diff options
author | Thomas Voss <mail@thomasvoss.com> | 2024-11-27 20:54:24 +0100 |
---|---|---|
committer | Thomas Voss <mail@thomasvoss.com> | 2024-11-27 20:54:24 +0100 |
commit | 4bfd864f10b68b71482b35c818559068ef8d5797 (patch) | |
tree | e3989f47a7994642eb325063d46e8f08ffa681dc /doc/rfc/rfc940.txt | |
parent | ea76e11061bda059ae9f9ad130a9895cc85607db (diff) |
doc: Add RFC documents
Diffstat (limited to 'doc/rfc/rfc940.txt')
-rw-r--r-- | doc/rfc/rfc940.txt | 173 |
1 files changed, 173 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/doc/rfc/rfc940.txt b/doc/rfc/rfc940.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..17edde1 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/rfc/rfc940.txt @@ -0,0 +1,173 @@ + +Network Working Group GADS +Request for Comments: 940 + April 1985 + + Toward an Internet Standard Scheme for Subnetting + + +STATUS OF THIS MEMO + + This RFC discusses standardizing the protocol used in subnetted + environments in the ARPA-Internet. Distribution of this memo is + unlimited. + + The author of this RFC is the Gateway Algorithms and Data Structures + (GADS) Task Force, chaired by David L. Mills. + +INTRODUCTION + + Several sites now contain a complex of local links connected to the + Internet via a gateway. The details of the internal connectivity are + of little interest to the rest of the Internet. + + One way of organizing these local complexes of links is to use the + same strategy as the Internet uses to organize networks, that is, to + declare each link to be an entity (like a network) and to + interconnect the links with devices that perform routing functions + (like gateways). This general scheme is called subnetting, the + individual links are called subnets, and the connecting devices are + called subgateways (or bridges, or gateways). + + All hosts in the Internet must make a decision when sending a + datagram, that is, they must answer the question "Is this datagram + addressed to a host on a directly connected network, or must it be + sent to a gateway?". In a subnetted environment, this question is + extended to "Is this datagram addressed to a host on a directly + connected subnet, or must it be sent to a (sub)gateway?". Let us + call answering this question "making the routing decision". + + Because the hosts used in a subnetted environment must implement in + their IP or network interface software procedures for making the + routing decision, and because such hosts may be acquired from various + sources, it is important that a standard subnetting scheme be + identified so that different suppliers can provide compatible hosts + (that is, hosts compatible with the complexes at different sites and + each other). Without a designated standard for a subnetting scheme + suppliers can not create compatible hosts. + + The potential problem is that if different subnetting schemes are + developed by different suppliers a customer that installs hosts from + two or more suppliers may find that they do not work together. + + + +GADS [Page 1] + + + + +RFC 940 April 1985 +Toward an Internet Standard Scheme for Subnetting + + + This topic has been discussed in a set of RFCs [1,2,3,4] and in a + flurry of messages in the Gateway Algorithms and Data Structures Task + Force. It is strongly suggested that if subnetting is used at all, + it be according this new standard scheme. + +APPROACH + + An Internet address currently consists of a two-layer hierarchy, a + 'network' and a per-network 'rest' field. This subnet scheme adds an + optional 'subnet' layer and field. + + The subnet field is created by stealing some bits from the rest (or + host) field of the address. The details of the subnet field are site + specific. All three classes (A, B, and C) of networks may be + subnetted. + + The use of subnets is an optional local decision. The fact that a + network has subnets is invisible outside that network, and the change + is local and can be instituted at a site without any global Internet + perturbations. A complex of links is assigned a single IP network + number, and outside that complex it appears as a single network with + that number. Only inside does local structure appear. + + However, while the decision to use subnets at a site is optional, any + IP implementation which may possibly be used in a potentially + subnetted environment, should provide for subnet field configuration + as described above. Such an implementation will function properly in + environments with or without subnetting. On the other hand, + implementations lacking this provision will not function in a + subnetted environment, and are thus potentially less useful. + + This specifications is not intended to require a particular + implementation technique inside the host, but rather to define the + external behavior of the host in a subnetted environment. It does + not specify how routing is done or the details of host construction. + Note that gateways are hosts, too. + + However, it seems easiest to explain the approach by describing one + possible host implementation. + + Example Implementation: + + Let us use "subnet" to mean the locally attached transmission + medium. + + The key decision to be made is "Is the destination IP address + + + +GADS [Page 2] + + + + +RFC 940 April 1985 +Toward an Internet Standard Scheme for Subnetting + + + on my subnet or not?". Once this decision is made the host + knows to whether to send the datagram directly to the + destination on the subnet or to send the datagram to a gateway. + + The host uses a 32-bit mask, along with the host's own IP + address, to determine whether or not destination IP addresses + are on its subnet. + + The mask can be configured at boot time as a static quantity or + distributed by a protocol that is beyond the scope of this + memo. + + If the bitwise AND of the mask with the destination IP address + matches the bitwise AND of the mask with the host's own IP + address, the destination is assumed on its subnet; if not, the + destination is assumed on a subnet or network reachable only + via a gateway. + + Note: if the mask is all zeros, all destinations will appear + to be on this subnet; while, if the mask is all ones, only + the sending host itself will appear to be on this subnet. + If the mask contains ones in the network field and zeros in + the rest field, subnets are not in use. + + The above procedure must be treated as a per interface + procedure for multihomed hosts. + + For further information on background and rationale, see RFC-917, + "Internet Subnets" [1]. + +REFERENCES + + [1] Mogul, J., "Internet Subnets", RFC-917, Stanford University, + October 1984. + + [2] Postel, J., "Multi-LAN Address Resolution", RFC-925, + USC/Information Sciences Institute, October 1984. + + [3] Clark, D., "A Subnetwork Addressing Scheme", RFC-932, MIT LCS, + January 1985. + + [4] Karels, M., "Another Internet Subnet Addressing Scheme", + RFC-936, UC Berkeley, February 1985. + + + + + + +GADS [Page 3] + + |