> > I'm assuming VDP happens between trusted devices, so in this picture
> the
> > hypervisor virtual switch is a trusted End Device.  It would run the
> > VDP-like protocol.  In this case, there is still a need to inform the
> NVE
> > of the need to participate in a given L3 VN and possibly to be
> informed of
> > the TES IP addresses within that VN.
> 
> Agreed with both parts: virtual switch would run VDP, and the need for
> it.
> 

In a layer 3 VN solution there is no need for VDP. The issue with VDP is that 
it is tied to the physical location (link-layer) of the information it conveys. 
It is an example of a protocol where the application payloads ride directly 
over Ethernet, without a layer 3 header. Designing protocols that put 
application payloads on top of Ethernet directly is not a good idea. 

Assume that system A (e.g., end-system) is managed by a management station that 
sends to it a message m1; A then sends a subset of this information as a 
message m2 to B (e.g., the first-hop switch/router). Now, it might be much more 
secure to turn this flow information around and make the management station to 
send m2 directly to B. This will ensure that A does not alter the content of 
m2. If m2 is an application message that rides directly on a layer 2 protocol 
(e.g., VDP message) the above is not possible (the management station and B 
will not be on the same subnet).

The application protocols should ride on top of a transport that can be 
secured. It would also be reasonable to expect that the application protocol is 
expressed in a way that is easily extendable. One obvious choice is an XML 
document on a channel that can be authenticated using TCP/IP at layer 3/4. 
There are several IETF standardized ways to carry XML documents. XMPP is one 
such option, there are also other.

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