Mesh Relevance in CAPWAP and AP Functional Descriptions May 2004 doc.: IEEE 802.11-04/595r3 May 2004 Mesh Relevance in CAPWAP and AP Functional Descriptions L. Lily Yang (Intel Corp.) Tyan-Shu Jou (Janusys Networks) lily.l.yang@intel.com tsjou@janusysnetworks.com Lily Yang, Tyan-Shu Jou Lily Yang, Tyan-Shu Jou

Overview Intro to IETF CAPWAP May 2004 Overview Intro to IETF CAPWAP The role of mesh in CAPWAP Need help from mesh vendors The need for “AP Functional Descriptions” Why? Benefits (to mesh group and others) Need a new SG References Lily Yang, Tyan-Shu Jou

IETF CAPWAP Problem Statement May 2004 IETF CAPWAP Problem Statement Network administration burden: Management Monitoring Control Effective RF dynamic provisioning: needs coordination among APs Maintaining Consistent Configuration Security: Access to the network (e.g., physical security of APs) Rogue AP detection Lily Yang, Tyan-Shu Jou

CAPWAP Architecture Taxonomy May 2004 CAPWAP Architecture Taxonomy Autonomous Architecture * Self-contained controller 802.11 WLAN Architectures Centralized Architecture * Centralized controller Distributed Architecture * Distributed control across multiple nodes Categorized by Control Plane Characteristics Lily Yang, Tyan-Shu Jou

From Autonomous to Centralized May 2004 From Autonomous to Centralized AP Functionality Autonomous PHY MAC Control & Config WTP Local MAC PHY MAC Control & Config WTP AC Split MAC PHY Real Time MAC Non RT MAC Control & Config WTP AC Remote MAC PHY Real Time MAC Non RT MAC Control & Config AC WTP Lily Yang, Tyan-Shu Jou

What about Mesh? Data plane: de-centralized, multi-hop May 2004 What about Mesh? Data plane: de-centralized, multi-hop Control plane: can be either [2] Centralized (similar to Local MAC), or Distributed (via peer-to-peer mesh interface), or Hybrid CAPWAP may offer a solution for control and management in mesh networks IF IETF chooses to move on to protocol development in the near future STA 5 STA 1 STA2 STA 3 STA 4 AP #2 AP #1 AP #3 AC Portal External Network Lily Yang, Tyan-Shu Jou

Help needed from mesh vendors May 2004 Help needed from mesh vendors CAPWAP mailing list: http://www.ietf.org/html.charters/capwap-charter.html Current taxonomy document: http://www.ietf.org/internet-drafts/draft-ietf-capwap-arch-02.txt Need help from mesh vendors on distributed control Timeline: next 2-3 weeks for another revision Possibly WG last call by end of June Encourage everyone to participate Lily Yang, Tyan-Shu Jou

“AP Functional Descriptions”: What? [5] May 2004 “AP Functional Descriptions”: What? [5] To describe the AP architecture and functionality standardized by the current standard and its amendments, or implied by them. The purpose is to provide a better informative description of an AP, to provide: the basis for interoperability by design (rather than by test), technical innovation, and alignment with the work of other groups. Lily Yang, Tyan-Shu Jou

Trends (Why?) [5] A trend in 802.11 WG: May 2004 Trends (Why?) [5] A trend in 802.11 WG: from “link view” to “wireless network view” i.e. from 11e, 11n ==> 11r, 11s, WNM, WIEN Natural evolution for WLAN architectures From one-box AP with BSS-centric view (“Autonomous Architecture”) To better coordinated inter-BSS services: “Distributed Architecture”: distributed coordination by peer nodes (example: mesh) “Centralized Architecture”: centralized controller for the network Original AP definitions: interaction with the DS is vague No interoperability within ESS Need to provide better descriptions of ESS and interoperability within the ESS Lily Yang, Tyan-Shu Jou

What Groups can Benefit from This?[5] May 2004 doc.: IEEE 802.11-04/595r3 May 2004 What Groups can Benefit from This?[5] To provide a formal description of the 802.11 AP for use by other groups. 802.1X also needed and needs a clean description of the functions and behaviors of an AP. CAPWAP: The AP functional descriptions can be used by the IETF CAPWAP group. 802.11 TGs (ESS Mesh) will extend the functions of an AP to provide for operation in a mesh of APs. This again requires a clear description of the baseline functions of an AP as a starting point. 802.21 will be specifying inter-802 mobility (e.g. 802.11 to 802.15, and 802.11 to 802.3), and also 802 to cellular mobility. These efforts also require a core functional description of an 802.11 AP. Lily Yang, Tyan-Shu Jou Lily Yang, Tyan-Shu Jou

May 2004 Need to form a new SG [5] To work on better “AP Functional Descriptions” Some open questions for SG to investigate What do we have today in the Standards (as starting points)? What is missing, lacking, or confusing? How to approach the functional decomposition (methodology, granularity)? How to describe the interface or interaction? How to better separate data plane and control plane? What kind of documents will be produced in the end? What impact does it have on other 802.11 groups? Current discussions in ESS Mesh touch some of these questions, but mostly around mesh and for mesh. => A new SG is needed to address the general issues. Lily Yang, Tyan-Shu Jou

One Possible Starting Point based on IAPP Diagram [4] May 2004 doc.: IEEE 802.11-04/595r3 May 2004 One Possible Starting Point based on IAPP Diagram [4] APME IAPP Distribution Services Portal Integration DS MAC WM MAC MLME DS PHY WM PHY PLME Mesh Relevance: First need to figure out the baseline AP functions, and then figure out where/what ESS mesh functions are … Lily Yang, Tyan-Shu Jou Lily Yang, Tyan-Shu Jou

ESS Mesh Group can also help AP Functional Descriptions May 2004 ESS Mesh Group can also help AP Functional Descriptions A lot of the questions about AP, DS, DSS, ESS are being asked here by ESS mesh group Indication of the need to re-examine the current descriptions Better understanding can result from the discussion here Can potentially feedback to the new SG/TG Lily Yang, Tyan-Shu Jou

May 2004 Summary Encourage mesh vendors here to participate in IETF CAPWAP and contribute to the discussion of Distributed Architecture Encourage ESS Mesh Group to stay informed of the CFI on AP Functional Descriptions in WNG and contribute to the effort Lily Yang, Tyan-Shu Jou

May 2004 References For additional information, please refer to these more detailed submissions: [1] 11-04-0544-00-0wng-ap-functional-needs-capwap.ppt [2] 11-04-0527-00-0wng-wlan-mesh-in-capwap-architecture.ppt [3] 11-04-0481-03-0wng-thoughts-on-ap-functional-descriptions.ppt [4] 11-04-0540-00-0wng-need-ap-functional-descriptions.ppt [5] 11-04-0604-00-0wng-ap-functional-descriptions-update.ppt Lily Yang, Tyan-Shu Jou