Network Working Group                                          R. Coltun
Request for Comments: 2370                                  FORE Systems
See Also: 2328                                                 July 1998
Category: Standards Track


                      The OSPF Opaque LSA Option

Status of this Memo

  This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
  Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
  improvements.  Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
  Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
  and status of this protocol.  Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

  Copyright (C) The Internet Society (1998).  All Rights Reserved.

Table Of Contents

  1.0 Abstract .................................................  1
  2.0 Overview .................................................  2
  2.1 Organization Of This Document ............................  2
  2.2 Acknowledgments ..........................................  3
  3.0 The Opaque LSA ...........................................  3
  3.1 Flooding Opaque LSAs .....................................  4
  3.2 Modifications To The Neighbor State Machine ..............  5
  4.0 Protocol Data Structures .................................  6
  4.1 Additions To The OSPF Neighbor Structure .................  6
  5.0 Management Considerations ................................  7
  6.0 Security Considerations ..................................  9
  7.0 IANA Considerations ...................................... 10
  8.0 References ............................................... 10
  9.0 Author's Information ..................................... 11
  Appendix A: OSPF Data Formats ................................ 12
  A.1 The Options Field ........................................ 12
  A.2 The Opaque LSA ........................................... 13
  Appendix B: Full Copyright Statment .......................... 15

1.0  Abstract

  This memo defines enhancements to the OSPF protocol to support a new
  class of link-state advertisements (LSA) called Opaque LSAs.  Opaque
  LSAs provide a generalized mechanism to allow for the future
  extensibility of OSPF. Opaque LSAs consist of a standard LSA header
  followed by application-specific information.  The information field



Coltun                      Standards Track                     [Page 1]

RFC 2370               The OSPF Opaque LSA Option              July 1998


  may be used directly by OSPF or by other applications.  Standard OSPF
  link-state database flooding mechanisms are used to distribute Opaque
  LSAs to all or some limited portion of the OSPF topology.

2.0  Overview

  Over the last several years the OSPF routing protocol [OSPF] has been
  widely deployed throughout the Internet.  As a result of this
  deployment and the evolution of networking technology, OSPF has been
  extended to support many options; this evolution will obviously
  continue.

  This memo defines enhancements to the OSPF protocol to support a new
  class of link-state advertisements (LSA) called Opaque LSAs.  Opaque
  LSAs provide a generalized mechanism to allow for the future
  extensibility of OSPF. The information contained in Opaque LSAs may
  be used directly by OSPF or indirectly by some application wishing to
  distribute information throughout the OSPF domain.  For example, the
  OSPF LSA may be used by routers to distribute IP to link-layer
  address resolution information (see [ARA] for more information).  The
  exact use of Opaque LSAs is beyond the scope of this memo.

  Opaque LSAs consist of a standard LSA header followed by a 32-bit
  qaligned application-specific information field.  Like any other LSA,
  the Opaque LSA uses the link-state database distribution mechanism
  for flooding this information throughout the topology.  The link-
  state type field of the Opaque LSA identifies the LSA's range of
  topological distribution. This range is referred to as the Flooding
  Scope.

  It is envisioned that an implementation of the Opaque option provides
  an application interface for 1) encapsulating application-specific
  information in a specific Opaque type, 2) sending and receiving
  application-specific information, and 3) if required, informing the
  application of the change in validity of previously received
  information when topological changes are detected.

2.1  Organization Of This Document

  This document first defines the three types of Opaque LSAs followed
  by a description of OSPF packet processing. The packet processing
  sections include modifications to the flooding procedure and to the
  neighbor state machine. Appendix A then gives the packet formats.








Coltun                      Standards Track                     [Page 2]

RFC 2370               The OSPF Opaque LSA Option              July 1998


2.2 Acknowledgments

  The author would like to thank Dennis Ferguson, Acee Lindem, John
  Moy, Sandra Murphy, Man-Kit Yeung, Zhaohui "Jeffrey" Zhang and the
  rest of the OSPF Working Group for the ideas and support they have
  given to this project.

