Subject: New Issue: Applicability of Document

From: Robert Elz <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 13 Feb 2003 17:49:23 +0700

Description of Issue: Applicability of Document
Submitter Name: Robert Elz
Submitter Email Address: [email-masked]
Date first submitted: 2003-02-13
Reference:
Comment Type  ['T'echnical | 'E'ditorial]:  E
Priority  ['S' Must fix | '1' Should fix | '2' May fix ]:  1
Section: 1.2

Rationale/Explanation of issue:
	It isn't clear just which types of
	networks which parts of the spec apply to, and/or whether some
	parts of the spec apply to all link levels

Lengthy description of problem:
	Section 1.2 starts off saying
	
	"The specifications in this document apply to any IEEE 802 media"

	and then later says ...

	"Link-layer network technologies that do not support ARP may be able
        to use other techniques ..."

	This leads to confusion as to whether or not anything in this
	document is applicable to the use of LL addresses on anything
	other than IEEE 802 media.

Requested Change:

	Change the first paragraph of section 1.2 to read

Link-local addresses as defined in this document, and the methods
by which they are used, and not to be used, once acquired, apply in
general to any network technology.

The specification of how link local addresses are initially acquired,
and then later defended, and in particular, the timers to be used,
vary from network technology to network technology, and will in general
be described in other documents as required in the future.

Because IEEE 802 media, including Ethernet (IEEE 802.3), are very commonly
used, particularly in environments where link-local addresses are likely
to be most desired, this document includes the specification of how
link-local addresses are to be acquired and defended using such media.

Whenever this document uses the term "Ethernet", that should be read to
include any other network technology that uses ARP [RFC826] for IP
address resolution, operates at a data rate of at least one megabit per
second, and has a round trip latency of no more than one second.

	Then continue with what is currently the second paragraph (etc).

kre