Subject: RE: (radius) IPv6

From: Carl Rigney <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 30 May 2000 11:06:31 -0700 (PDT)

I'd rather add attributes with a new type, since there are only a handful of
those, than break all existing RADIUS servers by adding the concept of length
sensitive processing.

--
Carl Rigney
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From: "David Mitton" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 18:44:12 -0400

>those, than break all existing RADIUS servers by adding the concept of length

While I think that's a fair enough decision....

... I'm concerned about the concept of non-six byte ipaddr attributes 
"breaking" existing servers.

While they may not understand the value, I would hope that;

a) they would check the length and realize the attribute value received is 
not-as-expected for the data type (by their implementation timeframe)

b) ignore the attribute value

c) perhaps flag or log the problem

d) not reject the whole message (though they might per earlier 
interpretations of the RADIUS message processing rules)

None of these consequences would be really unusual, as operationally  the 
client and server must converge on a mutually understood set of attributes 
anyways.

Going a step further, I think primarily NAS-IP-Address would be client 
generated. (and Framed-IP-Address if the address was user or NAS 
chosen)  Most other ipaddr values would be in a server return profile to 
start with.

Older servers would not be able to encode these values, and therefore would 
not interoperate with a hypothetical IPv6 RADIUS-speaking NAS.

So I guess that's sort of a rationale for new attributes.  However if they 
are anything other than ASCII\\\\\ UTF-8 strings there is something new 
here to be implemented anyways.

Dave.

---------------------------------------------------------------
David Mitton                                  ESN: 248-4570
Advisor, Nortel Networks                      978-288-4570 Direct
Carrier Packet Solutions, IP Mobility         978-288-???? FAX
Billerica, MA 01821                    [email-masked]

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