"Alexander Clemm (alex)" <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi Martin,
> 
> "So how is the server-provided leaf supposed to be implemented, and
> how is it supposed to be used?"
> 
> When a network topology is populated by the server, the
> server-provided leaf is supposed to be set to true.

But you earlier wrote that when the server wants to change something
it would behave as a normal client.

> When a network topology is populated by a client app (through
> "regular" configuration), the server provided leaf is supposed to be
> set to false.
> 
> For any given network topology, when the corresponding
> "server-provided" leaf is set to "true", attempts to edit the
> configuration of that topology are to be rejected.

This also goes against what you acknowledged previously - "the
server-provided data can be modified by anyone with proper access
rights"


/martin


> 
> Alternatives to the current design include making the leaf "config
> true", or moving it outside (just this leaf) for a list that indicates
> for each topology whether it is server-provided or not (in a separate
> "state" branch).
> --- Alex
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Martin Bjorklund [mailto:[email protected]] 
> Sent: Monday, October 19, 2015 1:27 PM
> To: Alexander Clemm (alex) <[email protected]>
> Cc: [email protected]; [email protected];
> [email protected]; [email protected];
> [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
> Subject: Re: [i2rs] WG LC for Topology (10/1 to 10/14)
> 
> "Alexander Clemm (alex)" <[email protected]> wrote:
> > Hi Martin,
> > 
> > One model for the data that is server-provided is to assume an app 
> > (which could be embedded on the same server) that knows how to 
> > discover the network, then populates the data accordingly.
> > 
> > [Of course, we would not want any random client app just being able to
> > "mess" with that data.  The expectation is generally clearly access to
> > this will be restricted / controlled.  The topology instances that 
> > were populated by the "server-provided app" should not be "touched" by
> > other apps - it is the "server-provided" app that is responsible for 
> > maintaining them.]
> > 
> > So I assume the answer to your question is "yes", but with a bunch of 
> > caveats.
> 
> So how is the server-provided leaf supposed to be implemented, and how
> is it supposed to be used?
> 
> 
> /martin
> 
> 
> 
> > --- Alex
> > 
> > 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: i2rs [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Martin 
> > Bjorklund
> > Sent: Monday, October 19, 2015 11:32 AM
> > To: Alexander Clemm (alex) <[email protected]>
> > Cc: [email protected]; [email protected]; 
> > [email protected]; [email protected]; 
> > [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
> > Subject: Re: [i2rs] WG LC for Topology (10/1 to 10/14)
> > 
> > Alex,
> > 
> > Is the idea that the server-provided data is normal config?  I.e., if 
> > the server wants to modify this data it behaves like a normal client?
> > (conceptually...)  And the server-provided data can be modified by 
> > anyone with proper access rights?
> > 
> > 
> > /martin
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > "Alexander Clemm (alex)" <[email protected]> wrote:
> > > Hi Juergen,
> > > 
> > > I think one of the key statements you make below is this:
> > > " Recall also that YANG does not allow configuration data to depend 
> > > on state data."
> > > 
> > > Note that this is not the case in the current model.  The current 
> > > model is essentially all configuration data.  Of course, we have 
> > > this flag to indicate who supplied that data (and is hence maintaining
> > > it).
> > > 
> > > You argue that we should instead "split" the model and introduce 
> > > operational data to reflect what is populated by the server.  
> > > However, doing that introduces precisely new issues - and you have 
> > > just brought another argument why this may be a bad idea and may not
> > > even work.
> > > Topologies _are_ layered, and we need to be able to express that in 
> > > the model.  Now, if we have a topology that is server-provided, 
> > > hence (per your statement) to be represented by operational data 
> > > only, how do we build an overlay topology that is "configured" on 
> > > top of it?  If the answer is "we can't, unless we replicate the 
> > > server-provided topology into the network configuration (which makes 
> > > no sense)", we are screwed.  Now, we might build it on top if we 
> > > remove all references / dependencies on the underlay from the model 
> > > and punt the problem to the user.  Basically, no longer have the 
> > > model express vertical relationships.  Not a good solution, IMHO.
> > > 
> > > How do you suggest we address this?  The ability to express layering 
> > > relationships between topologies, including cases where topologies 
