Subject: WG Action: RECHARTER: Zero Configuration Networking (zeroconf)

From: The IESG <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 29 Jan 2004 10:28:55 -0500

The charter of the Zero Configuration Networking (zeroconf) working group 
in the Internet Area of the IETF has been updated.  For additional information, 
please contact the Area Directors or the working group Chairs.

 Zero Configuration Networking (zeroconf)
 ----------------------------------------

 Current Status: Active Working Group

 Chair(s):
 Erik Guttman <[email-masked]>

 Internet Area Director(s):
 Thomas Narten <[email-masked]>
 Margaret Wasserman <[email-masked]>

 Internet Area Advisor:
 Thomas Narten <[email-masked]>

 Mailing Lists:

 General Discussion: [email-masked]
 To Subscribe: [email-masked]
 In Body: subscribe zeroconf your_email_address
 Archive: http://www.merit.edu/mail.archives/zeroconf/
 Working group issue tracking:
         http://www.drizzle.org/~aboba/ZEROCONF/issues.html

 Description of Working Group:

 The goal of the Zero Configuration Networking (ZEROCONF) Working
 Group is to enable networking in the absence of configuration and
 administration. Zero configuration networking is required for
 environments where administration is impractical or impossible,
 such as in the home or small office, embedded systems 'plugged
 together' as in an automobile, or to allow impromptu networks as
 between the devices of strangers on a train.

 ZEROCONF will make networking as easy as possible,
 but no easier. In some cases other considerations may dominate
 ease of use. For example, network security requires some
 configuration which may not be as easy as the unacceptable
 alternative of 'no security.'

 The working group was orginally chartered to
 develop a requirements specification for host and application
 operation in environments lacking configuration. The areas
 for consideration included:

 * Interface Configuration (IP address, network prefix,
 gateway router)

 * Name-to-Address Translation

 * Service Discovery

 * Automatic allocation of Multicast Addresses

 * Sufficient security features to prevent networks
 from being any less secure than networks which do not use
 ZEROCONF protocols

 The ZEROCONF WG could not come to a consensus regarding these
 requirements. A ZEROCONF requirements document will not be
 published by this working group.

 This WG will produce one protocol specification, describing
 automatic generation and assignment of link-local IPv4 addresses
 in environments lacking host configuration (static or using DHCP).
 The document will describe existing practice as well as define
 recommendations for future implementations.

 Goals and Milestones:
 Done Submit internet-draft to be considered as an Informational RFC
                   on Requirements for Zero Configuration Networking.
 Done Submit Automatic Address Configuration for IPv4 to be considered
                   as a Standards Track RFC.
 Mar 04 Submit Revised Automatic Address Configuration for IPv4 draft
                   which has passed WG last call to the IESG for consideration as
                   a Standards Track RFC.