3.0 The Opaque LSA

  Opaque LSAs are types 9, 10 and 11 link-state advertisements.  Opaque
  LSAs consist of a standard LSA header followed by a 32-bit aligned
  application-specific information field.  Standard link-state database
  flooding mechanisms are used for distribution of Opaque LSAs.  The
  range of topological distribution (i.e., the flooding scope) of an
  Opaque LSA is identified by its link-state type.  This section
  documents the flooding of Opaque LSAs.

  The flooding scope associated with each Opaque link-state type is
  defined as follows.

    o Link-state type 9 denotes a link-local scope. Type-9 Opaque
      LSAs are not flooded beyond the local (sub)network.

    o Link-state type 10 denotes an area-local scope. Type-10 Opaque
      LSAs are not flooded beyond the borders of their associated area.

    o Link-state type 11 denotes that the LSA is flooded throughout
      the Autonomous System (AS). The flooding scope of type-11
      LSAs are equivalent to the flooding scope of AS-external (type-5)
      LSAs.  Specifically type-11 Opaque LSAs are 1) flooded throughout
      all transit areas, 2) not flooded into stub areas from the
      backbone and 3) not originated by routers into their connected
      stub areas.  As with type-5 LSAs, if a type-11 Opaque LSA is
      received in a stub area from a neighboring router within the
      stub area the LSA is rejected.

  The link-state ID of the Opaque LSA is divided into an Opaque type
  field (the first 8 bits) and a type-specific ID (the remaining 24
  bits).  The packet format of the Opaque LSA is given in Appendix A.
  Section 7.0 describes Opaque type allocation and assignment.

  The responsibility for proper handling of the Opaque LSA's flooding
  scope is placed on both the sender and receiver of the LSA.  The
  receiver must always store a valid received Opaque LSA in its link-
  state database.  The receiver must not accept Opaque LSAs that
  violate the flooding scope (e.g., a type-11 (domain-wide) Opaque LSA
  is not accepted in a stub area).  The flooding scope effects both the




Coltun                      Standards Track                     [Page 3]

RFC 2370               The OSPF Opaque LSA Option              July 1998


  synchronization of the link-state database and the flooding
  procedure.

  The following describes the modifications to these procedures that
  are necessary to insure conformance to the Opaque LSA's Scoping
  Rules.

3.1  Flooding Opaque LSAs

  The flooding of Opaque LSAs must follow the rules of Flooding Scope
  as specified in this section.  Section 13 of [OSPF] describes the
  OSPF flooding procedure.  The following describes the Opaque LSA's
  type-specific flooding restrictions.

    o If the Opaque LSA is type 9 (the flooding scope is link-local)
      and the interface that the LSA was received on is not the same as
      the target interface (e.g., the interface associated with a
      particular target neighbor), the Opaque LSA must not be flooded
      out that interface (or to that neighbor).  An implementation
      should keepk track of the IP interface associated with each
      Opaque LSA having a link-local flooding scope.

    o If the Opaque LSA is type 10 (the flooding scope is area-local)
      and the area associated with Opaque LSA (upon reception) is not
      the same as the area associated with the target interface, the
      Opaque LSA must not be flooded out the interface.  An
      implementation should keep track of the OSPF area associated
      with each Opaque LSA having an area-local flooding scope.

    o If the Opaque LSA is type 11 (the LSA is flooded throughout the
      AS) and the target interface is associated with a stub area the
      Opaque LSA must not be flooded out the interface.  A type-11
      Opaque LSA that is received on an interface associated with a
      stub area must be discarded and not acknowledged (the
      neighboring router has flooded the LSA in error).

  When opaque-capable routers and non-opaque-capable OSPF routers are
  mixed together in a routing domain, the Opaque LSAs are not flooded
  to the non-opaque-capable routers. As a general design principle,
  optional OSPF advertisements are only flooded to those routers that
  understand them.

