RFC 2724 (rfc2724) - Page 1 of 18

RTFM: New Attributes for Traffic Flow Measurement

Alternative Format: Original Text Document
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Network Working Group                                       S. Handelman
Request for Comments: 2724                                    S. Stibler
Category: Experimental                                               IBM
                                                             N. Brownlee
                                              The University of Auckland
                                                                 G. Ruth
                                                     GTE Internetworking
                                                            October 1999


           RTFM: New Attributes for Traffic Flow Measurement

Status of this Memo

   This memo defines an Experimental Protocol for the Internet
   community.  It does not specify an Internet standard of any kind.
   Discussion and suggestions for improvement are requested.
   Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (1999).  All Rights Reserved.

Abstract

   The RTFM Traffic Measurement Architecture provides a general
   framework for describing and measuring network traffic flows.  Flows
   are defined in terms of their Address Attribute values and measured
   by a 'Traffic Meter'.  This document discusses RTFM flows and the
   attributes which they can have, so as to provide a logical framework
   for extending the architecture by adding new attributes.

   Extensions described include Address Attributes such as DSCodePoint,
   SourceASN and DestASN, and Group Attributes such as short-term bit
   rates and turnaround times.  Quality of Service parameters for
   Integrated Services are also discussed.

Table of Contents

   1  Introduction .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
      1.1 RTFM's Definition of Flows  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
      1.2 RTFM's Current Definition of Flows and their Attributes . . 3
      1.3 RTFM Flows, Integrated Services, IPPM and Research in Flows 4
   2  Flow Abstractions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
      2.1 Meter Readers and Meters  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
      2.2 Attribute Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
      2.3 Packet Traces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
      2.4 Aggregate Attributes  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8



Handelman, et al.             Experimental
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