Subject: [ipfix] New Charter draft, version 2

From: Nevil Brownlee <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 9 Jun 2006 15:55:44 +1200

Hi all:

Back in March/April, when we were discussing the new IPFIX charter,
an email from me said we'd have it ready by 30 April.  Alas, I've
been a bit busy lately, so I'm catching up on my backlog.

I've taken the -01 version of the new charter, and made all the changes
to it as suggested on the list.  Most of these were minor, which is fine.
One was less minor: several people pointed out that

  "For the bi-flow story, we have not yet agreed on the "single,   
best-practice method for handling them" and more discussion appears
   to be necessary for jointly selecting one."

I've addressed that issue by extending the time to produce the biflow
RFC, as you'll see from the milestones.  The -02 draft is appended below.

If we have consensus that this is what we want for our new charter,
I'll ask Dan to present it to IESG for approval :-)

Cheers, Nevil

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
   Nevil Brownlee                 Computer Science Department | ITSS
   Phone: +64 9 373 7599 x88941           The University of Auckland
   FAX: +64 9 373 7453      Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand

==============================
PROPOSED new charter for IPFIX   version 02, 9 Jun 06
==============================

The IPFIX working group has specified the Information Model (to
describe IP flows) and the IPFIX protocol (to transfer IP flow data
from IPFIX exporters to collectors).  The PSAMP working group has
specified the usage of the IPFIX protocol for exporting packet
records. With both specifications available, several implementers have
started building applications using the IPFIX protocol.

At two interoperability testing events, several IPFIX protocol
implementations were tested. The experiences made at these events were
fed back to IPFIX protocol specification, particularly for removing
ambiguities.  In addition, several lessons were learned about how to
implement and use IPFIX correctly and efficiently.  The exchange among
different implementers further led to new ideas for advanced usage of
IPFIX.  Many of these ideas are currently documented in individual
Internet drafts.

The goal of the IPFIX working group is now to produce 'best current
practice' and 'guideline' documents concerning implementation,
application and usage of the IPFIX protocol.

Out of scope are modifications to the core IPFIX and PSAMP
protocol specifications.  In scope is the definition of new IPFIX
and PSAMP information elements.

Specific Goals

o Develop guidelines for implementers based on experiences
  gained individually by implementers and jointly at interoperability
  testing events.  The guidelines will give recommendations for
  integrating IPFIX observation points, metering processes,
  exporting processes and collecting processes into the packet flow
  at different kinds of IPFIX devices.  They will make suggestions for
  efficient implementation of the IPFIX protocol features and identify  
parts of the IPFIX specification that have already been misunderstood
  by several implementors.  For some implementation choices that the
  protocol specification leaves to the implementer, the guidelines will
  discuss advantages and disadvantages of the different choices.
  Several recent individual drafts call for new Information Elements;
  The implementation guidelines will explain procedures for requesting,
  reviewing and approving new IEs.
  Deliverables:
    1. IPFIX Implementation Guidelines draft, to be an Informational RFC
       (6 months)
    2. IPFIX Testing draft, to be an Informational RFC  (6 months)

o Develop methods and means for an efficient use of the IPFIX
  protocol by reducing redundancy in flow reports.  The basic idea
  to be followed is very simple.  For multiple flow records that all
  report the same value in one or more of the contained IPFIX
  information elements, those values are removed from the flow
  records and instead reported once for all in a separate record.
  Such an approach integrates very well with the IPFIX protocol and
  only needs a few simple methods for expressing the relationship
  between flow records and corresponding separate records.
  Deliverable:
    3. IPFIX Reducing Redundancy, to be an Informational RFC  (6 months)

o Create an IPFIX MIB, for reporting information and statistics
  of IPFIX metering, exporting and collecing processes.  Much of this
  work has already been done by the PSAMP working group, and by
  individuals working on IPFIX collectors.   Deliverable:
    4. IPFIX MIB, to be a Standards Track RFC (12 months)

o Develop an effective method for exporting information about
  bidirectional flows ('biflows').  The IP security community has
  expressed a strong need to collect data on bidrectional flows.
  A recent individual draft discusses several different ways to
  support biflows in IPFIX - this work will produce a single,
  best-practice method for handling them, without requiring changes
  to the IPFIX protocol.
  Deliverable:
    5. IPFIX Biflow draft, to be an Informational RFC (12 months)

Milestones:

August 06    Publish Internet Draft on IPFIX Implementation Guidelines

August 06    Publish Internet Draft on IPFIX Testing

August 06    Publish Internet Draft on Reducing Redundancy in IPFIX 
data transfer

August 06    Publish Internet Draft on IPFIX MIB

August 06    Publish Internet Draft on Handling IPFIX Bidirectional Flows

November 06  Submit IPFIX Implementation Guidelines draft to IESG for
             publication as Informational RFC

November 06  Submit IPFIX Testing draft to IESG for
             publication as Informational RFC

November 06  Submit IPFIX Reducing Redundancy draft to IESG for
             publication as Informational RFC

March 07     Submit IPFIX Biflows draft to IESG for
             publication as Informational RFC

March 07     Submit IPFIX MIB draft to IESG for
             publication as Standards track RFC

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