Subject: WG Review: IPv6 over IEEE 802.15.4 (lowpan)

From: The IESG <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 09 Feb 2005 13:14:55 -0500

A new IETF working group has been proposed in the Internet Area. The IESG has 
not made any determination as yet. The following description was submitted, 
and is provided for informational purposes only. Please send your comments 
to the IESG mailing list ([email-masked]) by February 16th.

+++

IPv6 over IEEE 802.15.4 (lowpan)
=================================

Current Status: Proposed Working Group

Description of Working Group:

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 on the "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
     * Severly 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 in using IP technology.  Even though it is not currently
IP-based, the ZigBee Alliance has related ongoing work.  Accordingly, it is
expected that the working group will coordinate and interact with it.

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 LoWPAN working group will address a reduced, more focused set of
objectives.

Scope of lowpan:

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 the working group.

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, address generation and a simple but sufficient mechanism
for ad hoc routing based on AODV.

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 with AD approval.

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