  An opaque-capable router learns of its neighbor's opaque capability
  at the beginning of the "Database Exchange Process" (see Section 10.6
  of [OSPF], receiving Database Description packets from a neighbor in
  state ExStart). A neighbor is opaque-capable if and only if it sets
  the O-bit in the Options field of its Database Description packets;
  the O-bit is not set in packets other than Database Description



Coltun                      Standards Track                     [Page 4]

RFC 2370               The OSPF Opaque LSA Option              July 1998


  packets.  Then, in the next step of the Database Exchange process,
  Opaque LSAs are included in the Database summary list that is sent to
  the neighbor (see Sections 3.2 below and 10.3 of [OSPF]) if and only
  if the neighbor is opaque capable.

  When flooding Opaque-LSAs to adjacent neighbors, a opaque-capable
  router looks at the neighbor's opaque capability.  Opaque LSAs are
  only flooded to opaque-capable neighbors. To be more precise, in
  Section 13.3 of [OSPF], Opaque LSAs are only placed on the link-state
  retransmission lists of opaque-capable neighbors.  However, when send
  ing Link State Update packets as multicasts, a non-opaque-capable
  neighbor may (inadvertently) receive Opaque LSAs. The non-opaque-
  capable router will then simply discard the LSA (see Section 13 of
  [OSPF], receiving LSAs having unknown LS types).

3.2 Modifications To The Neighbor State Machine

  The state machine as it exists in section 10.3 of [OSPF] remains
  unchanged except for the action associated with State: ExStart,
  Event: NegotiationDone which is where the Database summary list is
  built.  To incorporate the Opaque LSA in OSPF this action is changed
  to the following.

    State(s):  ExStart

      Event:  NegotiationDone

    New state:  Exchange

      Action:  The router must list the contents of its entire area
               link-state database in the neighbor Database summary
               list.  The area link-state database consists of the
               Router LSAs, Network LSAs, Summary LSAs and types 9 and
               10 Opaque LSAs contained in the area structure, along
               with AS External and type-11 Opaque LSAs contained in
               the global structure. AS External and type-11 Opaque
               LSAs are omitted from a virtual neighbor's Database
               summary list. AS External LSAs and type-11 Opaque LSAs
               are omitted from the Database summary list if the area
               has been configured as a stub area (see Section 3.6 of
               [OSPF]).

               Type-9 Opaque LSAs are omitted from the Database summary
               list if the interface associated with the neighbor is
               not the interface associated with the Opaque LSA (as
               noted upon reception).





Coltun                      Standards Track                     [Page 5]

RFC 2370               The OSPF Opaque LSA Option              July 1998


               Any advertisement whose age is equal to MaxAge is
               omitted from the Database summary list. It is instead
               added to the neighbor's link-state retransmission list.
               A summary of the Database summary list will be sent to
               the neighbor in Database Description packets.  Each
               Database Description Packet has a DD sequence number,
               and is explicitly acknowledged.  Only one Database
               Description Packet is allowed to be outstanding at any
               one time. For more detail on the sending and receiving
               of Database Description packets, see Sections 10.6 and
               10.8 of [OSPF].

4.0  Protocol Data Structures

  The Opaque option is described herein in terms of its operation on
  various protocol data structures. These data structures are included
  for explanatory uses only, and are not intended to constrain an
  implementation. In addition to the data structures listed below, this
  specification references the various data structures (e.g., OSPF
  neighbors) defined in [OSPF].

  In an OSPF router, the following item is added to the list of global
  OSPF data structures described in Section 5 of [OSPF]:

    o Opaque capability. Indicates whether the router is running the
      Opaque option (i.e., capable of storing Opaque LSAs).  Such a
      router will continue to inter-operate with non-opaque-capable
      OSPF routers.

