Re: automating the network: the big picture...

["James Kempf" <kempf@docomolabs-usa.com>]

> I was also thinking about a slice through the problem...the minimal set of
> information a host needs to have in order to communicate on a network:
>
> IP address
> IP address of a router

These two could alternatively be handled by RFC 2461 and 2462.

> IP address for DNS service
> insertion of the device name and address in  the DNS service
> IP address through which other services can be found
> (more?)
>

These require some form of configuration/discovery.

> The idea here is to have a basis for the assessment of a protocol suite -
> for example, in IPv6, we don't really have a good story for some of the
> items in this list, yet.
>
> Another slice at the problem is the infrastructure that must be provided by
> a network to support host configuration.  I'm trying to have a framework in
> which to discuss the effects of new mechanisms that may simplify the job of
> the host at the expense of causing more work for the network infrastructure
> or of limiting the scale of the network infrastructure.
>

Autoconfiguration mechanisms seem preferable if possible though they might not
always be, or alternatively, they might not be desired for administrative
purposes.

            jak