Subject: [6lo] New Non-WG Mailing List: 6lo -- Mailing list for discussion of a WG for Internet Area issues in IPv6 over constrained node networks

From: IETF Secretariat <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 24 May 2013 11:18:40 -0700

A new IETF non-working group email list has been created.

List address: [email-masked]
Archive: http://www.ietf.org/mail-archive/web/6lo/
To subscribe: https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/6lo

Purpose: Since it was set up in 2005, the 6LoWPAN WG has created specifications
for building IPv6 networks out of devices that use the IEEE 802.15.4
wireless network standard. This work has culminated in the recent
publication of RFC 6775, 6LoWPAN-ND, and the 6LoWPAN WG is shutting down.

This does not mean the work in this space is done. Indeed, 6LoWPAN
produced one more document that isn't even about 802.15.4:
draft-ietf-6lowpan-btle-12.txt, the equivalent of 6LoWPAN for the low
energy mode of the Bluetooth 4.0 specification, is now in IESG
processing, waiting for the assignment of a number from the Bluetooth
SIG. A number of related drafts want to apply 6LoWPAN technology to
other constrained node network layer 2 specifications:

-- draft-brandt-6man-lowpanz-00.txt
-- draft-ietf-6man-6lobac-01.txt
-- draft-mariager-6lowpan-v6over-dect-ule-02.txt

Also, some additional specifications are generally regarded as useful
complements of the existing 6LoWPAN work:

-- draft-schoenw-6lowpan-mib-03.txt
-- draft-bormann-6lowpan-ghc-05.txt
-- draft-kelsey-intarea-mesh-link-establishment-05.txt
-- draft-bormann-6lowpan-roadmap-03.txt

Beyond that, some older proposals that the 6LoWPAN WG has not picked
up are receiving new attention:

-- draft-thubert-6lowpan-backbone-router-03.txt
-- draft-thubert-roll-forwarding-frags-01.txt

Finally, there are some architectural issues raised by 6LoWPAN's use
of adaptation layer fragmentation on top of a lossy radio:

-- draft-bormann-intarea-alfi-02.txt

As can be seen, these drafts have been addressed to a zoo of working
groups, including the sunsetting 6LoWPAN WG, the 6MAN WG, INTAREA, and
even ROLL, with the addressed WG often changing over the lifetime of a
draft. It is probably more productive to focus most of this closely
related work on a specific WG.

One clear candidate is the 6man WG. However, that WG has a number of
other duties in maintaining IPv6 that make it subscribing to its
mailing list too onerous to the group of experts interested in
constrained node networking. It is probably worth separating out the
6man-related work that focuses on constrained node networks. There
are, however, architectural aspects that are indeed best left in 6man
or even INTAREA. The 6Lo mailing list has been set up to organize the
discussion of a charter for a potential working group that focuses on
IP-over-foo standardization (adaptation layers) for constrained node
networks, working closely with the INT area working groups and other
IETF WGs focused on constrained node networks.

For additional information, please contact the list administrators.