Suggestions and Comments for 802.11S Functional Requirements and Scope Document

October 11, 2004doc.: IEEE 802.11-04/1174xxxxR0

IEEE P802.11
Wireless LANs

Suggestions and Comments for 802.11s Functional Requirements and Scope Document

Date:October 11, 2004

Author:W. Steven Conner
Intel Corporation
2111 NE 25th Ave, Hillsboro, OR 97124, USA
Phone: +1 503 264 8036
e-Mail:

Abstract

This document provides suggestions and comments for evolving document 11-04/0970r4 into the Functional Requirements and Scope document for 802.11s. The remainder of this document is based on document 11-04/0970r4 and includes redline edits for proposed discussion during the October 13, 2004 Task Group s teleconference.

IEEE P802.11
Wireless LANs

Proposed Draft 802.11 TGs Functional Requirements and Scope

Date:September October 2511, 2004

Authors[sc1]:

Abstract

This document proposes specifies the minimum functional requirements and scope scope for ESS Mesh Networking mechanisms to be defined by 802.11 TGs. as one of the activities to be undertaken by 802.11 TGs ESS Mesh Network Architecture Framework Ad Hoc team.

Table of Contents

Document Version History

1Introduction

1.1Document Purpose

2Categories for Organization of Functional Requirements and Scope

3Minimum Functional Requirements

4Scope Clarification Organized by Functional Categories for TGs

4.1Mesh Topology Learning, Routing, and Forwarding (TOPO_RT_FWD)

4.2Mesh Security (SECURITY)

4.3Mesh Measurement (MEAS)

4.4Mesh Discovery and Association (DISC_ASSOC)

4.5Mesh Medium Access Coordination (MAC)

Compatibility to

4.6802.11 Distributoin System Services (DSS_CMP)

4.7Mesh Interworking (INTRWRK)

4.8Mesh RF Resource Control and Management (RFCTL_MGMT)

5References

APPENDIX- A

A.1 Key Highlevel Requirements Derived from PAR and Others

A.2. 1 Compatibility

A.2. 2 Distinct Identity

A.2. 3 Technical Feasibility

A.2. 4 Economic Feasibility

A.2. 5 Marketing Requirments Considerations Based on Five Criteria

1Document Version History...... 3

2Working Notes and Issues...... 3

3Introduction...... 3

4Document Purpose...... 3

5802.11 TGs PAR Summary...... 3

5.1Scope of Proposed Project...... 3

5.2Purpose of Proposed Project...... 4

5.3Additional Explanatory Notes...... 4

6Key Highlevel Requirements Derived from PAR and Others...... 4

7Areas of System Functions Derived from PAR...... 6

8Proposed Scope Based on System Functional Areas for ESS Mesh Standard Development.7

8.1802.11 Service Integration...... 7

8.2Mesh RF Resource Control and Management...... 8

8.3Mesh Security...... 8

8.4Auto Discovery and Topology Learning...... 9

8.5Mesh Routing and Forwarding...... 10

8.6Mesh Medium Access Coordination and Flow Control...... 10

9Conclusion...... 11

A.1. 1 Compatibility...... 12

A.1. 2 Distinct Identity...... 12

A.1. 3 Technical Feasibility...... 12

A.1. 4 Economic Feasibility...... 12

A.1. 5 Marketing Requirments Considerations Based on Five Criteria...... 12

List of Figures

Figure 1: Scope Considerations by 802.11 TGs

Figure 1: Scope Considerations by 802.11 TGs...... 6

Figure 2: Highlevel view on the System Functions Interactions...... 7

List of Tables

Table 1: Functional Categories for TGs

Table 2: Minimum Functional Requirements for TGs

Table 3: Key Highlevel Technical Requirements from PAR and cross reference to Five Criteria

Table 4: Additional Highlevel Technical Requirements NOT Directly from the PAR

Table 5: Key Highlevel Marketing Requirements Considerations from Five Criteria

Table 1: Key Highlevel Technical Requirements from PAR and cross reference to Five Criteria...... 5

Table 2: Additional Highlevel Technical Requirements NOT Directly from the PAR...... 5

Table 3: Mandatory System Functional Areas According to TGs PAR...... 6

Table 4: Key Highlevel Marketing Requirements Considerations from Five Criteria...... 12

Document Version History

11-04-0970-00-000s-scope (08/24/04)

• First draft document generated by the TGs Network Architecture Framework Ad Hoc group to derive the highlevel requirements from IEEE 802.11 ESS Mesh PAR (11-04/054) and the key functional areas.

