FCIP - Discovery should be Manual/SLP

[Ralph Weber <ralphoweber@compuserve.com>]

I support Dave's proposed text for FCIP Clause 4.2 item 3, with the
exception that the sentence regarding iSNS needs to be removed.
Looking at the features list, I cannot see any iSNS unique features
that are meaningful to FCIP.

Thanks.

Ralph...

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Subject: Proposal to use SLPv2 for FCIP device discovery
Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2001 17:07:08 -0500
From: "Dave Peterson" <dap@cisco.com>
To: "Ips@Ece. Cmu. Edu" <ips@ece.cmu.edu>


As requested here is the proposal I presented at Mondays' FCIP
meeting:

FCIP Draft Proposal
For Clause 4.2, item 3.

Each FCIP device may be statically or dynamically configured with
a list of IP addresses and port numbers corresponding to all the
participating FCIP devices. If dynamic discovery of participating
FCIP devices is supported this function shall be performed using the
Service Location Protocol (SLPv2). For additional FCIP device
management capability, the iSNS Internet Storage Naming Service may
be implemented. It is outside the scope of this specification to
describe any static configuration method for participating FCIP device
discovery. Refer to clause XXX for a detailed description of dynamic
discovery of participating FCIP device using SLPv2.

Notes:
1. DHCP:
   a. Allows an entity to discovery information about itself,
      not discover information about all other entities.
   b. Uses a broadcast mechanism that may not work via routers
      without additional configuration. But, most current router
      implementations will support the forwarding of DHCP requests
      across routed subnets.
   c. May be used to find SLP Directory Agents and Scope Lists
      allowing for a more scalable solution.
2. DNS Services are too limiting. This is the reason why SLP was
   started.
3. LDAP is simply a database interface. SLP and iSNS may use LDAP
   as a back-end store.
4. SLP FCIP Device Type Specifics
   a. IP address(es)
   b. Port numbers(s)
   c. Scope
   d. Attributes
      i.  Discovery domain (i.e. a group name or zone name, don't want
          to use zone name in this context though)
      ii. need to start listing these (if we can think of any more)
   e. Lifetime

Work In progress:
1.  Putting together a model for FCIP device discovery using SLPv2.
2.  Implementing a "default/suggested" SLPv2 template.
3.  Reviewing RFC 3082 "Notification and Subscription for SLP for
    enhanced device notification.

Requirements                                          SLPv2   iSNS
Discovery of FCIP targets                               Y       Y
Discovery of FCIP device IP address(es)                 Y       Y
Discovery of FCIP port number(s)                        Y       Y
Attribute support                                       Y       Y
Semi-timely notification of devices coming and going    Y       Y
Authentication                                          Y       Y*
Minimal/no configuration                                Y       Y(?)
Provisioning                                            Y       Y
Multicast support                                       Y       N
Publicly available source                               Y       N
Standardized and mature                                 Y       N
Lighweight implementation                               Y       N

Non-Requirements
Zoning                                                  N       Y
State Change Notification                               N       Y
Naming Services                                         N       Y

* uses SLPv2 constructs


David Peterson
Lead Architect - Standards Development
Cisco Systems - SRBU
6450 Wedgwood Road
Maple Grove, MN 55311
Office: 763-398-1007
Cell: 612-802-3299
Email: dap@cisco.com