[8023-CMTF] Status of P802.3ar
Colleagues,
I have good news and
bad news.
First, the good
news.
The P802.3ar TF held a brief,
yet successful meeting in San Diego last week. We met Tuesday afternoon and
resolved both comments received on D1.3. We then looked ahead to the 802.3 WG
closing plenary and the votes on the revised objectives, PAR, and 5 critieria.
In addition, we hoped to move to WG ballot. Note: We received no comments on the
revised PAR and 5 criteria from other 802 "dot groups" during the
week.
Now the bad
news.
The 802.3 WG closing
plenary was a very difficult meeting. After presenting the progress and results
of the P802.3ar TF between March 2006 (Denver) and July 2006 (San Diego), I
presented the revised TF objectives for 802.3 WG approval. The motion failed as
follows: Y: 24, N: 10, A: 27. The motion required >= 75% and only achieved
71%. The following were some of the concerns raised during the debate on the
motion to approve the revised objectives:
1) 802.3 shouldn't
vote on the objectives until we've seen the PAR and 5
criteria
2) P802.3ar doesn't
have broad market potential
3) 802.3x (PAUSE
flow control) is not in wide use, why would another rate limiting project be
different?
4) Rate limiting
increases frame delay and frame delay variation
5) The current draft
specifies 3 mechanisms not 1 mechanism as stated in the
objective.
Following this
defeat, I then proceeded to present the revised PAR (as directed by the TF
during Tuesday's meeting). Several objected to voting on the PAR until the 5
criteria were approved. I then withdrew the motion on the revised
PAR.
I then presented the
revised Broad Market Potential criterion. The motion to approve also failed. Y:
19, N: 11, A: 27. It received just 63% (needing 75%). Many of the earlier
concerns were reiterated. In addition, at least one chip vendor objected to rate
limiting as an example of an "optional feature" that invariably becomes a hard
requirement for customers if only for "check-list
compliance".
At this point in the
meeting, a motion from the floor was offered. It read:
"Move that 802.3 WG
withdraw the IEEE P802.3ar PAR and return it to NESCOM, by authorizing the WG
chair to fill out the appropriate form and presenting it to 802
EC"
After some debate, a
motion to postpone consideration (of the prior motion) until the November 2006
plenary was approved (Y: 38, N: 5, A: 3).
- -
-
The observation was
made that the motions to approve the revised TF objectives and revised criteria
received a large number of abstentions. It was pointed out that if 802.3ar has
any chance of proceeding, it should focus on educating those who abstained
during this meeting.
(I will cover the
discussion on the September interim meeting in a separate
post.)
Kevin
Daines
Chair, P802.3ar
TF