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- Network Working Group S.E. Hardcastle-Kille
- Requests for Comments 1277 University College London
- November 1991
-
-
- Encoding Network Addresses
- to support operation over non-OSI lower layers
-
-
-
-
- Status of this Memo
- This RFC specifies an IAB standards track protocol for the
- Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
- improvements. Please refer to the current edition of the ``IAB
- Official Protocol Standards'' for the standardization state and
- status of this protocol. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.
- Abstract
-
- The OSI Directory specifies an encoding of Presentation Address,
- which utilises OSI Network Addresses as defined in the OSI
- Network Layer standards [CCI88] [ISO87a]. The OSI Directory, and
- any OSI application utilising the OSI Directory must be able use
- these Network Addresses to identify end systems. Currently, OSI
- applications are often run over lower layers other than the OSI
- Network Service. It is neither reasonable nor desirable for
- groups wishing to investigate and use OSI Applications in
- conjunction with the OSI Directory to be dependent on a global
- OSI Network Service. This document defines a new network address
- format, and rules for using some existing network address
- formats. The scope of this document is:
-
- 1. Any TCP/IP network supporting COTS using RFC 1006.
-
- 2. Any mapping of COTS onto X.25 (usually X.25(80)), where X.25 is
- not used to provide CONS (i.e., only DTE and not Network address
- is carried).
-
-
- The approach could also be extended to use with other means of
- providing COTS (or CLTS). It is not appropriate for use where
- CONS or CLNS is used to provide COTS (or CLTS).
-
-
-
-
- RFC 1277 Encoding Network Addresses November 1991
-
-
- 1 Introduction
-
- The OSI Directory specifies an encoding of Presentation Address, which
- utilises OSI Network Addresses as defined in the OSI Network Layer
- standards [CCI88] [ISO87a]. The OSI Directory, and any OSI
- application utilising the OSI Directory must be able use these Network
- Addresses to identify end systems.
- Currently, OSI applications are often run over lower layers other than
- the OSI Network Service. It is neither reasonable nor desirable for
- groups wishing to investigate and use OSI Applications in conjunction
- with the OSI Directory to be dependent on a global OSI Network
- Service. This RFCdefines mechanisms to encode addressing information
- within Network Addresses, in order to support this type of working.
- In particular, support is defined for RFC 1006 mapping of COTS onto
- TCP/IP and COTS mapped onto X.25(1980) [RC87, CCI80].
-
- Where an OSI application is run over CLNS on the internet, the NSAP
- Guidelines of RFC 1237 should be followed [CGC91].
- This document must be read in the context of ISO 8348 Addendum 2
- [ISO87b]. It will not be meaningful on its own.
-
-
- 1.1 Historical Note
-
- This document was originally published as UCL Research Note RN/89/13
- and as a project THORN internal document [Kil89]. It was devised in
- response to two projects which faced this requirement, and was agreed
- as a common approach. The projects were:
-
-
- o The THORN project, which is an Esprit Project building an OSI
- Directory [SA88].
-
- o The ISODE project [Ros90], and in particular the QUIPU directory
- being developed at UCL [Kil88].
-
- The proposal has been implemented, and the viability of the solution
- demonstrated.
-
-
-
-
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- RFC 1277 Encoding Network Addresses November 1991
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- 2 Problem Statement
-
- When utilising the OSI Directory, the OSI location of an End System
- will be determined by a Network Address, which is taken from a
- Presentation Address, looked up in the OSI Directory.
- OSI applications are currently operated over the following lower
- layers.
-
-
- o An international X.25 network, which routes on the basis of X.121
- addresses. By and large this is X.25(80), but some parts are now
- X.25(84) and will carry Network Addresses as user data. OSI
- Transport is mapped onto the variant of X.25 which is available.
-
- o Large private X.25 networks, which do not have DNICs, but are
- otherwise similar to the previous (in particular Janet).
-
- o Isolated networks running Connection Oriented Network Service
- (e.g., Pink Book Ethernets).
-
- o Isolated networks running Connectionless Network Service (e.g.,
- MAP LANs).
