A new IETF working group has been formed in the Internet Area. For additional information, please contact the Area Directors or the WG Chairs. +++ IPv6 over Low power WPAN (6lowpan) ----------------------------------- Current Status: Active Working Group Chair(s): Geoffrey Mulligan <geoff.mulligan@invensysclimate.com> Internet Area Director(s): Thomas Narten <narten@us.ibm.com> Margaret Wasserman <margaret@thingmagic.com> Internet Area Advisor: Thomas Narten <narten@us.ibm.com> Mailing Lists: General Discussion: 6lowpan@lists.ietf.org To Subscribe: 6lowpan-request@lists.ietf.org In Body: subscribe Archive: https://www1.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/6lowpan Description of Working Group: Background/Introduction: Note: Given that there is not much precedent for this type of activity at the IETF, the text that follows is of an introductory nature. Hence, its objective is to give a general idea of the application area and motivations for the work. In particular, this section is not to be construed as detailing work items for the working group. That is done in the following section entitled "Scope of the Working Group." Well-established fields such as control networks, and burgeoning ones such as "sensor" (or transducer) networks, are increasingly being based on wireless technologies. Most (but certainly not all) of these nodes are amongst the most constrained that have ever been networked wirelessly. Extreme low power (such that they will run potentially for years on batteries) and extreme low cost (total device cost in single digit dollars, and riding Moore's law to continuously reduce that price point) are seen as essential enablers towards their deployment in networks with the following characteristics: * Significantly more devices than current networks * Severely limited code and ram space (e.g., highly desirable to fit the required code--MAC, IP and anything else needed to execute the embedded application-- in, for example, 32K of flash memory, using 8-bit microprocessors) * Unobtrusive but very different user interface for configuration (e.g., using gestures or interactions involving the physical world) * Robustness and simplicity in routing or network fabric A chief component of these devices is wireless communication technology. In particular, the IEEE 802.15.4 standard is very promising for the lower (physical and link) layers. As for higher layer functions, there is considerable interest from non-IETF groups in using IP technology (the ZigBee alliance, for example, is currently studying what such a work item might entail). The working group is expected to coordinate and interact with such groups. The required work includes items in the following (incomplete) list: * IP adaptation/Packet Formats and interoperability * Addressing schemes and address management * Network management * Routing in dynamically adaptive topologies * Security, including set-up and maintenance * Application programming interface * Discovery (of devices, of services, etc) * Implementation considerations Whereas at least some of the above items are within the purview of the IETF, at this point it is not clear that all of them are. Accordingly, the 6LoWPAN working group will address a reduced, more focused set of objectives. Scope of 6lowpan: Produce "Problems Statement, Assumptions and Goals for IPv6 for LoWPANs" (draft-ietf-lowpan-goals-assumptions-xx.txt) to define the problem statement and goals of 6lowpan networks. Produce "Transmission of IPv6 Packets over IEEE 802.15.4 WPAN Networks" (draft-ietf-lowpan-ipv6-over-802.15.4-xx.txt) to define the basic packet formats and sub-IP adaptation layer for transmission of IPv6 packets over IEEE 802.15.4. This includes framing, adaptation, header compression and address generation. Furthermore, IEEE 802.15.4 devices are expected to be deployed in mesh topologies. As such, the working group may also work on an informational document to show how to apply an existing MANET protocol to LoWPANs (e.g., AODV, OLSR, DYMO, etc). The working group will reuse existing specifications whenever reasonable and possible. The working group will also serve as a venue for ongoing discussions on other topics related to the more complete list outlined above. Additional related milestones may be added in the future via a rechartering operation. Note: As may be obvious from its official name above, this particular working group will not work on IPv4 over IEEE 802.15.4 specifications. Given the limitations of the target devices, dual-stack deployments are not practical. Because of its higher potential for header compression, its support for the huge number of devices expected and of cleanly built-in features such as address autoconfiguration, IPv6 is the exclusive focus of the working group. Goals and Milestones: Mar 05 Working group last call on draft-ietf-lowpan-goals-assumptions-xx.txt Apr 05 Submit draft-ietf-lowpan-goals-assumptions-xx.txt to IESG for consideration of publication as Informational May 05 Working Group Last Call on draft-ietf-lowpan-ipv6-over-802.15.4-xx.txt Jul 05 Submit draft-ietf-lowpan-ipv6-over-802.15.4-xx.txt to IESG for consideration of publication as Proposed Standard _______________________________________________ IETF-Announce@ietf.org https://www1.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ietf-announce
