[netconf] Re: [IANA #1353870] expert review for draft-ietf-netconf-http-client-server (xml-registry)

[Tim Bray <[e-mail]>]

On Aug 16, 2024 at 7:11:48 AM, Kent Watsen <[e-mail]> wrote:

>
> Whether IETF should publish YANG modules enabling the configuration of
> unsecure protocols has been discussed before.  I don’t know if a definitive
> resolution came out of it, but my understanding is that IETF YANG modules
> should support widely-deployed infrastructure.  In particular, protocols
> that are current or deprecated, but never protocols that are obsolete.
>

This implies that YANG is frequently interchanged on insecure plain-text
channels? Eek, didn’t know that. If I were on the IESG I’d be very negative
about this, but I’m not. I’ve made my point, if nobody else is upset then
you’re probably fine.

<!-- The outermost element below doesn't exist in the data model. -->
>
> <!--  It simulates if the "grouping" were a "container" instead.  -->
>
>
> I totally don’t understand this, but maybe someone who’s a YANG expert
> would?  I note that, in the example, if the outer “http-client” element
> didn’t exist, the default namespace wouldn’t be declared, and the “uri”
> element wouldn’t be in any namespace at all. So maybe the namespace
> declaration would be better right there on the “uri” element?
>
>
> This is a fair comment.   There are four examples in the draft that follow
> this convention.   FWIW, in other drafts I sometimes create a dummy “usage”
> YANG module to wrap “grouping” statements into containers.  What I’m doing
> here could be characterized as a shortcut.
>

First of all you’re using the words “grouping” and “container” and I don’t
understand what they mean in this context. Is this standard YANG
terminology? If so, then OK I guess.  If not, please explain what you
mean.  I guess the only purpose of the outer element is to carry the
namespace declaration? If so, you could either:


   1. Say “Assume that the default namespace has been mapped to XXX in some
   containing element”, or
   2. Put the namespace declaration right on the contained <uri> element
   then you don’t need any extra apparatus.


Or maybe something else.