RE: Some Comments on ID/Loc Separation Proposals

["Christian Huitema" <huitema@windows.microsoft.com>]

> > Wnc> The use of the term "Identifier" or "ID" sweeps an important
> > MWnc> issue under the rug in some cases:  Is this a host ID or an
> > MWnc> interface ID?
> >
> > or a 'stack id' or an 'endpoint id'?  and what do these mean,
> > precisely.
> 
> Exactly,  Noel Chiappa referred to a host/endpoint/stack ID as though
> a host, an endpoint and a stack are all the same thing.  But are they
> really the same thing?  Is there even a 1:1:1 correlation between
> these things?

There are many cases in which topology does matter. The classic example
is VPN: you don't necessarily want a connection initiated over a VPN
channel to migrate to another interface. Another classic example is
compartmented organization, with a secret network and an open network,
where you don't want a secret process to use the open network. 

There are also classic cases of interfaces with different monetary
characteristics, e.g. flat fee versus pay by volume. You don't want
applications assuming a flat fee to accidentally migrate to a pay by
volume interface. 

-- Christian Huitema