-
- o The Connectionless Network Service Protocol (CLNP) pilot,
- currently taking place in the NSFNet and NORDUNet communities.
-
- o Isolated TCP/IP LANs, utilising RFC 1006 to support the OSI
- Transport Service[RC87].
-
- o The DARPA/NSF Internet, using RFC 1006.
-
- In general, these systems need to be interconnected by the use of
- transport bridging or application relaying. Operation of transport
- bridges causes a number of problems which it is desirable to avoid.
- Only some applications can support relaying, and this is not always
- satisfactory.
-
-
- 2.1 The ``Right Solution''
-
- It is worth noting briefly what the intended (OSI) solution is. There
- is a single global network service. Network Addresses are globally
- allocated, and do not imply anything about routing or location. An
-
-
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- RFC 1277 Encoding Network Addresses November 1991
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- End System is attached to one or more subnetworks at Subnetwork Points
- of Attachment (SNPAs). Intermediate Systems join subnetworks, again
- being attached at SNPAs. Routing is achieved by repeated binding of
- Network Address to SNPA (initially at the Originating End System, and
- then at each Intermediate System). This binding is achieved by
- network level routing mechanisms.
- This can only work in a pure OSI environment with a single ubiquitous
- network service (either connectionless or connection-oriented), and so
- is not sufficient for the problem being addressed by this note.
-
-
- 2.2 General Approach
-
- This section describes the use of network addresses, and gives a
- functional overview of the problem being takceled. The means of
- connecting to a remote Application Entity is broadly as follows.
-
- 1. Look up the Application Entity in the OSI Directory to obtain the
- Presentation Address 1.
-
- 2. Extract each Network Address from the Presentation Address, and
- determine if it can be used (and how).
-
- 3. Determine an order of preference for the Network Addresses.
-
- 4. Attempt to connect to one or more of the Network Addresses.
-
-
- This note is concerned with the second step, and will probably have
- implications on the third. There is currently no directory service to
- provide step 2, and so this (interim) approach must be algorithmic.
- All addressing information required for the network must be extracted
- from the network address.
- This note describes the use of Network Addresses for networks which do
- not provide the OSI Network Service (CLNS or CONS), and places
- constraints on the use of X.121 form network addresses when used for
- an OSI Network Service. The following types of Network Address are
- discussed in this note:
-
- ----------------------------
- 1. Strictly an Application Entity should have only one
- Presentation Address. In practice it may have several, and the
- network addresses of each Presentation Address should be considered.
-
-
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- RFC 1277 Encoding Network Addresses November 1991
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- o Use of X.121 form Network Addresses.
-
- o A special encoding of Telex form Network Addresses.
-
-
- 3 Network addresses with X.121 AFI
-
- This note defines an approach for use of network addresses with the
- X.121 AFI.
- The IDP of network addresses is used to allow worldwide administration
- of the NSAP address space. As such, not all values of the IDP will in
- practice have topological significance (which implies that in some
- cases the IDP will not be sufficient for network layer routing).
- However, it is recommended that any End System using the Connection
- Oriented Network Service and with access to the international X.25
- service uses the X.121 form of NSAP address relative to its access
- point. This allows routing across the worldwide X.25 based public
- data networks to be based on the X.121 addresses. Allocation of DSP
- (Domain Specific Part) within this form of address is a private issue.
-
- The IDP is primarily an allocation mechanism, and the user (end
- system) cannot in principle assume any implied routing. However, due
- to the lack of a network directory service, it is recommended that any
- End System with Connection Oriented Network Service and access to the
- international X.25 service uses X.121 form relative to its access
- point. Allocation of DSP (Domain Specific Part) is a private issue.
- Conversely it is recommended that if an X.121 IDP (Initial Domain
- Part) form Network Address is interpreted, then the X.121 address will
- provide a route (by defining an SNPA on the international X.25
- network). There may be additional and perhaps preferable routes which
- can be determined by private means.
- If the DSP is absent, the form should be interpreted as implying a
- mapping of Transport onto X.25(80).
