On Dec 21, 2011, at 6:52 PM, Bhatia, Manav (Manav) wrote: > Hi Doug, > >> >> Sort of surprised that no one else has responded so far, but >> I'll bite. >> Quite simply, "no." Slightly less simply, "use DHCP since >> that's what it's for." >> > > I wish it were this simple. > > Different operators have different requirements and preferences based on > their environments.
Yes. > I have seen deployments where SLAAC is much more useful than DHCPv6. I've > seen deployments where DHCPv6 is needed. So both have a place and we should > let the operators decide what they want to use. Environments with 4 to 20 > devices in them (small businesses) may not want the complexity of setting up > a central server. I have a (home) network with 4 to 20 (actually, looking it is more like 60) devices. I don't want the complexity of setting up a central server. Oh! Wait a sec. I didn't set up a central server, the same device that does SLAAC also does DHCPv6. Convenient, huh? Almost like someone was planning ahead. > Those environments are probably more suited for SLAAC. > > We have heard customers asking SLAAC to be extended to support NTP, > "boot-file", "next-server" and a few other things that are currently only > available with DHCP. Yup. I'd also like to hand out WINS servers and workgroup name and a proxy server and a log server and a hostname and a preference identifier (so I know which network is "trusted") and a MTU hint and a timezone offset and a walled garden authentication server and a geographical hint so I know how find the nearest Starbucks and local language identifier and base-64 encoded note as to where I left my car keys this time and ... > > Currently, operators need to use both SLAAC and DHCP to run their networks. > This is far from ideal. Far better for organizations to look at 2 complete > solutions and pick the solution that works best for them in their environment. > > Today, we can get NTP server information only with DHCP. DHCP only works > after RAs have been processed. In some environments (mobile IPv6) delays in > acquiring NTP and other servers information is critical and waiting for DHCP > to come up is NOT an ideal solution. 'tis not ideal that I cannot find my car keys, especially when I'm already late for work. Where's my RA provided key hint option, please? > > Cheers, Manav Cheerio, W P.S: I have not had my morning coffee - this email might sound more pissy than I intended... > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > IETF IPv6 working group mailing list > [email protected] > Administrative Requests: https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ipv6 > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > -------------------------------------------------------------------- IETF IPv6 working group mailing list [email protected] Administrative Requests: https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ipv6 --------------------------------------------------------------------