> > > originate from different sources (discovered/server-provided vs 
> > > configured), is a requirement.  It is not an artefact of our model, 
> > > it is something that we need to capture as part of the model.  There 
> > > may not be a "nice" way of doing this within the YANG framework, yet 
> > > it is important that we find a way to do this.  The current solution 
> > > to this
> > > - having the model as configuration data, and including a parameter 
> > > to indicate who supplies the data and is maintaining it - appears to 
> > > be cleanest and clearest solution (or perhaps the "least bad") that 
> > > results in the model of least complexity.
> > > 
> > > Perhaps there is something we can simply change about the 
> > > "server-provided" object to address your concerns?  We can make it 
> > > config (to address your issue that triggered this, the presence of a 
> > > r/o object in a tree that is otherwise r/w).
> > > 
> > > Thoughts?
> > > --- Alex
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Juergen Schoenwaelder
> > > [mailto:[email protected]]
> > > Sent: Sunday, October 18, 2015 3:13 AM
> > > To: Alexander Clemm (alex) <[email protected]>
> > > Cc: Ladislav Lhotka <[email protected]>; [email protected]; Martin Bjorklund 
> > > <[email protected]>; Andy Bierman <[email protected]>; 'Alia Atlas'
> > > <[email protected]>; 'Jeffrey Haas' <[email protected]>; Susan Hares 
> > > <[email protected]>
> > > Subject: Re: [i2rs] WG LC for Topology (10/1 to 10/14)
> > > 
> > > On Thu, Oct 15, 2015 at 10:59:31PM +0000, Alexander Clemm (alex)
> > > wrote:
> > > > Hello Juergen,
> > > > 
> > > > responses inline, delimited with <ALEX>
> > > > 
> > > > --- Alex
> > > > 
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: Juergen Schoenwaelder
> > > > [mailto:[email protected]]
> > > > Sent: Wednesday, October 14, 2015 11:35 PM
> > > > To: Alexander Clemm (alex) <[email protected]>
> > > > Cc: Susan Hares <[email protected]>; Andy Bierman 
> > > > <[email protected]>; [email protected]; Martin Bjorklund 
> > > > <[email protected]>; Ladislav Lhotka <[email protected]>; 'Alia Atlas'
> > > > <[email protected]>; 'Jeffrey Haas'
> > > > <[email protected]>
> > > > Subject: Re: [i2rs] WG LC for Topology (10/1 to 10/14)
> > > > 
> > > > On Fri, Oct 09, 2015 at 09:55:19PM +0000, Alexander Clemm (alex)
> > > > wrote:
> > > > > 
> > > > > The only item in the topology that is read-only concerns the 
> > > > > "server-provided" flag, but this concerns a separate issue that 
> > > > > was also discussed (I am not sure if this is what you are 
> > > > > referring to).
> > > > > It is analogous to the other discussion concerning 
> > > > > distinguishing configuration that has been intended, versus one 
> > > > > that is in effect etc .  This concerns the issue that some 
> > > > > topologies are populated by the server whereas some topologies 
> > > > > can be populated by client applications.
> > > > 
> > > > Yes, this is what the concern is about.
> > > > 
> > > > > We have had discussions in the past whether to "split this up", 
> > > > > having a (rw) branch to populate "intended" topologies and a 
> > > > > (ro) branch for topologies "in effect".
> > > > 
> > > > This is the normal way to do this in YANG. And this goes back to 
> > > > what was driving us for years, namely to clearly separate config 
> > > > from state. This module makes this distinction a runtime property 
> > > > controlled by a data model specific mechanism. None of the generic 
> > > > tools out there will be able to understand this.
> > > > 
> > > > <ALEX>
> > > > I think the issue is more related to the current discussion with 
> > > > regards to openconfig and "intended configuration" and "applied 
> > > > configuration".  If YANG had an existing solution for this, we 
> > > > would not have this discussion.  The reason I believe this is 
> > > > similar is that you can view the "applied configuration" as the 
> > > > "server-provided configuration" (network topology, in our case), 
> > > > and the "intended configuration" as the, well, configured or 
> > > > intended network topology in our case.  That said, the issue is 
> > > > not identical
> > > > - whereas in the openconfig case every "applied configuration" has 
> > > > an accompanying "intended configuration", in our case this is not 
> > > > necessarily the case
> > > > - you can have "applied" [network topologies] that were provided 
> > > > by the server / the network itself, not configured by anybody.
> > > > </ALEX>
> > > 
> > > I think this has nothing to do with intended or applied config. Your 
> > > 'server supplied topology' appears to me to be operational state and 
> > > not configuration data.
> > >  
> > > > > We decided against it for various reasons - every piece of 
> > > > > information would essentially be duplicated inside the model 