-
-
- 4 New Network Address Format
-
-
- This section defines a new network address format. The scope of this
- format is currently:
-
- 1. Any TCP/IP network supporting COTS using RFC 1006.
-
-
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- RFC 1277 Encoding Network Addresses November 1991
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- 2. Any mapping of COTS onto X.25 (usually X.25(80)), where X.25 is
- not used to provide CONS (i.e., only DTE and not Network address
- is carried), except where the international X.25 service is used
- and no PID or CUDF is required.
- These exceptions are the cases which are handled by use of X.121
- AFI (Section 3). The intention is to use the X.121 AFI wherever
- possible, and the formats defined in this section are for the
- remaining cases.
-
- The approach could also be extended to use with other means of
- providing COTS (or CLTS). It is not appropriate for use where CONS or
- CLNS is used to provide COTS (or CLTS).
-
-
- 4.1 Requirements
-
- The requirements for use of OSI over existing networks not supporting
- CONS or CLNS, when using the OSI Directory are:
-
-
- 1. The information for the layers below Transport must be obtained
- from the Network Address. This is essential, because we wish to
- use the OSI Directory in a standard manner, and the Network
- Address is the information available.
-
- 2. The Network Addresses must be globally unique, as they can be
- looked up by anyone with access to the Directory.
-
- 3. The Network Address should be allocated so that confusion with a
- ``real'' Network Address (i.e., one which defines an NSAP using
- CONS or CLNS as opposed to X.25(80) or RFC 1006) is unlikely.
-
- 4. Network Addresses must be interpretable on the basis of a well
- known information, or on information which can be obtained from
- the (application level) OSI Directory. (This RFConly uses well
- known information).
-
- 5. The identity of the network in question must be deducible from the
- Network Address
-
- 6. All network specific addressing information (including the SNPA)
- must be deducible from the Network Address
-
-
-
- Hardcastle-Kille Page 5
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- RFC 1277 Encoding Network Addresses November 1991
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- 4.2 IDP Choice
-
- The IDP is used with Telex AFI. The Telex AFI is used because:
-
- o It gives the largest DSP
-
- o It is less likely than other forms to be used for ``real'' Network
- Addresses
-
-
- The following AFIs might have been chosen, but are not used for the
- reasons given:
-
- o Local (the values must be globally unique)
-
- o X.121 (because it may be confused with other uses of OSI network
- addresses)
-
- o DCC and ICD (because it may be confused with other uses of OSI
- network addresses)
-
- The IDI should be assigned in a manner appropriate to the use of the
- encoding. For example, for operation on a private network within an
- organisation, the telex number of that organisation would be a good
- choice. Some well known networks are given assignments in Appendix A.
-
-
- 4.3 The DSP Encoding
-
- The network address is used as follows.
-
-
- o A (sub)network is identified by the IDP and a small part of the
- DSP.
-
- o The remainder of the DSP encodes network specific information
-
- The DSP format is now defined. The top level format is independent of
- the means used to provde COTS. Two formats for the remainder of the
- DSP are then defined, for specific means of providing COTS.
-
- A decimal abstract encoding is defined for the DSP. The ECMA 117
- format might have been used, but it is not suitable. [TC386]. Use of
- a binary encoding, with the DSP structured in ASN.1 would have been a
-
- Hardcastle-Kille Page 6
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- RFC 1277 Encoding Network Addresses November 1991
-
-
- very attractive approach. However, there is insufficient space in the
- Network Address for this to be feasible.
- The following structure is defined:
-
- ____________________________________
- |_Digit___||1-2__|______3-27_______|_
- |_Meaning_||PrefixN|etwork_Specific_|
-
- 2 digits Prefix. This allows for multiple usage of the same DSP, by
- not consuming it all. It also allows for the DSP to be used with
- different encodings.
-
- Network Specific The network specific allocation should be less than
- 20 digits if this DSP structure is to be used with any IDI format.
- This is increased to 27 for the Telex format.
-
-
- The IDP + 2 digit prefix identify a subnetwork in which the value of
- the remainder of the DSP (Network Specific Part) is to be interpreted.
