Sept 2005
doc.: IEEE 802.11-05/0940r0
Thoughts on the 802.1AM PAR
Date: 2005-09-19
Authors:
Name
Company
Address
Darwin Engwer
Nortel
4655 Great America +1-408-495Pkwy, Santa Clara
7099
CA
Phone
email
dengwer@nortel.com
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Submission
Slide 1
Darwin Engwer, Nortel
Sept 2005
doc.: IEEE 802.11-05/0940r0
Abstract
“I've flown from one side of the network to the other. I've
seen a lot of strange stuff, but I've never seen anything
to make me believe there's one all-powerful force that
can control everything.”
Submission
Slide 2
Darwin Engwer, Nortel
Sept 2005
doc.: IEEE 802.11-05/0940r0
The field is very broad
• A: not clear whether 802.1AM will address over-the-air
mgmt or over-the-backhaul network mgmt, or both
– poor scope definition in in the 802.1AM PAR
• B: Technical feasibility is greatly in question
Submission
Slide 3
Darwin Engwer, Nortel
Sept 2005
doc.: IEEE 802.11-05/0940r0
Technical Feasibility
• over-the-air management
• over-the-backhaul network management
Submission
Slide 4
Darwin Engwer, Nortel
Sept 2005
doc.: IEEE 802.11-05/0940r0
over-the-air "management”
• there is no common framework for over-the-air
"management" between different RF technologies
(within 802.11 let alone within 802)
• it is not viable bcus the devices operate in difference
frequency bands using different modulation types and
no single radio can (simultaneously) operate across all
those bands/ modulation types.
• perhaps a SDR could perhaps do something in this
regard by altering it's operational mode over time. But
doing so on the fly is [today] impossible.
– needs to be real-time to address temporal aspects of the issue
Submission
Slide 5
Darwin Engwer, Nortel
Sept 2005
doc.: IEEE 802.11-05/0940r0
over-the-air "management” (cont’d)
• well, unless you have a universal wideband transceiver.
• maybe this is a "subspace" communication [vs. today’s
"ether" space communications] and we don't know
how to do that today
– subspace communication would need to occur outside space and
time; currently that is only science fiction
• hence my updated position is not that over-the-air
"management” is impossible, but that the fundamental
support technologies required to make it work don't yet
exist.
Submission
Slide 6
Darwin Engwer, Nortel
Sept 2005
doc.: IEEE 802.11-05/0940r0
over-the-backhaul network management
• there is no common framework for over-the-backhaul
network management between different types of RF
networks
• the backhaul networks are different types, and are not
interconnected
• even if they were interconnected they are likely in
different administrative domains
– e.g. the hotel network is isolated from the 802 meeting net
• even if not isolated; which network has higher
authority?
– e.g. hotel net does what our network tells it to do or vice versa?
Submission
Slide 7
Darwin Engwer, Nortel
Sept 2005
doc.: IEEE 802.11-05/0940r0
over-the-backhaul network management
(cont’d)
• further, some RF network types have no backhaul
component at all (e.g. 802.15 and 802.11 IBSS/ ad hoc
networks)
Submission
Slide 8
Darwin Engwer, Nortel
Sept 2005
doc.: IEEE 802.11-05/0940r0
Summary
• Feasibility remains in question
– this is not addressed by the 802.1AM PAR
– not yet responded to by 802.1
– therefore the question remains open
• could be addressed by a supporting document if space in the PAR
document is unduly constrained
• Value proposition is also unclear
– i.e. what is the value or benefit vs. the required effort?
Submission
Slide 9
Darwin Engwer, Nortel
Sept 2005
Submission
doc.: IEEE 802.11-05/0940r0
Slide 10
Darwin Engwer, Nortel
Sept 2005
Submission
doc.: IEEE 802.11-05/0940r0
Slide 11
Darwin Engwer, Nortel
Sept 2005
doc.: IEEE 802.11-05/0940r0
Q &A
• Q: Is there a useful partial solution?
– because RF is a shared medium, solving part of the problem
essentially doesn't solve the problem
– a partial solution would be like arranging things so you can be
partially not pregnant
• I'm an optimist so I won't say that's impossible
• but any partial proposal should indicate how it will avoid
the "9 month surprise"
Submission
Slide 12
Darwin Engwer, Nortel
Sept 2005
doc.: IEEE 802.11-05/0940r0
References
• 11-05-0892-01-0wng-dot1am-work-sizing.xls
• 11-05-0907-00-0wng-dot1am-management-plane.ppt
• 11-05-0908-00-0wng-dot1am-management-par-5c.doc
Submission
Slide 13
Darwin Engwer, Nortel