A new working group has been formed in the General Area of
the IETF. For additional information, contact the Area Director
or the WG Chairs.
IP over Optical (ipo)
---------------------
Current Status: Active Working Group
Chair(s):
James Luciani <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Daniel Awduche <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
General Area Director(s):
Fred Baker <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
General Area Advisor:
Fred Baker <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Technical Advisor(s):
David Oran <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Thomas Narten <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Mailing Lists:
General Discussion:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
To Subscribe: http://lists.bell-labs.com/mailman/listinfo/ip-optical
Archive: http://www.bell-labs.com/mailing-lists/ip-optical/
Description of Working Group:
Note: this WG is one of a set of WGs that comprise the 'sub-IP'
pseudo-area that the IESG recently created. All of the sub-IP WGs are
temporarily being housed in the General Area until the IESG decides on
a final management structure for managing these groups. The Area
Directors for the following areas acting as a group will be the Area
Advisors: INT, OPS, RTG and TSV. The name(s) listed above under
"Technical Advisor(s)" are the the responsible Area Directors for the
working group.
The advent of switched multi-channel (e.g., WDM, DWDM, OTDM) optical
networks using OXCs (Optical Cross-connects) and other optical
switching elements presents many new opportunities for improving the
performance of IP networks and supporting faster and more flexible
provisioning of IP services. However, much needs to be specified
before interoperable products based on these technologies can be
deployed in service provider networks. The work needed in this area
includes:
- Document the use of existing framing methods for IP over optical
dataplane and control channels, and as necessary specify additional
framing methods.
- Identify and document the characteristics of the optical transport
network that are important for selecting paths for optical channels,
setting-up optical channels, and tearing-down optical channels.
- Document the applications of the common control and measurement
protocols to the technology-dependent aspects of optical path setup,
teardown, and maintenance of optical channels across networks with
optical components.
- Document the requirements for control of optical networks by elements
outside the optical network itself.
- Document the applicability of IP-based protocols for the controlled
dissemination of optical network topology, metric, and constraint
information. Such information can be used for inventory management,
path selection, and other purposes. The information to be exchanged
should accommodate both all-optical and optical-electrical-optical
switching technologies.
- If a need is identified to develop new protocols or make
incompatible modifications to existing protocols (e.g., routing and
signaling protocols) to accomplish the above goals, then a recharter
must first be approved before undertaking such work.
The IP over Optical WG will coordinate with relevant working groups
within the IETF to leverage existing work. The WG may also generate
requirements for other IETF WGs as needed. Additionally, the WG may
collaborate with other standards bodies and interoperability forums
engaged in IP over optical activities (e.g., including ITU-T) to share
information, minimize duplication of effort, and coordinate activities
in order to promote interoperability and serve the best interest of
the industry.
Goals and Milestones:
Mar 01 Produce Framework document with adequate motivation and
detailed description of the context and solution space for
IP/optical.
Aug 01 Submit I-D on 'carrier optical services' requirements for
IP/Optical networks.
Aug 01 Submit I-D on the unique features of optical networks that are
relevant for path computation and signaling in IP/Optical
contexts.
Apr 02 Submit I-D on the Traffic Engineering issues that are specific
to IP/Optical networks, which take into account the peculiar
characteristics of the operating environment, including aspects
of protection/restoration unique to IP/optical.
Apr 02 Submit I-D on the requirements for distribution of optical
topology state information using the common control and
measurement protocols.
Apr 02 Submit I-D on the requirements for signaling in IP/Optical
networks using IP signaling protocols.
Dec 02 Submit applicability statements describing the use of IP based
protocols for signaling and dissemination of network topology
state information in IP/Optical networks.
Dec 02 Document existing encapsulation schemes for IP/optical data
plane and control plane channels.
Dec 02 Submit Framework draft to IESG as a informational RFC.