4.1 Additions To The OSPF Neighbor Structure

  The OSPF neighbor structure is defined in Section 10 of [OSPF].  In
  an opaque-capable router, the following items are added to the OSPF
  neighbor structure:

    o Neighbor Options. This field was already defined in the OSPF
      specification. However, in opaque-capable routers there is a new
      option which indicates the neighbor's Opaque capability. This new
      option is learned in the Database Exchange process through
      reception of the neighbor's Database Description packets, and
      determines whether Opaque LSAs are flooded to the neighbor. For a
      more detailed explanation of the flooding of the Opaque LSA see
      section 3 of this document.








Coltun                      Standards Track                     [Page 6]

RFC 2370               The OSPF Opaque LSA Option              July 1998


5.0 Management Considerations

  This section identifies the current OSPF MIB [OSPFMIB] capabilities
  that are applicable to the Opaque option and lists the additional
  management information which is required for its support.

  Opaque LSAs are types 9, 10 and 11 link-state advertisements.  The
  link-state ID of the Opaque LSA is divided into an Opaque type field
  (the first 8 bits) and a type-specific ID (the remaining 24 bits).
  The packet format of the Opaque LSA is given in Appendix A.  The
  range of topological distribution (i.e., the flooding scope) of an
  Opaque LSA is identified by its link-state type.

    o Link-State type 9 Opaque LSAs have a link-local scope. Type-9
      Opaque LSAs are flooded on a single local (sub)network but are
      not flooded beyond the local (sub)network.

    o Link-state type 10 Opaque LSAs have an area-local scope. Type-10
      Opaque LSAs are flooded throughout a single area but are not
      flooded beyond the borders of the associated area.

    o Link-state type 11 Opaque LSAs have an Autonomous-System-wide
      scope.  The flooding scope of type-11 LSAs are equivalent to the
      flooding scope of AS-external (type-5) LSAs.

  The OSPF MIB provides a number of objects that can be used to manage
  and monitor an OSPF router's Link-State Database.  The ones that are
  relevant to the Opaque option are as follows.

    The ospfGeneralGroup defines two objects for keeping track of newly
    originated and newly received LSAs (ospfOriginateNewLsas and
    ospfRxNewLsas respectively).

    The OSPF MIB defines a set of optional traps.  The ospfOriginateLsa
    trap signifies that a new LSA has been originated by a router and
    the ospfMaxAgeLsa trap signifies that one of the LSAs in the
    router's link-state database has aged to MaxAge.

    The ospfAreaTable describes the configured parameters and
    cumulative statistics of the router's attached areas. This table
    includes a count of the number of LSAs contained in the area's
    link-state database (ospfAreaLsaCount), and a sum of the LSA's LS
    checksums contained in this area (ospfAreaLsaCksumSum).  This sum
    can be used to determine if there has been a change in a router's
    link-state database, and to compare the link-state database of two
    routers.





Coltun                      Standards Track                     [Page 7]

RFC 2370               The OSPF Opaque LSA Option              July 1998


    The ospfLsdbTable describes the OSPF Process's link-state database
    (excluding AS-external LSAs).  Entries in this table are indexed
    with an Area ID, a link-state type, a link-state ID and the
    originating router's Router ID.

  The management objects that are needed to support the Opaque option
  are as follows.

    An Opaque-option-enabled object is needed to indicate if the Opaque
    option is enabled on the router.

    The origination and reception of new Opaque LSAs should be
    reflected in the counters ospfOriginateNewLsas and ospfRxNewLsas
    (inclusive for types 9, 10 and 11 Opaque LSAs).

    If the OSPF trap option is supported, the origination of new Opaque
    LSAs and purging of MaxAge Opaque LSAs should be reflected in the
    ospfOriginateLsa and ospfMaxAgeLsa traps (inclusive for types 9, 10
    and 11 Opaque LSAs).

    The number of type-10 Opaque LSAs should be reflected in
    ospfAreaLsaCount; the checksums of type-10 Opaque LSAs should be
    included in ospfAreaLsaChksumSum.

    Type-10 Opaque LSAs should be included in the ospfLsdbTable.  Note
    that this table does not include a method of examining the Opaque
    type field (in the Opaque option this is a sub-field of the link-
    state ID).

