[netconf] Re: Publication has been requested for draft-ietf-netconf-port-numbers-02

[tom petch <[e-mail]>]

I think that this I-D should not be published as it stands.

Two problems, one well-defined, one less so.

First  I see
'   This document releases NETCONF-related port number IANA assignments
   that were made for inappropriate transport protocols or ...'
as a value judgement that has no place in an RFC. The three protocols for which assignments were made were considered the right ones by the WG, and agreed by the IESG.  They may not have stood the test of time but that is the fate of many - if not most - IETF protocols.  Calling them inappropriate is discourteous, bordering on rude, and has no place in an RFC.

Second, more debatedly, the Transport Area policy, nothing to do with network management, was to reserve the ports across the protocols even when their use was not anticipated at the time the first one was needed.   Thus to say

'   (i.e., UDP) for which the requesting application does not apply.'

is wrong, at least historically  The idea of reserving the number even if its use was not anticipated helped to prevent confusion amongst those who did not have a broad view of the assigments.  

I am uncertain what the policy now is in the Transport Area, whether or not the same number should have the same meaning.  It used to be the case and I cannot find a current reference as to its applicability so I assume that it is still the case until I see the Transport Area saying otherwise.

Tom Petch
________________________________________
From: Mahesh Jethanandani <[e-mail]>
Sent: 17 May 2025 21:16
To: tom petch
Cc: Kent Watsen; NETCONF WG Chairs; NETCONF WG
Subject: Re: [netconf] Publication has been requested for draft-ietf-netconf-port-numbers-02

Hi Tom,

You can post your comments now. I will consider them when I do my write-up.

Thanks.

> On May 17, 2025, at 5:42 AM, tom petch <[e-mail]> wrote:
>
> From: Kent Watsen via Datatracker <[e-mail]>
> Sent: 14 May 2025 14:22
>
> Kent Watsen has requested publication of draft-ietf-netconf-port-numbers-02 as Proposed Standard on behalf of the NETCONF working group.
>
> Please verify the document's state at https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-ietf-netconf-port-numbers/
>
> <tp>
>
> Sorry, I missed the boat on this one.
>
> I think the wording inappropriate for a Standards Track RFC, starting with the first sentence.
>
> I am happy to post my comments when the announcement appears but thought I should warn  you that I did not mean to be awkward:-(
>
> I mixed up the announcement of this on the WG list with the other WGLC and thought I still had time to respond to this one (although I am uncertain quite how to phrase my objections to this one).
>
> Tom Petch
>
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Mahesh Jethanandani
[e-mail]