11-04-0970-04-000s-scope (09/25/04)

• Updated draft based on Sept04 TGs Berlin Interim Meeting ad-hoc group face-to-face discussion

1Working Notes and Issues

21 Introduction

1.1 Document Purpose

This document specifies the minimum functional requirements that must be addressed by the first draft specification of IEEE 802.11 Task Group s. This document defines the scope of the efforts undertaken by TGs. It indicates which aspects of standards develop are or are not considered by the TGs effort as follows:

In-scope – aspects that will be considered, addressed, or affected by TGs

Out-of-scope – aspects that will not be considered or addressed by TGs

Unaffected – aspects that may co-exist with TGs, but will be unaffected, or essentially preserved, by TGs

To-be-determined – aspects which are, as yet, TBD (to-be-determined) with respect to TGs

This document defines the scopeIt also defines the scope of the efforts undertaken by and requirements for TGs. , iIt indicates which aspects of standards developed will, or will not, be addressed inby the TGs proposed standard recommendations.

This document is a working document that presents a “best estimate” proposal summary for the minimum functional requirements and scope and functional requirements of TGs, but which will also evolve and be updated as the TGs effort progresses.

3Document Purpose

The most important objectives of this document are to:

1)Clarify the scope and the set of system functions that are based on the PAR of the 802.11 ESS Mesh

2)Agree on the interpretation of the PAR, and define the list of functional requirements that are within the scope of development

The results of these activities should produce the following set of documents from this ad-hoc team:

-High-level TGs Network Architecture Framework and Reference Model and detailed system requirements

-Comparision and Selection Criteria on TGs proposals

-PICs Areas

Just as important as it is for the TGs to agree on the scope, it is necessary for TGs to clarify and to agree on the set of system functions that are considered as Out-of-scope, Unaffected and To-be-determined so that the members of the TGs can focus to develop proposals that will be evaluated based on the same set of criteria.

[sc2]

4802.11 TGs PAR Summary

4.1Scope of Proposed Project

To develop an IEEE 802.11 Extended Service Set (ESS) Mesh* with an IEEE 802.11 Wireless Distribution System (WDS) using the IEEE 802.11 MAC/PHY layers that supports both broadcast/multicast and unicast delivery over self-configuring multi-hop topologies.

4.2Purpose of Proposed Project

The IEEE 802.11-1999 (2003 edition) standard provides a four-address frame format for exchanging data packets between APs for the purpose of creating a Wireless Distribution System (WDS), but does not define how to configure or use a WDS. The purpose of the project is to provide a protocol for auto-configuring paths between APs over self-configuring multi-hop topologies in a WDS to support both broadcast/multicast and unicast traffic in an ESS Mesh using the four-address frame format or extensions.

4.3Additional Explanatory Notes

Scope of the Project: An IEEE 802.11 Extended Sevice Set (ESS) Mesh* is a collection of APs interconnected with wireless links that enable automatic topology learning and dynamic path configuration.

The proposed amendment shall be an extension to the IEEE 802.11 MAC. The amendment will define an architecture and protocol for providing an IEEE 802.11 ESS Mesh using the IEEE 802.11 MAC to create an IEEE 802.11 Wireless Distribution System that supports both broadcast/multicast and unicast delivery at the MAC layer using radio-aware metrics over self-configuring multi-hop topologies. An ESS Mesh is functionally equivalent to a wired ESS, with respect to the STAs relationship with the BSS and ESS.

The amendment shall enable interoperable formation and operation of an ESS Mesh, but shall be extensible to allow for alternative path selection metrics and/or protocols based on application requirements. A target configuration is up to 32 devices participating as AP forwarders in the ESS Mesh. However, larger configurations may also be contemplated by the standard. It is intended that the architecture defined by the amendment shall allow an ESS Mesh to interface with higher layers and to connect with other networks using higher layer protocols.