> > > > > (this is not your normal config vs oper data distinction, but 
> > > > > would essentially reflect a limitation of the framework), 
> > > > > leading to unnecessary additional complexity in the model (every 
> > > > > augmentation has to be conducted in two places), more complex 
> > > > > validation rules, etc.
> > > > 
> > > > I do not understand why this is not a normal config vs oper data 
> > > > distinction. Please explain.
> > > > 
> > > > <ALEX>
> > > > A normal distinction would be e.g. the type of model we have in 
> > > > RFC
> > > > 7233 - separate trees with distinct data, some clearly part of 
> > > > configuration, other clearly operational data.
> > > > In this case, this is different.  You have the same data.  
> > > > However, in some cases it is populated by a client, in other cases 
> > > > by the server.
> > > > YANG requires the categorization of data as config false or true.  
> > > > In this case, this categorization does not always apply - or, the 
> > > > categorization depends on the particular instance.
> > > > </ALEX>
> > > 
> > > So you have operational state which is partially populated by the 
> > > server and partially populated from config. I fail to see how this 
> > > is any different from other cases, including network interfaces as 
> > > defined in RFC 7233. Recall also that YANG does not allow 
> > > configuration data to depend on state data.
> > > 
> > > > I do not understand how this leads to more complex validation rules.
> > > > Please explain.
> > > > 
> > > > <ALEX>
> > > > 
> > > > One example concerns the supporting nodes/links/TPs.  
> > > > 
> > > > We want to be able to express that, for example, a node in one 
> > > > network is supported by a node in an underlay network.  For this 
> > > > purpose, we are referencing a node in another (underlay) network.
> > > > So that we cannot reference an arbitrary node in an arbitrary 
> > > > network, we want to make sure that the supporting node is part of 
> > > > a "supporting-network"
> > > > of the same network.
> > > > 
> > > > Currently, we have the following definition:
> > > > 
> > > >    list supporting-node {
> > > >         key "network-ref node-ref";
> > > >         description
> > > >           "Represents another node, in an underlay network, that 
> > > >            this node is supported by.  Used to represent layering 
> > > >            structure.";
> > > >         leaf network-ref {
> > > >           type leafref {
> > > >             path "../../../supporting-network/network-ref";
> > > >           }
> > > >           description
> > > >             "References the underlay network that the 
> > > >              underlay node is part of.";
> > > >         }
> > > >         leaf node-ref {
> > > >           type leafref {
> > > >             path "/network/node/node-id";
> > > >           }
> > > >           description
> > > >             "References the underlay node itself.";
> > > >         }
> > > /
> > > >       }
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > If we were to split the model, when we configure a node, we will 
> > > > have to account for the fact that the supporting node could be 
> > > > either part of a "configured" network itself, or of a network that 
> > > > has been "server-provided".  That is, we need to be able to allow 
> > > > for both possibilities.
> > > 
> > > Again note that YANG requires that configuration data does not 
> > > depend on state data. You seem to be breaking this rule, no?
> > > 
> > > > To do this, we would no longer be able to have the network-ref to 
> > > > be part of the key for supporting-node - we would have to replace 
> > > > network-ref with a choice of two nodes that reference either a 
> > > > server-provided network ("branch 1"), or a configured network 
> > > > ("branch 2").  As a result, we will have to introduce a separate 
> > > > way to reference elements in list supporting-node.  All of this 
> > > > results in considerable additional complexity.  Or do you see an
> > > > easier way?
> > > > 
> > > > </ALEX>
> > > 
> > > I do not think this is the solution. YANG requires that constraints 
> > > on config true nodes can only refer to other config true nodes in 
> > > the datastore where the node with the constraint exists. See section 
> > > 7.5.3 and section 7.19.5. And concerning leafref, section 9.9 says 
> > > that a leafref may only point to configuration. I believe this I-D 
> > > is violating the distinction between configuration and state data.
> > > 
> > > /js
> > > 
> > > -- 
> > > Juergen Schoenwaelder           Jacobs University Bremen gGmbH
> > > Phone: +49 421 200 3587         Campus Ring 1 | 28759 Bremen | Germany
> > > Fax:   +49 421 200 3103         <http://www.jacobs-university.de/>
> > > 
> > 
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> > 
> 

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