Session Date/Time: 25 Jul 2022 17:30

rtgarea

Summary

The rtgarea open meeting covered administrative updates, including mask policy reminders, IETF Note Well, and code of conduct. Key points included an update on the Routing Area Directorate's document review activities and significant changes to the "routing discussion" mailing list to broaden its scope and introduce a moderator role for tracking emergent topics. A substantial portion of the meeting was dedicated to the Compute-Aware Networking (CAN) effort, reviewing its motivations, progress since the last BoF, and future directions. The open mic session facilitated discussions on whether CAN is a routing or load balancing problem, the role of ALTO, general network load balancing, the need for OAM considerations in new technologies, and a timeline for the APN working group.

Key Discussion Points

Administrative Announcements
- Attendees were reminded to wear masks in meeting rooms.
- The IETF Note Well, Code of Conduct, and anti-harassment policy were highlighted.
- The new Zulip chat tool (replacing Jabber) was introduced, accessible via DataTracker credentials.
- Community feedback on IETF operations and volunteering for NomCom or AD positions was encouraged.
- A strong plea was made for participants to actively review IETF documents throughout their lifecycle.
Routing Area Directorate Update
- The routing area currently has SavNet as a new working group (meeting today) and MSR6 (meeting tomorrow).
- The SFC working group is slated for imminent closure, with other working groups potentially closing in the next IETF if they lack active documents.
- The Routing Area Directorate has 43 experts reviewing routing and related drafts from various areas.
- Since 2021, the Directorate has conducted 21 early reviews and 53 last call reviews, with IDR, BESS, and RSR being the top working groups for reviews.
- Review outcomes are categorized as Ready, Needs Work, With Issues, or Not Ready.
Routing Discussion Mailing List Updates
- The description of the "routing discussion" non-working group mailing list has been updated for clarity and completeness.
- Ross White has volunteered as the moderator for the list.
- The moderator's role is extended to track specific topics and report back to the routing area ADs or during open meetings.
- The list is intended for general discussions around routing area topics, particularly those not yet specific enough for a working group or BoF (e.g., evolution of routing).
- Scope details: Appropriate topics include general RA topics, initial open-ended discussions, RA-related conference announcements, and RA policy/direction. Inappropriate topics include advertisements, code of conduct violations, unrelated subjects, or non-RA conference announcements.
- The goal is to foster a general discussion forum for routing-specific topics.
Compute-Aware Networking (CAN) Update
- Motivation: Optimize computing and network resources by steering traffic to appropriate computing results, addressing "closest is not the best" in CDN and edge computing scenarios.
- Use Cases & Gaps: Use cases demonstrate the need for steering based on factors beyond network status. Existing DNS and load balancer solutions have gaps in dynamic scenarios. Initial BoF agreed on the importance of use cases but not on a clear solution path.
- Progress on Issues: 36 issues from the BoF were addressed. Key clarifications include:
  - CAN assumes service deployment/discovery and focuses on traffic steering, coordinating with upper layers.
  - It aims to solve service instance selection problems that dynamic anycast and enhanced load balancers might not fully cover.
  - Compute resource measurement is service-specific and distinct from network metrics, with a new draft proposed for modeling.
  - CAN will not impact every router; on-path selection is a potential choice.
  - CAN doesn't compute paths directly but is aware of network status and coordinates with existing routing solutions.
- Draft Updates: Problem statement, use cases, gap analysis, requirements, and anycast architecture drafts have been updated. A new draft on compute resource modeling has been submitted.
- Next Steps: Focus on routing-related work, gather feedback on renaming drafts (e.g., with a "CAN prefix"), and consider establishing a dedicated CAN mailing list. Requesting another working group formation BoF at a future IETF meeting. A presentation is also scheduled for TSVWG.
Open Mic Discussion
- CAN Discussion:
  - Questions arose regarding whether CAN is more of a load balancing problem than a routing problem, with some expressing concerns about using routing for this purpose.
  - Proponents argued that CAN involves significant routing-related work, collecting metrics via IGP/BGP, and making optimal instance/path decisions.
  - The relationship with ALTO was brought up, with a request for proponents to analyze ALTO's applicability before proposing IGP extensions. Proponents stated they are comparing on-path vs. off-path mechanisms to clarify ALTO's sufficiency.
  - 5G UPF examples were cited to demonstrate why traditional load balancing might not suffice for dynamic, distributed compute environments.
- General Load Balancing: A question was raised about where network-wise load balancing among multiple paths (distinct from service instance load balancing) fits within the routing area. The ADs suggested it depends on the specific proposal and that the "routing discussion" mailing list would be an appropriate venue.
- OAM for New Technologies: A concern was raised that OAM (Operations, Administration, and Maintenance) documentation often lags behind new technology introductions. A suggestion was made to include mandatory or optional manageability considerations sections in drafts, similar to security considerations or PCE's FCAPS work.
- BFD Yang Models: An inquiry was made about the status of BFD Yang models that are awaiting a cluster.
- APN Working Group: A question was asked about the timeline for the creation of the APN working group.

Decisions and Action Items

Routing Discussion Mailing List:
- The mailing list description has been updated.
- Ross White has been appointed as the moderator.
- The moderator's responsibilities now include tracking specific topics and reporting back to the routing area ADs.
Working Group Status:
- The SFC working group will be closed imminently.
- Other working group movements (closures) are anticipated at the next IETF.
OAM Considerations: The routing area ADs will take away the suggestion regarding OAM considerations for new technologies, discuss it internally, and report back to the group.
BFD Yang Models: The routing area ADs will check the status of the BFD Yang models waiting on the cluster and report back.
APN Working Group: The formation of the APN working group is targeted for IETF 115.

Next Steps

Routing Discussion Mailing List: The community is encouraged to subscribe and utilize the updated mailing list for general routing-related discussions.
Compute-Aware Networking (CAN):
- Continue engagement on the dyncast mailing list for CAN-related discussions.
- Approach routing area ADs with comments or feedback on the CAN work.
- Continue refining the existing CAN drafts and address community comments.
- Provide a presentation on CAN work in the TSVWG at this IETF meeting.
- Consider renaming CAN drafts with a "CAN prefix" and establishing a dedicated "CAN mailing list" to better reflect its focus.
- Request another working group formation BoF for CAN, potentially at IETF 115.
General:
- Review IETF documents across all stages of development.
- Consider volunteering for open positions within the IETF, including NomCom or as an AD.