    Up until now, LSAs have not had a link-local scope so there is no
    method of requesting the number of, or examining the LSAs that are
    associated with a specific OSPF interface. A new group of
    management objects are required to support type-9 Opaque LSAs.
    These objects should include a count of type-9 Opaque LSAs, a
    checksum sum and a table for displaying the link-state database for
    type-9 Opaque LSAs on a per-interface basis.  Entries in this table
    should be indexed with an Area ID, interface's IP address, Opaque
    type, link-state ID and the originating router's Router ID.

    Prior to the introduction of type-11 Opaque LSAs, AS-External
    (type-5) LSAs have been the only link-state types which have an
    Autonomous-System-wide scope.  A new group of objects are required
    to support type-11 Opaque LSAs.  These objects should include a
    count of type-11 Opaque LSAs, a type-11 checksum sum and a table
    for displaying the type-11 link-state database.  Entries in this
    table should be indexed with the Opaque type, link-state ID and the





Coltun                      Standards Track                     [Page 8]

RFC 2370               The OSPF Opaque LSA Option              July 1998


    originating router's Router ID.  The type-11 link-state database
    table will allow type-11 LSAs to be displayed once for the router
    rather than once in each non-stub area.

6.0 Security Considerations

  There are two types of issues that need be addressed when looking at
  protecting routing protocols from misconfigurations and malicious
  attacks.  The first is authentication and certification of routing
  protocol information.  The second is denial of service attacks
  resulting from repetitive origination of the same router
  advertisement or origination a large number of distinct
  advertisements resulting in database overflow.  Note that both of
  these concerns exist independently of a router's support for the
  Opaque option.

  To address the authentication concerns, OSPF protocol exchanges are
  authenticated.  OSPF supports multiple types of authentication; the
  type of authentication in use can be configured on a per network
  segment basis. One of OSPF's authentication types, namely the
  Cryptographic authentication option, is believed to be secure against
  passive attacks and provide significant protection against active
  attacks. When using the Cryptographic authentication option, each
  router appends a "message digest" to its transmitted OSPF packets.
  Receivers then use the shared secret key and received digest to
  verify that each received OSPF packet is authentic.

  The quality of the security provided by the Cryptographic
  authentication option depends completely on the strength of the
  message digest algorithm (MD5 is currently the only message digest
  algorithm specified), the strength of the key being used, and the
  correct implementation of the security mechanism in all communicating
  OSPF implementations. It also requires that all parties maintain the
  secrecy of the shared secret key.  None of the standard OSPF
  authentication types provide confidentiality. Nor do they protect
  against traffic analysis.  For more information on the standard OSPF
  security mechanisms, see Sections 8.1, 8.2, and Appendix D of [OSPF].

  [DIGI] describes the extensions to OSPF required to add digital
  signature authentication to Link State data and to provide a
  certification mechanism for router data.  [DIGI] also describes the
  added LSA processing and key management as well as a method for
  migration from, or co-existence with, standard OSPF V2.

  Repetitive origination of advertisements are addressed by OSPF by
  mandating a limit on the frequency that new instances of any
  particular LSA can be originated and accepted during the flooding
  procedure.  The frequency at which new LSA instances may be



Coltun                      Standards Track                     [Page 9]

RFC 2370               The OSPF Opaque LSA Option              July 1998


  originated is set equal to once every MinLSInterval seconds, whose
  value is 5 seconds (see Section 12.4 of [OSPF]).  The frequency at
  which new LSA instances are accepted during flooding is once every
  MinLSArrival seconds, whose value is set to 1 (see Section 13,
  Appendix B and G.5 of [OSPF]).

  Proper operation of the OSPF protocol requires that all OSPF routers
  maintain an identical copy of the OSPF link-state database.  However,
  when the size of the link-state database becomes very large, some
  routers may be unable to keep the entire database due to resource
  shortages; we term this "database overflow".  When database overflow
  is anticipated, the routers with limited resources can be
  accommodated by configuring OSPF stub areas and NSSAs.  [OVERFLOW]
  details a way of gracefully handling unanticipated database
  overflows.