-
- 4.4 X.25(80) Network Specific Format
-
- The IDP/Prefix identifies an X.25(80) subnetwork. There is a need to
- represent a DTE Number, and optionally an X.25 Protocol ID or CUDF
- (many implementations require these due to shortage of X.121 address
- space) in the DSP. This is structured in one of two possible ways:
-
- ________________________
- |_Digit___||1R|emainder_|
- |_Meaning_||0_|_DTE____|_
-
- ____________________________________________________________
- |_Digit___||_1___|_______2________|3_--_(n*3)+2_|Remainder_|_
- |_Meaning_||Type__|PID/CUDF_Length_|_PID/CUDF___|___DTE____|_
- |_Values__||1_or_2_|_____n________|_____________|__________|_
-
- The network specific part is structured as follows:
-
-
- Type This has the following values
-
- 0 DTE only
-
- 1 DTE + PID
-
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- RFC 1277 Encoding Network Addresses November 1991
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- 2 DTE + CUDF
-
- 3-9 Reserved
-
- PID/CUDF Length The length of the PID/CUDF in octets
-
- PID/CUDF The PID/CUDF takes as many digits as indicated by 3 times
- octet 2. Each octet of the PID/CUDF is encoded as three decimal
- digits, representing the decimal value of the octet.
-
- DTE The DTE is terminated by the end of the Network Address.
-
-
-
- For example, the JANET DTE 000005111600 with ASCII CUDF ``12'' would
- be encoded in the following way. The first lines describe the
- abstract notation. Note that where the IDI is not of maximum length,
- that the translation to concrete decimal is not mechanical
-
-
- _______________________________________________________________________________
- |Part___|_|_____IDP_________|_______________________DSP_______________________|_
- |Comp___|_|AFI__|___IDI_____|Prefix_|Dte+Cudf_|Len|________CUDF_+_DTE_________|_
- |Octet__|_|____|____________|_1-2___|___3_____|_4_|___________5-20____________|_
- |Value__|T|elex_|007_28722__|__02___|___2_____|_2_|____049050_000005111600____|__
- |Ct_Dec_|_|54___|007_28722__|__02___|___2_____|_2_|____049050_000005111600____|_
- |Ct_Bin_|_|54___|00_72_87_22_|_02___|_____22______|04_90_50_00_00_51_11_60_0f_|_
-
- Note that concrete binary is representing octets in hexadecimal. This
- is the syntax most likely to be used in practice. The CUDF is
- represented by two octets 049 and 050 (decimal), which map to six
- digits.
-
-
- 4.5 TCP/IP (RFC 1006) Network Specific Format
-
- The IDP and 2 digit prefix identifies a TCP/IP network where RFC 1006
- is applied. It is necessary to use an IP Address, as there are
- insufficient bits to fit in a domain. It is structured as follows:
-
- __________________________________________________________
- |_Digit___||_1-12____|13-17_(optional)_|18-22_(optional)_|_
- |_Meaning_||IP_Address_|____port_______|__Transport_Set__|_
-
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- RFC 1277 Encoding Network Addresses November 1991
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- For TCP/IP there shall be a 20 digit long network-specific part.
- First 12 digits are for the IP address. The port number can be up to
- 65535, and needs 5 digits (this is optional, and is defaulted as
- defined in RFC 1006). Finally, there is a third part to the address,
- which is defined here as ``transport set'' that indicates what kind of
- IP-based transport protocols is used. This is a decimal number from
- 0-65535 which is really a 16-bit flag word. 1 is TCP, 2 is UDP.
- Further values of this code are assigned by the IANA. If the transport
- set is not there or no bits are set, it means ``default'' which is
- TCP. This is encoded in 5 digits.
