   INIT-ACK chunks as addresses are transported in those chunks. If
   ADDELIP is used, the the add and delete IP chunks must also be
   screwed around by the NAT box. The NAT box will very likely be the
   single point-of-failure in the association.

2.4.10 Implications of SCTP for scoped addressing

   If the address is reachable, the communication will get through. It
   is however suggested to use globally scoped addresses first and
   descend from there.It is suggested not to mix global,  link or site
   scope addresses within a single association.

2.4.11 Implications of SCTP with layer2?

   None.



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2.4.12 SCTP and referrals?

   Not sure what is meant here.... If a referal is a new IP address,
   then the application can setup a new association via SCTP with the
   new endpoint and be multihomed again.

2.4.13 Legal stuff

   None.










































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3. Security considerations

   SCTP has mechanisms for reducing the risk of blind denial-of-service
   attacks and/or masquerade attacks. If such measures are required by
   the applications, then it is advised to check the SCTP applicability
   statement "RFC3257" [4] for guidance on this issue.

   Additional work on securing the ADDELIP [5] via the use of Purpose
   Built keys(PBK) [6] in SCTP is going on.










































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4. Acknowledgments

   The authors wish to thank x, Y, and many others for their invaluable
   comments.















































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References

   [1]  Lear, E., "Things MULTI6 Developers should think about", Draft
        in progress , December 2003.

   [2]  Stewart, R., Xie, Q., Morneault, K., Sharp, C., Schwarzbauer,
        H., Taylor, T., Rytina, I., Kalla, M., Zhang, L. and V. Paxson,
        ""Stream Control Transmission Protocol"", RFC 2960, October
        2000.

   [3]  Coene, L., "SCTP multihoming issues", Draft in progress , June
        2003.

   [4]  Coene, L., ""Stream Control Transmission Protocol Applicability
        statement"", RFC 3257, April 2002.

   [5]  Stewart, R., Ramalho, M., Xie, Q., Tuxen, M., Rytina, I.,
        Belinchon, M. and P. Conrad, ""Stream Control Transmission
        Protocol (SCTP) Dynamic Address Reconfiguration"", Draft in
        progress , September 2003.

   [6]  Tuxen, M. and R. Stewart, ""Authenticated Chunks for Stream
        Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP)"", Draft in progress ,
        October 2003.

   [7]  Bradner, S., Mankin, Allison. and J. Schiller, "" A Framework
        for Purpose-Built Keys (PBK)"", Draft in progress , June 2003.

   [8]  Stewart, R., Xie, Q., Yarroll, L., Wood, J., Poon, K., Fujita,
        K. and M. Tuxen, ""Sockets API Extensions for Stream Control
        Transmission Protocol (SCTP)"", Draft in progress , August 2003.

   [9]  Stewart, R., Ramalho, M., Xie, Q., Tuxen, M. and P. Conrad,
        ""SCTP Partial Reliability Extension"", Draft in progress ,
        January 2004.


Authors' Addresses

   Lode Coene
   Siemens
   Atealaan 32
   Herentals  2200
   Belgium

   Phone: +32-14-252081
   EMail: lode.coene@siemens.com




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   John Loughney
   Nokia
   Itdmerenkatu 11-13
   Espoo  00180
   Finland

   Phone: +???????
   EMail: john.loughney@nokia.com











































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   HEREIN WILL NOT INFRINGE ANY RIGHTS OR ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
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Acknowledgment

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