RFC 2784 (rfc2784) - Page 1 of 9

Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE)

Alternative Format: Original Text Document
Next >
Network Working Group                                    D. Farinacci
Request for Comments: 2784                                      T. Li
Category: Standards Track                            Procket Networks
                                                             S. Hanks
                                                 Enron Communications
                                                             D. Meyer
                                                        Cisco Systems
                                                            P. Traina
                                                     Juniper Networks
                                                           March 2000


                  Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE)

Status of this Memo

   This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
   Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
   improvements.  Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
   Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
   and status of this protocol.  Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2000).  All Rights Reserved.

Abstract

   This document specifies a protocol for encapsulation of an arbitrary
   network layer protocol over another arbitrary network layer protocol.

1.  Introduction

   A number of different proposals [RFC 1234, RFC 1226] currently exist
   for the encapsulation of one protocol over another protocol. Other
   types of encapsulations [RFC 1241, RFC 1479] have been proposed for
   transporting IP over IP for policy purposes. This memo describes a
   protocol which is very similar to, but is more general than, the
   above proposals.  In attempting to be more general, many protocol
   specific nuances have been ignored. The result is that this proposal
   may be less suitable for a situation where a specific "X over Y"
   encapsulation has been described.  It is the attempt of this protocol
   to provide a simple, general purpose mechanism which reduces the
   problem of encapsulation from its current O(n^2) size to a more
   manageable size. This memo purposely does not address the issue of
   when a packet should be encapsulated.  This memo acknowledges, but
   does not address problems such as mutual encapsulation [RFC 1326].




Farinacci, et al.           Standards Track
Next >