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Re: [EFM] OAM loop back / echo server function



Seto-

At 07:52 AM 9/6/01 +0900, you wrote:

[Date: 09/06/2001  From Seto]

Geoff,

Thanks for your comments. 

>I agree with this goal.
>I agree that it should not require IP.
>I don't think that means that it needs to be done in MAC Control (but I am
>certainly open to discussion)

I agree whether we should do it in MAC control is something we
should discuss.  ;-)

>This brings up the much uglier issue of discovery, also a topic that has
>always been outside the scope of 802.3.
>If there is going to be a bridge or router at the demarc then there will
>have to be a discovery process that effectively logs the MAC address into
>the service provider's system. The service provider won't be able to
>Ping/Echo the box until it knows the MAC address.

I disagree with your presumption that service provider need to
know the MAC address of each demarc.  I'm thinking of a frame
with 802.1 reserved DA like a 802.3x pause frame.  This frame
should not be forwarded by a bridge.  This frame should be
ignored by a MAC which does support this L2 ping.  This frame
should be used only in P2P networks defined for EFM networks
including P2P emulated EPON.

I don't think this is one that we are going to solve on casual mail discussions.
There are tradeoffs between the local testing that MAC control provides vs the general capability. I don't think a service provider is going to get very far without knowing the MAC address of subscriber anyway.
I think this one goes on the issues list.

 

Seto

Best regards,

Geoff