Re: [MBONED] Last Call: <draft-ietf-mboned-ssmping-08.txt> (Multicast Ping Protocol) to Proposed Standard

On 7/5/2011 2:10 PM, Tim Chown wrote:
> I think this draft specifies a very useful protocol, which we have used at our site and which has been a valuable multicast debugging tool.
>
> The specification and implementations have evolved over maybe 5-6 years or so.  The implementations we've used have been of various stages of the protocol's development.  A student at our site implemented an earlier version of the protocol successfully.  I don't believe we've used a version at our site based on the spec in the final version of the text, so I can't comment on that specifically.
>
> There are some parts of the text that I think indicate the protocol has evolved over a length of time; if it were rewritten from scratch it would probably be somewhat more compact, due to some level of repetition of aspects of the protocol.  However, I think it's more important to get the protocol published now, so I would support publishing it as is.
>
> The protocol is defined in a fairly loose way, but the core elements are tight enough for implementation.  This is reflected in the text at the start of Section 6.
>
> I noticed one nit in terms of the client ID. In Section 2 the text says:
> "At runtime, a client generates a client ID that is unique for the ping test.  This ID is included in all messages sent by the client."
> Then later in the more detailed spec, the text says:
> "A client SHOULD always include this option in all messages (both Init and Echo Request)."
> I would have expected the inclusion of the Client ID to be a MUST, based on the earlier explanation.  If it is a SHOULD, the introduction text should say "this ID is usually included in all messages sent by the client".

Yes, I think it should be changed to say "usually". A basic client could
work without including the ID. But there are good reasons to include it
as listed in the draft.

Stig

> It would be nice to consider mechanisms to discover 'public' ssmping test servers, but that's a separate text :)
>
> Tim
>
> On 20 Jun 2011, at 18:51, The IESG wrote:
>
>>
>> The IESG has received a request from the MBONE Deployment WG (mboned) to
>> consider the following document:
>> - 'Multicast Ping Protocol'
>>   <draft-ietf-mboned-ssmping-08.txt>  as a Proposed Standard
>>
>> The IESG plans to make a decision in the next few weeks, and solicits
>> final comments on this action. Please send substantive comments to the
>> ietf@ietf.org mailing lists by 2011-07-04. Exceptionally, comments may be
>> sent to iesg@ietf.org instead. In either case, please retain the
>> beginning of the Subject line to allow automated sorting.
>>
>> Abstract
>>
>>
>> The Multicast Ping Protocol specified in this document allows for
>> checking whether an endpoint can receive multicast, both Source-
>> Specific Multicast (SSM) and Any-Source Multicast (ASM).  It can also
>> be used to obtain additional multicast-related information such as
>> multicast tree setup time.  This protocol is based on an
>> implementation of tools called ssmping and asmping.
>>
>>
>>
>> The file can be obtained via
>> http://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-ietf-mboned-ssmping/
>>
>> IESG discussion can be tracked via
>> http://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-ietf-mboned-ssmping/
>>
>>
>> No IPR declarations have been submitted directly on this I-D.
>>
>>
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>
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