Subject: [v6ops] ID: "How to use IPv6 Link-Local Addresses in Applications"

From: Mark Smith <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2015 21:21:23 +1100

Hi,

I've written up the following draft on how to use Link-Local addresses
in applications for a few reasons:

- I think there are robustness and security benefits to applications
if LL addresses can be and are used.

- A few years back I wrote a program that supported the use of unicast
and multicast link-local addresses
(https://github.com/markzzzsmith/replicast), using Steven's Unix
Network Programming, Vol 1, 3rd edition. The topic of how to use
link-local unicast/mutlicast addresses wasn't specifically covered.
Although using them is pretty simple, it took a little bit of trial
and error to work out which could be saved for somebody else.

- The Multicast DNS implementation widely used under Linux doesn't
announce IPv6 Link-Local addresses, contrary to the MUST in the MDNS
RFC. The main author of it is pretty smart, so I suspect it is was
because it wasn't obvious how to use LLs and how to deal with their
ambiguity.

So mostly this is trying to make it clear and obvious what the
benefits and limitations are of Link-Local addresses in applications
are, and how to use them.

I'm posting it here for review in part because there are probably
application developers here who can provide comments, and also because
I wasn't able to find an Applications area working group that seemed
suitable. If there is a more suitable WG I'll move it there after any
comments from here.

I do make one or two suggestions that are debatable.

I'm interested in any comments, including suggestions for other
content that should be covered. Co-authors with more LL programming
experience than I have are welcome.

Thanks,
Mark.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From:  <[email-masked]>
Date: 19 October 2015 at 21:04
Subject: New Version Notification for draft-smith-ipv6-link-locals-apps-00.txt
To: "[email-masked]" <[email-masked]>

A new version of I-D, draft-smith-ipv6-link-locals-apps-00.txt
has been successfully submitted by Mark Smith and posted to the
IETF repository.

Name:           draft-smith-ipv6-link-locals-apps
Revision:       00
Title:          How to use IPv6 Link-Local Addresses in Applications
Document date:  2015-10-19
Group:          Individual Submission
Pages:          9
URL:
https://www.ietf.org/internet-drafts/draft-smith-ipv6-link-locals-apps-00.txt
Status:
https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-smith-ipv6-link-locals-apps/
Htmlized:       https://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-smith-ipv6-link-locals-apps-00

Abstract:
   IPv6 Link-Local addresses can be used by applications.  Doing so when
   possible will provide robustness and security benefits to the
   application.  This memo describes the properties of Link-Local
   addresses and the benefits and limitations of using them in
   applications.  It then describes how to use them in applications that
   use the Sockets API.

Please note that it may take a couple of minutes from the time of submission
until the htmlized version and diff are available at tools.ietf.org.

The IETF Secretariat