Network Working Group B. Leiner Request for Comments: 1560 USRA Category: Informational Y. Rekhter IBM December 1993 The MultiProtocol Internet Status of this Memo This memo provides information for the Internet community. This memo does not specify an Internet standard of any kind. Distribution of this memo is unlimited. Abstract This document was prepared by the authors on behalf of the Internet Architecture Board (IAB). It is offered by the IAB to stimulate discussion. There has recently been considerable discussion on two topics: MultiProtocol approaches in the Internet and the selection of a next generation Internet Protocol. This document suggests a strawman position for goals and approaches for the IETF/IESG/IAB in these areas. It takes the view that these two topics are related, and proposes directions for the IETF/IESG/IAB to pursue. In particular, it recommends that the IETF/IESG/IAB should continue to be a force for consensus on a single protocol suite and internet layer protocol. The IETF/IESG/IAB should: - maintain its focus on the TCP/IP protocol suite, - work to select a single next-generation internet protocol and develop mechanisms to aid in transition from the current IPv4, and - continue to explore mechanisms to interoperate and share resources with other protocol suites within the Internet. 1. Introduction The major purpose of the Internet is to enable ubiquitous communication services between endpoints. In a very real way, the Internet IS inter-enterprise networking. Therefore, the issue of multiprotocol Internet is not just the issue of multiple network layers, but the issue of multiple comparable services implemented Internet Architecture Board [Page 1] RFC 1560 The MultiProtocol Internet December 1993 over different protocols. The issue of multiprotocol Internet is multidimensional and should be analyzed with respect to two simultaneous principles: - It is desirable to have a single protocol stack. The community should try to avoid unconstrained proliferation of various protocol stacks. - In reality there will always be more than one protocol stack. Presence of multiple network layers is just one of the corollaries of this observation, as even within a single protocol stack, forces of evolution of that stack will lead to periods of multiple protocols. We need to develop mechanisms that maximize the services that can be provided across all the protocol stacks (multiprotocol Internet). 2. Background and Context 2.1. The MultiProtocol Evolutionary Process In an IAB architectural retreat held in 1991 [Cla91], a dynamic view of the process of multiprotocol integration and accommodation was described, based on the figure below. --------------- -------------- ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Interop- ! ! Primary ! >>>>>>>>>>> ! erability !>>>>> ! Protocol ! ! ! v ! Suite ! -------------- v ! ! v ! ! v ! ! -------------- v ! ! ! ! v ! ! >>>>>>>>>>> ! Resource ! v ! ! ! Sharing !>>>>v ! ! ! ! v --------------- -------------- v ^ v ^ -------------- v ^ ! ! v <<<<<<