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tmux-minutes-93nov.txt
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1994-02-23
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CURRENT_MEETING_REPORT_
Reported by Jim Barnes/Xylogics
Minutes of the TCP Multiplexing BOF (TMUX)
Agenda
o Introduction
o How we got here
o TMux Overview and implementation experience
o Issues from the mailing list
o What now
Peter Cameron presented a short overview of the TMux protocol and gave a
summary of the implementation experiences to date. TMux has been
implemented in Unix System V.4 streams and BSD 4.3 systems. The total
number of implementations to date is six. Peter noted that since the
interface between the IP and TCP layers is not well defined,
implementing a portable TMux module can be difficult. A problem with
FTP traffic was also noted when there was a single FTP session. The
implementations of TMux now do not attempt to multiplex FTP traffic.
Only Telnet and Rlogin data is multiplexed now.
The results from some performance tests simulating multiple Telnet
sessions were reviewed. The following discussion resulted in requests
for additional performance information including perceived response
times for TMux versus non-TMux situations. Peter took the action item
to send additional performance numbers to the mailing list.
After the presentation, a general discussion followed. The following
significant points were raised:
o Since we want to prevent intermediate nodes from fragmenting and
reconstructing TMux frames, the ``do not fragment'' flag should be
set.
o The document needs to include an applicability statement.
o If the TMux implementation begins to see timeouts with exactly one
datagram in the packet (that is, there is little traffic to
multiplex), TMux should be turned off.
o A packet with the IP OPTIONS field is not a candidate for
multiplexing with TMux.
o Check the test implementations to make sure everything that was
done to overcome an implementation problem is reflected in the
draft document.
Discussion then moved on to consider specific points raised on the
mailing list.
o Length field: The consensus is that the length field should be 16
bits.
o Checksums: After considerable discussion, no real consensus was
reached, so the checksum field will stay in.
A lengthy message from Don Eastlake was posted to the mailing list just
before the BOF. The issues raised and the consensus reached during the
BOF were as follows:
o The document is too terminal server centric. The consensus of the
BOF attendees was that TMux was a simple solution for a very
specific problem. The problem definition should remain tightly
focussed.
o Type of Service concerns. TMux should ensure that all datagrams
within the multiplexed packet have the same TOS.
o Broadcast packets. Only unicast addresses should be allowed.
o Larger limit on the maximum size of TMux datagrams. The maximum
size of 30 will be replaced with information gained during
implementation. This max datagram size probably should be
configurable.
o Use TMux only in congested situations. Agreed.
o The section on security needs clarification. Agreed.
The attendees were asked if there were any blocking issues that would
prevent TMux from being put on the standards track. No one raised any
such issue and the consensus was that TMux could be recommended to the
IESG for further action.
Attendees
Steve Alexander stevea@lachman.com
Jim Barnes barnes@xylogics.com
David Borman dab@cray.com
Peter Cameron cameron@xylint.co.uk
Lida Carrier lida@apple.com
Alan Clegg abc@concert.net
David Crocker dcrocker@mordor.stanford.edu
Chuck de Sostoa chuckd@cup.hp.com
Marc Hasson marc@mentat.com
Jeff Hilgeman jeffh@apertus.com
William Kwan kwan@rabbit.com
David Lapp lapp@waterloo.hp.com
Walter Lazear lazear@gateway.mitre.org
Allison Mankin mankin@cmf.nrl.navy.mil
Matt Mathis mathis@psc.edu
Marjo Mercado marjo@cup.hp.com
William Palter palter@tgv.com
Kanan Shah kshah@cmf.nrl.navy.mil
Kitty Shih kmshih@novell.com
Hoe Trinh htrinh@vnet.ibm.com
John Vollbrecht jrv@merit.edu
Walter Wimer walter.wimer@andrew.cmu.edu
Weiping Zhao zhao@nacsis.ac.jp