link layer

In certain environments, e.g., large-scale virtualization deployments, new devices are created in an automated manner. Such devices may have their link-layer addresses assigned in an automated fashion. With sufficient scale, the likelihood of a collision using random assignment without duplication detection is not acceptable. Therefore, an allocation mechanism is required. This document proposes an extension to DHCPv6 that allows a scalable approach to link-layer address assignments where preassigned link-layer address assignments (such as by a manufacturer) are not possible or are unnecessary.

This document describes Information Elements related to the data link layer. They are used by the IP Flow Information Export (IPFIX) protocol for encoding measured data link layer traffic information.

This document specifies the format and mechanism that is to be used for encoding the client link-layer address in DHCPv6 Relay-Forward messages by defining a new DHCPv6 Client Link-Layer Address option.

Certain network access technologies are capable of providing various types of link-layer status information to IP. Link-layer event notifications can help IP expeditiously detect configuration changes. This document provides a non-exhaustive catalogue of information available from well-known access technologies. This memo provides information for the Internet community.

This document defines a ROHC (Robust Header Compression) profile for compression of IP/UDP/RTP (Internet Protocol/User Datagram Protocol/Real-Time Transport Protocol) packets, utilizing functionality provided by the lower layers to increase compression efficiency by completely eliminating the header for most packets during optimal operation. The profile is built as an extension to the ROHC RTP profile. It defines additional mechanisms needed in ROHC, states requirements on the assisting layer to guarantee transparency, and specifies general logic for compression and decompression related to the usage of the header-free packet format. This document is a replacement for RFC 3242, which it obsoletes. [STANDARDS-TRACK]

This document defines an additional mode of the link-layer assisted RObust Header Compression (ROHC) profile, also known as the zero-byte profile, beyond the two defined in RFC 3242. Zero-byte header compression exists in order to prevent the single-octet ROHC header from pushing a packet voice stream into the next higher fixed packet size for the radio. It is usable in certain widely deployed older air interfaces. This document adds the zero-byte operation for ROHC Bidirectional Reliable mode (R-mode) to the ones specified for Unidirectional (U-mode) and Bidirectional Optimistic (O-mode) modes of header compression in RFC 3242. [STANDARDS-TRACK]

This document describes a mechanism to emulate full bidirectional connectivity between all nodes that are directly connected by a unidirectional link. [STANDARDS-TRACK]

Protocols such as ARP and Neighbor Discovery have data fields that contain link-layer addresses. In order to interoperate properly, a sender setting such a field must insure that the receiver extracts those bits and interprets them correctly. In most cases, such fields must be in "canonical form". Unfortunately, not all LAN adaptors are consistent in their use of canonical form, and implementations may need to explicitly bit swap individual bytes in order to obtain the correct format. This document provides information to implementors to help them avoid the pitfall of using non-canonical forms when canonical forms are required. This memo provides information for the Internet community.