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The IEEE 802.1™ Working Group
This Working Group develops standards and recommended practices for the
overall IEEE 802 LAN/MAN architecture; enables internetworking among IEEE 802
LANs and MANs, predominantly in the form of Bridging and VLAN standards; and
creates advanced protocol layers.<http://www.ieee802.org/1/>
 Revision of IEEE Std 802.1X
IEEE P802.1X-REV, the revision draft for IEEE 802.1X, has undergone its first
Sponsor Ballot and first recirculation; a small number of residual comments were
addressed during the July meeting of 802.1. Following a second recirculation
ballot during the July/August timeframe, the project should be submitted for
final approval in September 2004.
Extension to IEEE 803 VLAN Bridging Technology to
Support Service Provision
Work under the PAR, IEEE P802.1ad, "Provider Bridges,"
seeks to define the technology needed to support IEEE 802 VLAN technology in
service provision environments. Draft 3 of this project will be circulated
during the September/October timeframe for a further Task Group ballot.
Discovery Protocol
P802.1AB was issued for a first Sponsor Ballot in June; following resolution of ballot comments during our July
meeting, the next draft will be issued for a recirculation ballot in the next
few weeks. It is anticipated that this project will be submitted for final
approval in September 2004.
MAC Security
This project, P802.1AE, covers the work
necessary to define a secure frame format for LAN technologies. Work is
continuing with resolution of comments on the last Task Group ballot.
”Key Agreement”
This project, P802.1AF, extends
IEEE Std 802.1X (Port-based Network Access Control) to establish security
associations for 802.1AE MAC Security, and provide media access method
independent association discovery. The July meeting of 802.1 saw further
progress in developing the technical basis of the architecture and protocols
that will be defined in this project.
Connectivity
Fault Management
The PAR for Connectivity Fault Management has now been approved by the
Standards Board as a new project. Work is now under way to develop the Editor’s
draft to the point where a Task Group ballot can be issued.
Anticipated new
work
At our October interim meeting, it is anticipated that 802.1 will discuss
three potential new areas of work and will develop text for PARs for future
projects in these areas:
·
“Backbone”
Provider Bridges – aimed at improving the scaling properties of provider
bridged networks;
·
A
revised, “Vectorized” version of the GARP protocol and the two applications,
GVRP and GMRP, that make use of it. This revision is aimed at improved GARP
support for Provider Bridges;
·
A
new standard for “media conversion” devices – these devices would allow “Ethernet-like”
services provided over other bearer technologies to be conveniently
integrated into provider bridged networks.
Upcoming IEEE 802.1
Meetings:
* 4-7 October 2004, Interim Meeting in Ottawa, Canada.
* 15-19 November 2004 -- IEEE Plenary Meeting in San Antonio, USA
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