Subject: RE: draft-ietf-dhc-userclass-08.txt

From: Nathan Lane <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 17 Jul 2000 12:53:32 -0500

> [Barr Hibbs]
> Are you proposing to write a new Internet-Draft to support DHCP server to
> router or switch updates, Nathan?  
> 
	Not at the moment - I've got to try it first!  However, it is one
potential way to prevent the type of usage that Bernard implied could not be
prevented.

> Let's keep the User Class Identifier focussed on what I believe to be its
> original purpose as another useful way to classify clients so that an
> administrator can deliver different sets of options based on some
> identifiable characteristic.
> 
	The option to give different sets of options...including IP address.
Again, though, that use does not need to be included in the draft if it
stirs up controversey.

> [Bernard]
> > > Therefore the user can claim any userclass they want unless
> > > the DHCP server intends to verify the userclass assignment
> > > based on the client identifier.
> 
> [Nathan]
> > I would certainly do that.  The draft doesn't enforce any
> > specific server behavior on this option.
> 
> [Barr]
> We have long had an unwritten principle for DHCP options, that one option
> generally does not depend on the value of another.  
> 
	[Nathan Lane]  I would say "make use of" rather than "depends on".
In the draft, it is still open to ignore the user class if the server cannot
make proper use of it.  I'm not suggesting codifying in a draft the behavior
I intend on implementing, which is ignoring the user class if it will break
the client OR doesn't meet some operational criteria that I'd like control
over.

	Maybe I'm just too focused on finding a way to use and integrate the
products of this working group (to solve real-world problems) when they
reach RFC status rather than on defining the option in a way that will get
the draft to that status.

	-Nathan

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