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LabN Consulting, L.L.C.

lberger@labn.net

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Routing MANET This document defines an extension to the Dynamic Link Exchange Protocol (DLEP) that enables an Ethernet IEEE 802.1Q aware credit-window scheme for destination-specific and shared flow control.

Introduction The Dynamic Link Exchange Protocol (DLEP) is defined in . This protocol provides the exchange of link related control information between DLEP peers. DLEP peers consist of a modem and a router. DLEP defines a base set of mechanisms as well as support for possible extensions. This document defines one such extension. The DLEP specification does not include any flow control capability. There are various flow control techniques theoretically possible with DLEP. This document defines a DLEP extension which provides an Ethernet-based flow control mechanism for traffic sent from a router to a modem. Flow control is provided using one or more logical "Credit Windows", each of which will typically be supported by an associated virtual or physical queue. A router will use traffic flow classification information provided by the modem to identify which traffic is associated with each credit window. Credit windows may be shared or dedicated on a per flow basis. See for a DiffServ-based version of credit window flow control. As specified in Section 2.3.1 of , when both DiffServ and Ethernet traffic classification are specified for a flow, the Ethertype information takes precedence. This document uses the traffic classification and credit window control mechanisms defined in and to provide credit window based flow control based on DLEP destinations and Ethernet VLANs and Priority Code Points. Ethernet Priority Code Point support is defined as part of the IEEE 802.1Q tag format and includes a 3-bit "PCP" field. The tag format also includes a 12-bit VLAN identifier (VID) field. The defined mechanism allows for credit windows to be shared across traffic sent to multiple DLEP destinations, Virtual Area Netwokrs (VLANs), and Priority Code Points (PCPs), or used exclusively for traffic sent to a particular destination and/or VLAN and/or PCP. The extension also supports the "wildcard" matching of any PCP or VID. The extension defined in this document is referred to as "IEEE 802.1Q Aware Credit Window" or, more simply, the "Ethernet Credit" extension. The reader should be familiar with both the traffic classification and credit window control mechanisms defined in and . This document defines a new DLEP Extension Type Value in which is used to indicate support for the extension.

Key Words The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT", "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "NOT RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this document are to be interpreted as described in BCP 14 when, and only when, they appear in all capitals, as shown here.

Extension Usage and Identification The extension defined in this document is composed of the mechanisms and processing defined in and . To indicate that the IEEE 802.1Q Aware Credit Window Extension is to be used, an implementation MUST include the IEEE 802.1Q Aware Credit Window Type Value in the Extensions Supported Data Item. The Extensions Supported Data Item is sent and processed according to . Any implementation that indicates use of the IEEE 802.1Q Aware Credit Window Extension MUST support all Messages, Data Items, the Ethernet Traffic Classification Sub-Data Item, and all related processing defined in and . The IEEE 802.1Q Aware Credit Window Extension Type Value is TBA1, see .

Management Considerations This section provides several network management guidelines to implementations supporting the IEEE 802.1Q Aware Credit Window Extension. If this extension is supported, that support MUST be declared using the Extensions Supported Data Item (see Section 13.6 of [RFC8175]) which is configurable on both modens and routers. DiffServ Aware Credit Window Extension Data Items MUST NOT be emitted by a DLEP participant unless such support was specified in the initialization message received from its peer. The use of the extension defined in this document SHOULD be configurable on both modems and routers. Modems SHOULD support the configuration of PCP to credit window (queue) mapping. Modems MAY support the configuration of PCP to credit window (queue) mapping on a per VLAN basis. VID value zero (0) is used by to indicate that VID is ignored and any VID value is used in traffic classification. When VLANs are supported by a modem without support from PCPs, the modem SHOULD support the configuration of VLAN to credit window (queue) mapping. Modems MAY support the configuration of the number of credit windows (queues) to advertise to a router. Routers may have limits on the number of queues that they can support and limits on supported credit window combinations. Per destination queues might not be supported at all. When modem-provided credit window information exceeds the capabilities of a router, the router SHOULD use a subset of the provided credit windows. Alternatively, a router MAY reset the session and indicate that the extension is not supported. In either case, the mismatch of capabilities SHOULD be reported to the user via normal network management mechanisms such as user interface messages or error logging. In all cases, if credit windows are in use, traffic for which credits are not available MUST NOT be sent to the modem by the router.

Security Considerations This document defines a DLEP extension that uses DLEP mechanisms and the credit window control and flow mechanisms defined in and . The defined extension is exposed to vulnerabilities similar to existing DLEP messages and discussed in the Security Considerations section of such as an injected message resizing a credit window to a value that results in a denial of service. Wildcards for matching PCP and VID fields are provided which may be convenient to match a number of packet flows but could inadvertently match unexpected flows or new flows that appear after the wildcard matching has been set up. It is therefore RECOMMENDED that wildcards not be used unless clearly needed. The security mechanisms documented in can be applied equally to the mechanism defined in this document.

IANA Considerations IANA is requested to assign one code point in the "Extension Type Values" registry in the "Dynamic Link Exchange Protocol (DLEP) Parameters" registry group as follows: Requested Extension Type Value

Code	Description
TBA1	IEEE 802.1Q Aware Credit Window

References Normative References IEEE Informative References

Acknowledgments The document was motivated by discussions in the MANET working group. Many useful comments were received from contributors to the MANET working group, notably Ronald in't Velt. We had the honor of working too briefly with David Wiggins on this and related DLEP work. His contribution to the IETF and publication of the first and definitive open source DLEP implementation have been critical to the acceptance of DLEP. We mourn his passing on November 23, 2023. We wish to recognize his guidance, leadership and professional excellence. We were fortunate to benefit from his leadership and friendship. He shall be missed.