- For example, the IP Address 10.0.0.6 with port 9 over UDP is encoded
- as:
-
-
- ____________________________________________________________________________
- |Part______|_|_____IDP_________|____________________DSP____________________|_
- |Component_|_|AFI__|___IDI_____|Prefix_|___IP_Address_____|_Port__|_T_Set__|_
- |Octet_____|_|____|____________|_1-2___|______3-14________|_15-19_|_20-24__|_
- |Value_____|T|elex_|007_28722__|__03___|_010_000_000_006__|_00009_|_00002__|__
- |Cncrt_Dec_|_|54___|007_28722__|__03___|_010_000_000_006__|_00009_|_00002__|_
- |Cncrt_Bin_|_|54___|00_72_87_22_|_03___|01_00_00_00_00_06_|00_00_9|0_00_02_|_
-
- 5 Encoding
-
-
- This document describes allocation of Network Addresses, with the DSP
- considered in Abstract Decimal. The encoding of this for use in
- protocols (typically as Concrete Binary) is described in ISO 8348
- Addendum 2 [ISO87a].
-
-
- 6 References
-
- References
-
- [CCI80] CCITT. Recommendation X.25, interface between DTE and DCE
- for packet mode terminals, 1980.
-
- [CCI88] The Directory --- overview of concepts, models and services,
- December 1988. CCITT X.500 Series Recommendations.
-
- [CGC91] R. Colella, E. Gardner, and R. Callon. Guidelines for OSI
- NSAP Allocation in the Internet. Request for Comments 1237,
-
-
- Hardcastle-Kille Page 9
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- RFC 1277 Encoding Network Addresses November 1991
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-
- NIST, July 1991.
-
- [ISO87a] Information processing systems - data communications -
- network services definition: Addendum 2 - network layer
- addressing, March 1987. ISO TC 97/SC 6.
-
- [ISO87b] ISO DIS 7498-3 on naming and addressing, May 1987.
- ISO/IEC/JTC-1/SC 21.
-
- [Kil88] S.E. Kille. The QUIPU directory service. In IFIP WG 6.5
- Conference on Message Handling Systems and Distributed
- Applications, pages 173--186. North Holland Publishing,
- October 1988.
-
- [Kil89] S.E. Kille. An interim approach to use of network addresses.
- Research Note RN/89/13, Department of Computer Science,
- University College London, February 1989.
-
- [RC87] Marshall T. Rose and Dwight E. Cass. ISO Transport Services
- on top of the TCP. Request for Comments 1006, Northrop
- Corporation Technology Center, May 1987.
-
- [Ros90] M.T. Rose. The ISO development environment: User's manual
- (version 6.0), January 1990.
-
- [SA88] F. Sirovich and M. Antonellini. The THORN X.500 distributed
- directory environment. In Esprit Conference Week, November
- 1988.
-
- [TC386] ECMA TC32. Domain specific part of network layer addresses.
- ECMA Standard 117, ECMA, June 1986.
-
-
- 7 Security Considerations
-
- Security considerations are not discussed in this memo.
-
-
- 8 Author's Address
-
- Steve Hardcastle-Kille
- Department of Computer Science
- University College London
-
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- RFC 1277 Encoding Network Addresses November 1991
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- Gower Street
- WC1E 6BT
- England
-
- Phone: +44-71-380-7294
-
-
- EMail: S.Kille@CS.UCL.AC.UK
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- A Allocations for well known networks
-
- A.1 Values
-
-
- This appendix gives an allocation for three well known networks. All
- are allocated on the basis of the supposed Telex number 00728722.
- This number is being used in pilot operations, and so is retained
- here.
- _______________________________________
- |_________Net__________Telex____Prefix_|
- | International X.25 |007 28722 01 |
- | Janet |007 28722 02 |
- | Darpa/NSF Internet |007 28722 03 |
- |_IXI________________|007_28722_06_____|
-
- The international X.25 allocation is only used where a CUDF or PID is
- needed. In other cases, an X.121 form Network Address with no DSP
- should be used.
-
-
- A.2 Delegation
-
- The values assigned in this document are now in widespread use. As
- the number is arbitrary, it would be undesirable to change the numbers
- without a sound technical reason. However, it is important to
- guarantee that the numbers are stable.
-
- This Internet Draft commits UCL not to reassign the portions of the
- number space allocated here.
- The DARPA/NSF Internet space (Prefix 03) is delegated to the IANA.
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