RFC 3582 (rfc3582) - Page 1 of 9
Goals for IPv6 Site-Multihoming Architectures
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
Network Working Group J. Abley
Request for Comments: 3582 ISC
Category: Informational B. Black
Layer8 Networks
V. Gill
AOL Time Warner
August 2003
Goals for IPv6 Site-Multihoming Architectures
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 (2003). All Rights Reserved.
Abstract
This document outlines a set of goals for proposed new IPv6 site-
multihoming architectures. It is recognised that this set of goals
is ambitious and that some goals may conflict with others. The
solution or solutions adopted may only be able to satisfy some of the
goals presented here.
1. Introduction
Site-multihoming, i.e., connecting to more than one IP service
provider, is an essential component of service for many sites which
are part of the Internet.
Current IPv4 site-multihoming practices have been added on to the
CIDR architecture [1], which assumes that routing table entries can
be aggregated based upon a hierarchy of customers and service
providers.
However, it appears that this hierarchy is being supplanted by a
dense mesh of interconnections [6]. Additionally, there has been an
enormous growth in the number of multihomed sites. For purposes of
redundancy and load-sharing, the multihomed address blocks are
introduced into the global table even if they are covered by a
provider aggregate. This contributes to the rapidly-increasing size
of both the global routing table and the turbulence exhibited within
it, and places stress on the inter-provider routing system.
Abley, et al. Informational