Re: [nfsv4] New draft for working group charter

[Chuck Lever <[e-mail]>]

> On May 14, 2017, at 2:56 PM, David Noveck <[e-mail]> wrote:
> 
> The following is the third iteration of my attempt to provide a draft charter to be "whacked" on (as Beepy put it) by the working group so all comments are appreciated.  However, if someone would like to present an alternate draft, that would be fine as well.  We do need some sort of draft to work from for a discussion in Prague.  Without it, a discussion in Prague is not going to arrive at a useful charter candidate.
> 
> The new draft has the following changes from the second draft.  If you object to any of these changes, let me know right away:
> 	• Revised the lead paragraph to avoid explicitly referencing performance.
> 	• Included Chuck's suggestion regarding NFS-related registries in the  Maintenance  section.
> 	• Reorganized the  Maintenance  section into two paragraphs
> 	• Deleted the  Performance Challenges section and moved the material into the Extension section, dealing with performance-related items in line with Chuck's suggested typology.
> 	• Reorganized the Extensions section to include a list of likely motivations for extensions.
> 	• Changed "mapping types" to "layout types".
> 	• At Spencer S's request, Milestones  has been cut back to a single milestone. When -13 is published, the way forward in this area should become clearer and the list could be updated to include some expected documents to address the issues described in the Informational document.  BTW, I'm assuming there will be a need for WGLC for that document as a means of establishing consensus on a way forward for those issues even though I believe there is no point in publishing that document as an RFC.
> Beyond the changes that result from additional working group comments I am anticipating the changes listed below.  Although these could happen as late as IETF99, it is better if we get to a base draft for discussion before that.
> 	• Addition of one or more milestones for flex-files.
> 	• A statement concerning flex-files work for the bullet list in the Extension section.
> 	• Addition of milestones relating to the work discussed in migration-issues-13, relating to trunking discovery, migration, and the relationship between those two features.
> Draft Charter for NFSv4 Working Group (Iteration Three)
> NFS Version 4 is the IETF standard for file sharing. To maintain NFS Version 4's utility and currency, the working group is chartered to maintain the existing NFSv4.0, NFSv4.1, NFSv4.2, protocols and related specifications of ONC components such as those defining RPC, XDR, and RPCSECGSS. In addition, extensions will be developed, as necessary, to correct problems with the protocols as currently specified, to accommodate needed file system semantics, and to respond to technological developments in the areas of networking and persistent storage.
> 
> Maintenance
> 
> The working group has found that as NFSv4 implementations mature and deployments continue, clarifications to existing RFCs are needed. These clarifications assist vendors in delivering quality and interoperable implementations. The working group is chartered with the vetting of the issues and determining correctness of submitted errata. In addition,the working group is responsible for approving changes to NFS-related IANA registries.

Nit: Suggest "existing RPC- and NFS-related IANA registries."


> In addition, some areas may need more concentrated work to correct the specifications already published or to deal with unanticipated interactions between features.

Nit: Two adjacent sentences begin with the clause "In addition,".
Suggest removing that clause in one or both places.


> In the cases in which the required changes are inappropriate for the errata system, the working group will assist in publication of best practices RFCs or of RFCs that provide editorial modification or technical updates to original RFCs.  Once, the new NFSv4 versioning framework is approved, such technical updates to NFSv4 versions could include limited XDR changes.
> 
> Extension
> 
> The NFSv4 protocol is designed to allow extension by the addition of new operations or new attributes, the creation of minor versions, and the definition of new pNFS layout types.  Similarly, associated ONC protocol components that have a versioning/extension  framework can be incrementally extended, when necessary.
> 
> The working group will discuss proposals for such extensions and assure they have adequate technical review including discussion of their interaction with existing features before adopting them as working group items and helping to draft specification documents. It is likely that such extensions will be needed in order to;

As you suggested earlier, the introductory text should somehow
indicate the following list is not exhaustive.


> 	• Enable the performance attributes of advanced network fabrics

Suggest "Maximize NFS performance on advanced network fabrics".


> 	• Adapt to new storage technologies,

Nit: Other bullet points do not end with a comma.

Suggest "Accommodate new storage protocols and technologies".


> 	• Enable use of NFS in large-scale virtualization environments

NFS can already be used in these environments. Suggest
"Simplify administration of NFS-accessed storage in large-
scale virtualization environments".


> 	• Helping NFS adapt to increasing network security challenges

Nit: Use similar sentence form for all four bullets. Suggest
"Prepare NFS to meet increasing security challenges"


> Milestones (Second draft)
> 
> Because the previous charter was at variance with the work the group was actually doing, the list of pending milestones that can determined now is quite limited.  To accommodate this situation and in light of the fact that maintenance activities are inherently unpredictable, new milestones that fall within the scope specified within the charter can be added after working group consensus on acceptance and approval by the responsible Area Director.
> 
> Date               Milestone
> 
> March 2018    WGLC for draft-ietf-nfsv4-migration-issues (Informational)
> 
> 
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--
Chuck Lever