IP over Fibre Channel (ipfc)
----------------------------

Charter
Last Modified: 01/22/2002

Current Status: Concluded Working Group

Chair(s):
    Murali Rajagopal  <muralir@ cox.net>

Internet Area Director(s):
    Thomas Narten  <[email protected]>
    Erik Nordmark  <[email protected]>

Internet Area Advisor:
    Erik Nordmark  <[email protected]>

Mailing Lists:
    General Discussion:[email protected]
    To Subscribe:      [email protected]
        In Body:       subscribe
    Archive:           standards.gadzoox.com/pub/archives/ipfc/ipfc

Description of Working Group:

The importance of running IP and ARP over Fibre Channels has reached a
critical point wherein a standardized approach seems to be the only
solution. Historically over the past few years, there have been a
multitude of attempts and approaches to implementing IP and ARP over
Fibre Channel (FC). This has resulted in islands of implementations
with no interoperability. Several vendors from the Fibre Channel
Association (FCA) have proposed taking this problem to the IETF with
the intent of generating one "standard" specification.

This working group will be responsible for standardizing a
specification that will allow IP and ARP to ride over various Fibre
Channel topologies, which may include point-to-point, Loop, and
Fabric.

The specification will include procedures and protocols for the
broadcast of ARP packets between Fibre Channel devices and an
encapsulation mechanism to carry IP payloads.

Objectives:

1. Specify a Standards Track procedure for broadcasting ARP packets
  and resolving IP to FC MAC address and FC MAC to FC port address

2. Specify a Standards Track encapsulation for carrying IP over FC.

Goals and Milestones:

  Done         Submit to IESG the Fabric Element MIB for consideration as
               a Proposed Standard

  NOV 99       Submit final version of Fibre Channel Management MIB as an
               Internet-Draft

  MAR 00       Submit Fabric Management MIB to IESG for consideration as a
               Proposed Standard


Internet-Drafts:

 No Current Internet-Drafts.

Request For Comments:

 RFC   Stat Published     Title
------- -- ----------- ------------------------------------
RFC2625 PS   JUL 99    IP and ARP over Fibre Channel

RFC2837 PS   JUN 00    Definitions of Managed Objects for the Fabric
                      Element in Fibre Channel Standard