Subject: Proliferation of ways to do things

From: Ben Jencks <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 6 Oct 2010 13:56:44 -0400

Hello,

I've been following the DHCPv6/RA debate (debacle?), and there's one
important argument that I haven't seen voiced much: there should be
one true way to configure each thing.

Let's take DNS information as an example, since it seems to be the hot
topic. I don't care if it's distributed through RA or DHCP, as long as
there is only one 'right' way to do it. I don't mind running two
protocols, as long as there is no overlap in functionality. If both
can provide the same information, then I guarantee you that there will
be client devices that support only one, and other devices that
support only the other. Then I have to configure my network to do
*both*, which defeats any benefits that either one may have had.

My preference is to keep RA and DHCP separated as they have been for
the last 5+ years, because we already have code that works that way
(and it's a clean architectural separation, but that's not as
important). If you want to move some of the DHCP options to RA, fine,
but only do it if you're sure you can get all my devices that
currently support DHCPv6 to be able to get DNS from RA. That means not
only my PCs, but my printers, phones, and other embedded stuff. Plus,
it will nix any progress we've made getting Apple to finally support
DHCPv6.

More than one way to do things means options for vendors, not for
operators. Operators have to support all of them.

-Ben