RFC 3692 (rfc3692) - Page 1 of 7

Assigning Experimental and Testing Numbers Considered Useful

Network Working Group                                          T. Narten
Request for Comments: 3692                                           IBM
BCP: 82                                                     January 2004
Updates: 2434
Category: Best Current Practice


      Assigning Experimental and Testing Numbers Considered Useful

Status of this Memo

   This document specifies an Internet Best Current Practices for the
   Internet Community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
   improvements.  Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

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

Abstract

   When experimenting with or extending protocols, it is often necessary
   to use some sort of protocol number or constant in order to actually
   test or experiment with the new function, even when testing in a
   closed environment.  For example, to test a new DHCP option, one
   needs an option number to identify the new function.  This document
   recommends that when writing IANA Considerations sections, authors
   should consider assigning a small range of numbers for
   experimentation purposes that implementers can use when testing
   protocol extensions or other new features.  This document reserves
   some ranges of numbers for experimentation purposes in specific
   protocols where the need to support experimentation has been
   identified.

Table of Contents

   1.  Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  2
       1.1.  Recommendation for Protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
   2.  IANA Considerations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
       2.1.  IP Protocol Field. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
       2.2.  Existing Name Spaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
   3.  Security Considerations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
   4.  Acknowledgments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
   5.  References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
       5.1.  Normative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
       5.2.  Informative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6
   6.  Author's Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6
   7.  Full Copyright Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  7



Narten                   Best Current Practice