diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'doc/rfc/rfc781.txt')
-rw-r--r-- | doc/rfc/rfc781.txt | 98 |
1 files changed, 98 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/doc/rfc/rfc781.txt b/doc/rfc/rfc781.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..13f1d06 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/rfc/rfc781.txt @@ -0,0 +1,98 @@ +RFC 781 Zaw-Sing Su + SRI + May 1981 + + +A SPECIFICATION OF THE INTERNET PROTOCOL (IP) TIMESTAMP OPTION + + + + + +I. INTRODUCTION + + Packet switching is store-and-forward by nature. Network delay is a +therefore a critical performance measure for packet-switching communications. +A catenet is a system of packet-switched communication networks interconnected +via gateways [Cerf 78]. The catenet "link" delays are thus variable. Their +measurement, the measurement of delays across member networks of a catenet, +becomes important for catenet investigations. + + An effective way to measure catenet delays is by means of packet header +timestamping. Header timestamping allows monitoring of catenet delays for +user traffic, such as the case of Ft. Bragg users accessing ISID across the +catenet. Packet header timestamping is also compatible with the use of test +packets for catenet delay measurement. Another advantage of header +timestamping is that since it is an IP option, the gateway imposes little +difference in the treatment of such a packet. In this note, a specification +of the timestamp option format for IP is presented. + + Measurement of one-way delay, either end-to-end or across an individual +network, requires that device clocks be synchronized, using such facilities as +WWVB clocks [Mills 81]. This specification assumes this capability in the +gateways and involved network hosts. + + +II. FORMAT SPECIFICATION + + As an IP option, the contents of the first two octets are dictated by the +IP header format to be option type and option length in octets [Postel 80]. +The next two octets are used to control this option. + + + 0 7 15 23 31 + +---------------+---------------+---------------+---------------+ + | type | length | offset |overflw| flags | + +---------------+---------------+---------------+---------------+ + | internet ID | + +---------------+---------------+---------------+---------------+ + | time stamp | + +---------------+---------------+---------------+---------------+ + . + . + . + + + + + option type = 68 decimal (i.e., option class = 2 and option number = 4); + + option length = the number of octets with a maximum of 40 (limited by + IHL = 15); + + offset = the number of octets from the beginning of this option to the + end of timestamps (i.e., the beginning of space for next + timestamp). It is set to one, an odd number, when no more + space remains in the header for timestamps; + + overflow = the number of IP modules that cannot register timestamps due + to lack of space; + + flag = 0 -- time stamps only + 1 -- each timestamp is preceded with internet ID of the + registering entity + 3 -- the internet ID fields are prespecified. An IP module only + registers its timestamp if it matches its own ID with the + next specified internet ID; + + internet ID = ID for the timestamping device; + + timestamp = a right-justified, 32-bit timestamp in milliseconds modulo + 24 hours from midnight UT. + + The timestamp option is not copied upon fragmentation. It is carried in +the first fragment. + + +REFERENCES + +[Cerf 78] Cerf, V., "The Catenet Model for Internetworking," Defense + Advanced Research Projects Agency, Information Processing + Techniques Office, IEN 48, July 1978. + +[Mills 81] Mills, D.L., "DCNET Internet Clock Service," RFC 778, COMSAT + Laboratories, April 1981. + +[Postel 80] Postel, J. (ed.), "DoD Standard Transport Internet Protocol," + Defense Advanced Reseach Projects Agency, Information Processing + Techniques Office, RFC 760, IEN 128, January 1980. |