RPSLng task force
Last modified on: 2002-01-21

Introduction

RPSL (RFC2622) is commonly used today to define IPv4 routing policies. The current limitation on RPSL is that it can be used for BGP4 IPv4 unicast policies only.

There is a growing demand to extend RPSL to allow for IPv6 routing policies. This work is about defining the necessary extensions to the current RPSL object to be able to specify an IPv6 routing policy.

Since RPSL is tightly coupled with BGP, extending RPSL to support multiple address families (ipv4, ipv4-multicast, ipv6, ipv6-multicast) is worth investigating. A framework should be defined for a multiprotocol RPSL.  Specific extensions can then defined for each new protocols (IPv6, IPv4 multicast,...)

Mailing list

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Outline of the work to do

  • Summarize the current RPSL classes, keywords, and attributes
  • Identify the requirements for defining the necessary routing information for IPv4 multicast.
  • Identify the requirements for defining the necessary routing information for IPv6 unicast and multicast.
  • From the collected requirements above, identify the possible groups of items which are needed to define the necessary RPSL extensions.
    • Which of the items are already covered by existing RPSL definitions
    • Which new items are needed (new class, new attributes, new keywords)
  • Check items and groups for completeness and consistency
The new development must fit into the existing schemes of authorization, authentication, and distribution. If required, proposal should be developed how these schemes are to be extended as well.

This work is the first step required to create a multiprotocol IRR. Other important work will need to be carried out once the RPSL extensions are defined:
  • expanding the RIPE database software to handle the RPSL extensions
  • expanding the RAToolSet or related software to automatically generate configurations from the data stored in the database

Work in progress

References

Please send questions, comments, suggestions to Florent.Parent@viagenie.qc.ca , Viagénie