RFC 3746 (rfc3746) - Page 1 of 40


Forwarding and Control Element Separation (ForCES) Framework



Alternative Format: Original Text Document



Network Working Group                                            L. Yang
Request for Comments: 3746                                   Intel Corp.
Category: Informational                                         R. Dantu
                                                    Univ. of North Texas
                                                             T. Anderson
                                                             Intel Corp.
                                                                R. Gopal
                                                                   Nokia
                                                              April 2004


     Forwarding and Control Element Separation (ForCES) Framework

Status of this Memo

   This memo provides information for the Internet community.  It does
   not specify an Internet standard of any kind.  Distribution of this
   memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2004).  All Rights Reserved.

Abstract

   This document defines the architectural framework for the ForCES
   (Forwarding and Control Element Separation) network elements, and
   identifies the associated entities and their interactions.

Table of Contents

   1.  Definitions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  2
       1.1. Conventions used in this document . . . . . . . . . . . .  2
       1.2. Terminologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  3
   2.  Introduction to Forwarding and Control Element Separation
       (ForCES) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
   3.  Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  8
       3.1. Control Elements and Fr Reference Point . . . . . . . . . 10
       3.2. Forwarding Elements and Fi reference point. . . . . . . . 11
       3.3. CE Managers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
       3.4. FE Managers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
   4.  Operational Phases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
       4.1. Pre-association Phase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
            4.1.1. Fl Reference Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
            4.1.2. Ff Reference Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
            4.1.3. Fc Reference Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
       4.2. Post-association Phase and Fp reference point . . . . . . 17
            4.2.1. Proximity and Interconnect between CEs and FEs . . 18



Yang, et al.                 Informational