IPv6 over Networks of Resource-constrained Nodes (6lo) Internet Drafts

      
 Transmission of SCHC-compressed packets over IEEE 802.15.4 networks
 
 draft-ietf-6lo-schc-15dot4-07.txt
 Date: 02/10/2024
 Authors: Carles Gomez, Ana Minaburo
 Working Group: IPv6 over Networks of Resource-constrained Nodes (6lo)
 A framework called Static Context Header Compression and fragmentation (SCHC) has been designed with the primary goal of supporting IPv6 over Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) technologies [RFC8724]. One of the SCHC components is a header compression mechanism. If used properly, SCHC header compression allows a greater compression ratio than that achievable with traditional 6LoWPAN header compression [RFC6282]. For this reason, it may make sense to use SCHC header compression in some 6LoWPAN environments, including IEEE 802.15.4 networks. This document specifies how a SCHC-compressed packet can be carried over IEEE 802.15.4 networks. The document also enables the transmission of SCHC-compressed UDP/ CoAP headers over 6LoWPAN-compressed IPv6 packets.
 Path-Aware Semantic Addressing (PASA) for Low power and Lossy Networks
 
 draft-ietf-6lo-path-aware-semantic-addressing-09.txt
 Date: 25/11/2024
 Authors: Luigi Iannone, Guangpeng Li, Zhe Lou, Peng Liu, Rong Long, Kiran Makhijani, Pascal Thubert
 Working Group: IPv6 over Networks of Resource-constrained Nodes (6lo)
 This document specifies a topological addressing scheme, Path-Aware Semantic Addressing (PASA), that enables IP packet stateless forwarding. The forwarding decision is based solely on the destination address structure. This document focuses on carrying IP packets across an LLN (Low power and Lossy Network), in which the topology is static, the location of the nodes is fixed, and the connection between the nodes is also rather stable. This specifications describes the PASA architecture, along with PASA address allocation, forwarding mechanism, header format design, and IPv6 interconnection support.
 IPv6 Neighbor Discovery Prefix Registration
 
 draft-ietf-6lo-prefix-registration-06.txt
 Date: 09/11/2024
 Authors: Pascal Thubert
 Working Group: IPv6 over Networks of Resource-constrained Nodes (6lo)
 This document updates IPv6 Neighbor Discovery RFC4861 and the 6LoWPAN extensions (RFC8505, RFC8928, RFC7400) to enable a node that owns or is directly connected to a prefix to register that prefix to neighbor routers. The registration indicates that the registered prefix can be reached via the advertising node without a loop. The unicast prefix registration also provides a protocol-independent interface for the node to request neighbor router(s) to redistribute the prefix to the larger routing domain using their specific routing protocols. This document extends RPL (RFC6550, RFC6553, RFC9010) to enable the 6LR to inject the registered prefix in RPL.
 Transmission of IPv6 Packets over Short-Range Optical Wireless Communications
 
 draft-ietf-6lo-owc-02.txt
 Date: 20/10/2024
 Authors: Younghwan Choi, Cheol-min Kim, Carles Gomez
 Working Group: IPv6 over Networks of Resource-constrained Nodes (6lo)
 IEEE 802.15.7, "Short-Range Optical Wireless Communications" defines wireless communication using visible light. It defines how data is transmitted, modulated, and organized in order to enable reliable and efficient communication in various environments. The standard is designed to work alongside other wireless communication systems and supports both line-of-sight (LOS) and non-line-of-sight (NLOS) communications. This document describes how IPv6 is transmitted over short-range optical wireless communications (OWC) using IPv6 over Low-Power Wireless Personal Area Network (6LoWPAN) techniques.
 Generic Address Assignment Option for 6LowPAN Neighbor Discovery
 
 draft-ietf-6lo-nd-gaao-01.txt
 Date: 25/11/2024
 Authors: Luigi Iannone, Zhe Lou, Adnan Rashid
 Working Group: IPv6 over Networks of Resource-constrained Nodes (6lo)
 This document specifies a new extension to the IPv6 Neighbor Discovery in Low Power and Lossy Networks, enabling a node to request to be assigned an address or a prefix from neighbor routers. Such mechanism allows to algorithmically assign addresses and prefixes to nodes in a 6LowPAN deployment.

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IPv6 over Networks of Resource-constrained Nodes (6lo)

WG Name IPv6 over Networks of Resource-constrained Nodes
Acronym 6lo
Area Internet Area (int)
State Active
Charter charter-ietf-6lo-02 Approved
Document dependencies
Additional resources Issue tracker, Wiki, Zulip stream
Personnel Chairs Carles Gomez, Shwetha Bhandari
Area Director Éric Vyncke
Delegates Erik Kline, Laurent Toutain, Pascal Thubert
Mailing list Address 6lo@ietf.org
To subscribe https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/6lo
Archive https://mailarchive.ietf.org/arch/browse/6lo/
Chat Room address https://zulip.ietf.org/#narrow/stream/6lo

Charter for Working Group

The 6lo WG focuses on the work that facilitates IPv6 connectivity over constrained node networks with the characteristics of:
* limited power, memory and processing resources;
* hard upper bounds on state, code space, and processing cycles;
* optimization of energy and network bandwidth usage;
* lack of some layer-2 services like complete device connectivity and broadcast/multicast.

Specifically, 6lo will work on:
* IPv6-over-foo adaptation layer specifications using 6LoWPAN technologies (RFC4944, RFC6282, RFC 6775) or 6lo technologies (e.g., RFC8138, RFC8505, RFC8930, RFC8931) for link-layer technologies of interest in constrained node networks;
* information and data models for these adaptation layers for basic monitoring and troubleshooting;
* specifications, such as low-complexity header compression, that are applicable to more than one adaptation layer specification;
* maintenance and informational documents required for the existing IETF specifications in this space.

Only specifications targeting constrained node networks are in scope. 6lo will work closely with the 6MAN working group, which will continue to work on IP-over-foo documents outside the constrained node network space and will continue to be the focal point for IPv6 maintenance. For adaptation layer specifications that do not have implications on IPv6 architecture, 6MAN will be notified about 6lo's working group last call. Specifications that might have such an impact (e.g., by using IPv6 addresses in a specific way or by introducing new ND options or by exposing to IPv6 a link model different from either Ethernet or 6lowpan) will be closely coordinated with 6MAN, and/or specific parts will be fanned out to 6MAN documents. Beyond 6MAN, 6lo will also coordinate with INTAREA.

6lo works on small, focused pieces of work, but does not take on larger cross-layer efforts. The working group will continue to reuse existing protocols and mechanisms whenever reasonable and possible. Work based on using SCHC header compression will be coordinated with the SCHC WG.

Security and management work that is not specific to the link layers being worked on is out of scope. Work in routing is out of scope. 6lo will coordinate closely with the working groups in other areas that focus on constrained node networks, such as ROLL (RTG), CoRE (WIT), and IOTOPS (OPS).

Milestones

Date Milestone Associated documents
Jul 2026 Submit document on transmission of SCHC-compressed packets over 802.15.4 draft-ietf-6lo-schc-15dot4
Nov 2025 Submit document on transmission of IPv6 packets over short-range optical wireless communication draft-ietf-6lo-owc
Jul 2025 Submit document on adding a generic address assignment option for 6LoWPAN neighbor discovery draft-ietf-6lo-nd-gaao
Jan 2025 Submit document on IPv6 ND prefix registration draft-ietf-6lo-prefix-registration
Jan 2025 Submit document on Path-Aware Semantic Addressing for LLNs draft-ietf-6lo-path-aware-semantic-addressing