General Switch Management Protocol (gsmp)
-----------------------------------------

Charter
Last Modified: 2002-09-24

Current Status: Active Working Group

Chair(s):
    Avri Doria  <[email protected]>
    Kenneth Sundell  <[email protected]>

Sub-IP Area Director(s):
    Scott Bradner  <[email protected]>
    Bert Wijnen  <[email protected]>

Sub-IP Area Advisor:
    Scott Bradner  <[email protected]>

Technical Advisor(s):
    Allison Mankin  <[email protected]>

Mailing Lists:
    General Discussion:[email protected]
    To Subscribe:      [email protected]
        In Body:       subscribe (unsubscribe)
    Archive:           ftp://ftp.ietf.org/ietf-mail-archive/gsmp/

Description of Working Group:

The base General Switch Management Protocol (GSMPv3) protocol has been
submitted to the IESG with the request that it become a proposed
standard. Currently the GSMP protocol provides switch configuration
control and reporting, port management, connection control, QoS and
traffic engineering control and the reporting of statistics and
asynchronous events for MPLS label switch devices, all either from or
to
a third party controller.

The working group is responsible for completing the standardization
of the GSMP protocol by responding to protocol issues that arise
during implementation of the current specifications.

Additionally, the working group is responsible for augmenting the
protocol as follows:

- Support for Optical and Other Extensions and CCAMP Features

The architecture of some optical, TDM, spatial and other switch types
makes the ability to remotely control the connection state of a switch
important.  GSMP has been designed especially for such remote control
operations.  GSMP is, however,  currently lacking in the specific
semantics necessary for switches with some new technologies,
especially in the optical space. The WG will collect requirements and
define solutions to support optical and other new switching
technologies, compatibly with the common control and measurement
protocols WG (CCAMP) work. This work will be done in cooperation with
the other Sub IP Working groups involved in this area.

The extensions will include definition of new instances of "labels"
(for instance lambda identifiers) as needed, to support the usage
in the new technologies.  They will also include definitions of port
types, of service definitions and of traffic parameters.

- Switch Partitioning

The current version of GSMP is designed to work with a static switch
partition. Recently, some regulatory environments (on multiple
continents) have mandated multi-provider access to the same physical
infrastructure. The working group will develop extensions to GSMP to
support dynamic switch portioning. This work would be to adapt GSMP to
work with multiple partitions in which resource allocation is dynamic
and variable between the switch partitions. This work would allow
network operators to dynamically open their forwarders (optical, TDM,
and other switch types) to multiple administrative domains of control.
The working group will also see what is achieved by using available
management tools, e.g. MIBs to monitor and control dynamic switch
portioning.

- Relationship to Forwarding and Control Element Separation

The WG will conduct a brief (one-meeting) analysis of the potential use
of GSMP in mechanisms that allow third party network processors in
switch architectures.  The output will be an agreement of the likely
scope for a distinct WG that might be using GSMP for this purpose.

Goals and Milestones:

  Done         Define an IP encapsulation for GSMP messages

  Done         Extend GSMP message types to allow support of non-ATM Label
               Switch devices

  Done         Refine the support for QoS models in GSMP

  Done         Define an approved GSMP MIB

  Done         Define approved mechanisms for security and authentication in
               GSMP

  Done         Produce a version of the GSMP which has the consensus required
               for entry onto the standards track.

  Done         Analyze role of GSMP for control element separation and make
               recommendation as to a separate WG for extending GSMP for this

  May 02       Document requirements for switch partitioning and determine
               whetherto recharter to extend GSMP capabilities to meet these

  Done         Document requirements for control of switches supporting
               optical, TDM and other CCAMP features

  Sep 02       If requirements process has convinced ADs/IESG, produce GSMP
               extensions and MIBs to support dynamic switch partitioning

  Dec 02       Submit GSMPv3 extensions to include control of switches
               supporting optical, TDM and other CCAMP features and any
               updates of the base spec for Proposed Standard

  Jun 03       Submit GSMPv3, its extensions and MIBs for Draft Standard

  Jun 03       Conclude Working Group


Internet-Drafts:

Posted Revised         I-D Title   <Filename>
------ ------- --------------------------------------------
Jul 01 Jul 02   <draft-ietf-gsmp-dyn-part-reqs-02.txt>
               Requirements for the Dynamic Partitioning of Switching
               Elements

Jul 01 Sep 02   <draft-ietf-gsmp-reqs-03.txt>
               Requirements For Adding Optical Support To GSMPv3

Request For Comments:

 RFC   Stat Published     Title
------- -- ----------- ------------------------------------
RFC3292 PS   Jun 02    General Switch Management Potocol(GSMP) V3

RFC3293 PS   Jun 02    GSMP Packet Encapsulations for ATM, Ethernet and TCP

RFC3294 I    Jun 02    General Switch Management Protocol Applicability

RFC3295 PS   Jun 02    Definitions of Managed Objects for the General Switch
                      Management Protocol (GSMP)