Re: [v6ops] WGLC: draft-ietf-v6ops-unique-ipv6-prefix-per-host-02 - multiple prefixes per device

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>> I'd like to understand your meaning, if you don't mind.
>> 
>> A router, per RFC 2460, is a system that receives a message, does no processing on its content, but repeats it to another system. A host is one that receives messages and processes their application layer content.
>> 
>> I think it's fair to say that an iPhone etc has more than one interface; WiFi and LTE, perhaps. A laptop often has several interfaces such as physical and wireless Ethernet, USB, Bluetooth, and other things. Having multiple interfaces, however, does not qualify it as a router; what qualifies it as a router is when it receives a message and repeats it, usually on another interface.
>> 
>> Yes, an iPhone acting as a hot spot can route between its WiFi and LTE ports. If it is not configured as a hot spot, however, it generally uses its many interfaces as ways to receive messages, pass them to applications, and respond to them. Absent a specific (and unusual) configuration, an iPhone therefore is a host, not a router.
>> 
>> Are you and I using the words in the same way? I get the feeling that you see multiple interfaces and infer "router".
> 
> As others have implied, multiple interfaces means *potential* router, and that's the point,
> isn't it: if you give a *potential* router only a /64, it can support a single subnet
> but it can't support multiple subnets and subsidiary routers. And Alexandre is challenging
> that limitation. But we have said elsewhere that ISPs should provide more than a /64
> per subscriber; it seems like a different discussion.

Take the simple case of a laptop with VMs.
It has to handle the smallest common denominator. As long as networks treat everything that connects to it as hosts.
Then either the host with VMs (aka router) has to pretend to be a host and do one of bridging or NAT. Or with this proposal it can subnet the /64.

Cheers,
Ole