RFC 1122, "Requirements for Internet Hosts - Communication Layers", October 1989

Note: This RFC has been updated by RFC 1349, RFC 4379, RFC 5884, RFC 6093, RFC 6298, RFC 6633, RFC 6864, RFC 8029, RFC 9293

Errata ID: 5033
Status: Held for Document Update
Type: Editorial
Publication Format(s) : TEXT
Reported By: Eric Gray
Date Reported: 2017-06-08
Held for Document Update by: Eric Vyncke
Date Held: 2024-01-12

Section 2.3.2 says:

Section 2.3.2, and subsections 2.3.2.1 and 2.3.2.2, do not belong where 
they are in this RFC.

It should say:

Move the text in this section either under section 2.4, or in section 
3.

Notes:

ARP is a protocol used by Internet devices for the purpose of mapping Internet Addresses to MAC addresses. Link layer devices and associated protocols will only support and/or use ARP to the extent that they are also Internet devices (for example if participating in management protocols developed to operate between IP addressed devices).

Hence referring to ARP as a Link Layer Protocol will only continue to confuse the industry.

Because the number of references to ARP refering to Link.2, perhaps it would be easiest to move the text to section 2.4, adding a new subsection header 2.4.1 for the text currently in section 2.4, and renumbering current section 2.3.2 to 2.4.2 (as well as renumbering subsections 2.3.2.1 and 2.3.2.2 to 2.4.2.1 and 2.4.2.2, respectively).

Refering to ARP as a part of the Link/Internet Layer Interface is more accurate.

-- Verifier Note (EV) --

The erratum is correct, i.e., ARP is not a layer-2 protocol. The erratum reflects more the modern thinking though of ARP position in the OSI stack and does not impact the protocol itself.

Therefore, the status if "held for document update" even of RFC 1122 will probably never be updated in the world of NDP and IPv6.

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