7.0 IANA Considerations

  Opaque types are maintained by the IANA.  Extensions to OSPF which
  require a new Opaque type must be reviewed by the OSPF working group.
  In the event that the OSPF working group has disbanded the review
  shall be performed by a recommended Designated Expert.

  Following the policies outlined in [IANA], Opaque type values in the
  range of 0-127 are allocated through an IETF Consensus action and
  Opaque type values in the range of 128-255 are reserved for private
  and experimental use.

8.0 References

  [ARA] Coltun, R., and J. Heinanen, "The OSPF Address Resolution
        Advertisement Option", Work in Progress.

  [DEMD] Moy, J., "Extending OSPF to Support Demand Circuits", RFC
         1793, April 1995.

  [DIGI] Murphy, S., Badger, M., and B. Wellington, "OSPF with Digital
         Signatures", RFC 2154, June 1997.

  [IANA] Narten, T., and H. Alvestrand, "Guidelines for Writing an IANA
         Considerations Section in RFCs", Work in Progress.

  [MOSPF] Moy, J., "Multicast Extensions to OSPF", RFC 1584, March
          1994.







Coltun                      Standards Track                    [Page 10]

RFC 2370               The OSPF Opaque LSA Option              July 1998


  [NSSA] Coltun, R., and V. Fuller, "The OSPF NSSA Option", RFC 1587,
         March 1994.

  [OSPF] Moy, J., "OSPF Version 2", STD 54, RFC 2328, April 1998.

  [OSPFMIB] Baker, F., and R. Coltun, "OSPF Version 2 Management
            Information Base", RFC 1850, November 1995.

  [OVERFLOW] Moy, J., "OSPF Database Overflow", RFC 1765,
             March 1995.

9.0 Author's Information

  Rob Coltun
  FORE Systems

  Phone: (703) 245-4543
  EMail: [email protected]

































Coltun                      Standards Track                    [Page 11]

RFC 2370               The OSPF Opaque LSA Option              July 1998


Appendix A: OSPF Data formats

  This appendix describes the format of the Options Field followed by
  the packet format of the Opaque LSA.

A.1 The Options Field

  The OSPF Options field is present in OSPF Hello packets, Database
  Description packets and all link-state advertisements.  The Options
  field enables OSPF routers to support (or not support) optional
  capabilities, and to communicate their capability level to other OSPF
  routers. Through this mechanism routers of differing capabilities can
  be mixed within an OSPF routing domain.

  When used in Hello packets, the Options field allows a router to
  reject a neighbor because of a capability mismatch.  Alternatively,
  when capabilities are exchanged in Database Description packets a
  router can choose not to forward certain link-state advertisements to
  a neighbor because of its reduced functionality.  Lastly, listing
  capabilities in link-state advertisements allows routers to forward
  traffic around reduced functionality routers by excluding them from
  parts of the routing table calculation.

  Six bits of the OSPF Options field have been assigned, although only
  the O-bit is described completely by this memo.  Each bit is
  described briefly below. Routers should reset (i.e., clear)
  unrecognized bits in the Options field when sending Hello packets or
  Database Description packets and when originating link-state
  advertisements. Conversely, routers encountering unrecognized Option
  bits in received Hello Packets, Database Description packets or
  link-state advertisements should ignore the capability and process
  the packet/advertisement normally.


               +------------------------------------+
               | * | O | DC | EA | N/P | MC | E | * |
               +------------------------------------+

                            The Options Field

  E-bit
       This bit describes the way AS-external-LSAs are flooded, as
       described in Sections 3.6, 9.5, 10.8 and 12.1.2 of [OSPF].

  MC-bit
       This bit describes whether IP multicast datagrams are forwarded
       according to the specifications in [MOSPF].




Coltun                      Standards Track                    [Page 12]

RFC 2370               The OSPF Opaque LSA Option              July 1998


  N/P-bit
       This bit describes the handling of Type-7 LSAs, as specified in
       [NSSA].