The amendment shall utilize IEEE 802.11i security mechanisms, or an extension thereof, for the purpose of securing an ESS Mesh in which all of the APs are controlled by a single logical administrative entity for security. The amendment shall allow the use of one or more IEEE 802.11 radios on each AP in the ESS Mesh.

[sc3]

2 Categories for Organization of Functional Requirements and Scope

The following table includes a list of system functional categories that are relevant for IEEE 802.11s ESS Mesh Networking, and will be covered by the functional requirements and scope descriptions in this document.

Table 1: Functional Categories for TGs

5Key Highlevel Requirements Derived from PAR and Others

The following table explains the key highlevel requirements of the TGs scope, in terms of technical and other considerations, that are derived from the IEEE 802.11 TGs PAR and also cross reference to the Five Criteria as well as to the 802.11 standards. The information of these tables are used as the basis to derive the key highlevel technical requirements of the scope that is used to develop the draft 802.11 amendments for ESS Mesh networking specification by TGs. The figure below is to capture the considerations of the scope that needs to be addressed by the TGs.

Table 1: Key Highlevel Technical Requirements from PAR and cross reference to Five Criteria

Table 2: Additional Highlevel Technical Requirements NOT Directly from the PAR

Figure 1: Scope Considerations by 802.11 TGs

6Areas of System Functions Derived from PAR

Based on the highlevel requirements that were extracted from previous section, this following table summarizes the list of system functions that IEEE 802.11s ESS Mesh standard MUST address.

Table 3: Mandatory System Functional Areas According to TGs PAR

The following figure captures the highlevel view of these system functions and their possible dependency and interactions.

Figure 2: Highlevel view on the System Functions Interactions

[sc4]

3 Minimum Functional Requirements

The following table defines the minimum functional requirements that must be addressed by the first draft specification of IEEE 802.11 Task Group s. A proposal submitted for consideration to 802.11 TGs and declared to be complete is required to meet the functional requirements defined in this table. A partial proposal may meet some of the requirements stated here.

Table 2: Minimum Functional Requirements for TGs

74 Proposed Scope Clarification Organized by Functional Categories[sc5] for TGsBased on System Functional Areas for ESS Mesh Standard Development

This document defines the scope of the efforts undertaken by TGs. It indicates which aspects of standards develop are or are not considered by the TGs effort as follows:

• In-scope – aspects that will be considered, addressed, or affected by TGs
• Out-of-scope – aspects that will not be considered or addressed by TGs
• Unaffected – aspects that may co-exist with TGs, but will be unaffected, or essentially preserved, by TGs
• To-be-determined – aspects which are, as yet, TBD (to-be-determined) with respect to TGs

The focus of this section is to clarify the areas of functionality that will or will not be considered by TGs. This is intended to provide additional informative guidelines for proposals. This section does not attempt to further prioritize the “in-scope” functions. Labeling of individual features as mandatory or optional will be done as a later step.

7.14.1 Mesh Topology Learning, Routing, and Forwarding (TOPO_RT_FWD)

The following captures the scope of ESS Mesh multi-hop routing and frame forwarding support that is addressedto be considered by TGs:

[Editor Note: More info is expected to be provided by the Routing ad-hoc team.]

• Mesh topology discovery, including MP and MAP neighbor discovery within an ESS Mesh

• Layer2 mesh routing protocols and algorithms

• Layer2 mesh broadcast/multicast and unicast data delivery

• Architecture to support alternative routing protocols and metrics

• Mesh routing with single-radio devices

• Mesh routing with multiple-radio devices

• Routing topology synchronization to support multicast, broadcast and unicast data delivery over multi-hop

• Use of Rradio- awared route selectioning metrics

• QoS-based route selectionAlternative routing

• Proactive routing

• On-demand routing

• Hybrid routing

• MP and MAP neighbor discovery within an ESS Mesh via passive scanning

• MP and MAP neighbor discovery within an ESS Mesh via active scanning

• Peer-to-peer mesh link adjacency

• Layer-3 mesh routing protocols

7.24.2 Mesh Security (SECURITY)

The following captures the scope of system security functions that are required to be addressedto be considered by the TGs: