Subject: [Bier] Document Action: 'Multicast using Bit Index Explicit Replication' to Experimental RFC (draft-ietf-bier-architecture-08.txt)

From: The IESG <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 02 Oct 2017 13:23:35 -0700

The IESG has approved the following document:
- 'Multicast using Bit Index Explicit Replication'
  (draft-ietf-bier-architecture-08.txt) as Experimental RFC

This document is the product of the Bit Indexed Explicit Replication Working
Group.

The IESG contact persons are Alvaro Retana, Alia Atlas and Deborah Brungard.

A URL of this Internet Draft is:
https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-ietf-bier-architecture/

Technical Summary

This document specifies a new architecture for the forwarding of multicast data packets.  It provides optimal forwarding of multicast data packets through a "multicast domain".  However, it does not require the use of a protocol for explicitly building multicast distribution trees, and it does not require intermediate nodes to maintain any per-flow state.  This architecture is known as "Bit Index Explicit Replication" (BIER).

Working Group Summary

Working group showed solid consensus for this document. The relevant point of contention was only around the charter?s current direction for this work to be submitted on the Experimental track. Feedback from the AD indicated that there is a path to transition from Experimental to Standards track if there in consensus to do so in the future. When a multicast data packet enters the domain, the ingress router determines the set of egress routers to which the packet needs to be sent.  

Document Quality

The vendors are being quite tight lipped about current implementations. Operator feedback indicates there are at least two implementations currently, with others in the works. There are currently five vendors collaborating on the work in the IETF. There is no MIB doctor or other expert review outside of the active working group members.

Personnel

Document Shepherd: Greg Shepherd [email-masked] 
Area Director: Alia Atlas [email-masked]