  DC-bit
       This bit describes the router's handling of demand circuits, as
       specified in [DEMD].

  EA-bit
       This bit describes the router's willingness to receive and
       forward External-Attributes-LSAs, as specified in [EAL].


  O-bit
       This bit describes the router's willingness to receive and
       forward Opaque-LSAs as specified in this document.

A.2 The Opaque LSA

  Opaque LSAs are Type 9, 10 and 11 link-state advertisements.  These
  advertisements may be used directly by OSPF or indirectly by some
  application wishing to distribute information throughout the OSPF
  domain.  The function of the Opaque LSA option is to provide for
  future extensibility of OSPF.

  Opaque LSAs contain some number of octets (of application-specific
  data) padded to 32-bit alignment.  Like any other LSA, the Opaque LSA
  uses the link-state database distribution mechanism for flooding this
  information throughout the topology.  However, the Opaque LSA has a
  flooding scope associated with it so that the scope of flooding may
  be link-local (type 9), area-local (type 10) or the entire OSPF
  routing domain (type 11).  Section 3 of this document describes the
  flooding procedures for the Opaque LSA.


















Coltun                      Standards Track                    [Page 13]

RFC 2370               The OSPF Opaque LSA Option              July 1998


      0                   1                   2                   3
      0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
     +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
     |            LS age             |     Options   |   9, 10 or 11 |
     +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
     |  Opaque Type  |               Opaque ID                       |
     +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
     |                      Advertising Router                       |
     +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
     |                      LS Sequence Number                       |
     +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
     |         LS checksum           |           Length              |
     +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
     |                                                               |
     +                                                               +
     |                      Opaque Information                       |
     +                                                               +
     |                              ...                              |


  Link-State Type

    The link-state type of the Opaque LSA identifies the LSA's range of
    topological distribution. This range is referred to as the Flooding
    Scope.  The following explains the flooding scope of each of the
    link-state types.

    o A value of 9 denotes a link-local scope. Opaque LSAs with a
    link-local scope are not flooded beyond the local (sub)network.


    o A value of 10 denotes an area-local scope. Opaque LSAs with a
    area-local scope are not flooded beyond the area that they are
    originated into.

    o A value of 11 denotes that the LSA is flooded throughout the
    Autonomous System (e.g., has the same scope as type-5 LSAs).
    Opaque LSAs with AS-wide scope are not flooded into stub areas.

  Syntax Of The Opaque LSA's Link-State ID

  The link-state ID of the Opaque LSA is divided into an Opaque Type
  field (the first 8 bits) and an Opaque ID (the remaining 24 bits).
  See section 7.0 of this document for a description of Opaque type
  allocation and assignment.






Coltun                      Standards Track                    [Page 14]

RFC 2370               The OSPF Opaque LSA Option              July 1998


Appendix B.  Full Copyright Statement

  Copyright (C) The Internet Society (1998).  All Rights Reserved.

  This document and translations of it may be copied and furnished to
  others, and derivative works that comment on or otherwise explain it
  or assist in its implementation may be prepared, copied, published
  and distributed, in whole or in part, without restriction of any
  kind, provided that the above copyright notice and this paragraph are
  included on all such copies and derivative works.  However, this
  document itself may not be modified in any way, such as by removing
  the copyright notice or references to the Internet Society or other
  Internet organizations, except as needed for the purpose of
  developing Internet standards in which case the procedures for
  copyrights defined in the Internet Standards process must be
  followed, or as required to translate it into languages other than
  English.

  The limited permissions granted above are perpetual and will not be
  revoked by the Internet Society or its successors or assigns.

  This document and the information contained herein is provided on an
  "AS IS" basis and THE INTERNET SOCIETY AND THE INTERNET ENGINEERING
  TASK FORCE DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING
  BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTY THAT THE USE OF THE INFORMATION
  HEREIN WILL NOT INFRINGE ANY RIGHTS OR ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
  MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
























Coltun                      Standards Track                    [Page 15]