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RE: Gen-art LC review: draft-ietf-6lo-dect-ule-08

2016-12-20 06:27:00
Hi Robert,

Thanks for your clarification of normative references to work in progress. 

I would prefer to keep the reference as in the updated version -09: 

"The FPs in such a scenario should behave as Backbone
   Routers (6BBR) as defined in [I-D.ietf-6lo-backbone-router]."

Are you OK with that?

Best regards,
  Jens

-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Sparks [mailto:rjsparks(_at_)nostrum(_dot_)com] 
Sent: 17. december 2016 00:31
To: Jens Toftgaard Petersen <jtp(_at_)rtx(_dot_)dk>; General Area Review Team 
<gen-art(_at_)ietf(_dot_)org>; ietf(_at_)ietf(_dot_)org; 
6lo(_at_)ietf(_dot_)org; draft-ietf-6lo-dect-ule(_dot_)all(_at_)ietf(_dot_)org
Subject: Re: Gen-art LC review: draft-ietf-6lo-dect-ule-08

Just one comment at the end:


On 12/15/16 4:04 PM, Jens Toftgaard Petersen wrote:
Hi Robert,

Many thanks for your review. See my comments and answers inline below.

Best regards,
   Jens

-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Sparks [mailto:rjsparks(_at_)nostrum(_dot_)com]
Sent: 28. november 2016 21:22
To: General Area Review Team <gen-art(_at_)ietf(_dot_)org>; 
ietf(_at_)ietf(_dot_)org; 
6lo(_at_)ietf(_dot_)org; draft-ietf-6lo-dect-ule(_dot_)all(_at_)ietf(_dot_)org
Subject: Gen-art LC review: draft-ietf-6lo-dect-ule-08

I am the assigned Gen-ART reviewer for this draft. The General Area Review 
Team (Gen-ART) reviews all IETF documents being processed by the IESG for the 
IETF Chair.  Please treat these comments just like any other last call 
comments.

For more information, please see the FAQ at

<http://wiki.tools.ietf.org/area/gen/trac/wiki/GenArtfaq>.

Document: draft-ietf-6lo-dect-ule-08
Reviewer: Robert Sparks
Review Date: 28 Nov 2016
IETF LC End Date: 02 Dec 2016
IESG Telechat date: 15 Dec 2016

Summary: Ready with nits

Nits/editorial comments:

First, forgive me, but I need to grumble a little bit:

The way this document approaches standardization makes me very uncomfortable.
The language is passive and relies on inference to the point that it risks 
being vague. If this review were earlier in the document's life-cycle, I 
would strongly suggest a complete restructure focusing on explicitly 
specifying what the implementation is supposed to do.

But, the document has had several reviewers who didn't trip up on this point, 
and the working group believes it is implementable, so I'm going to set that 
aside and provide some concrete suggestions for removing some nits from the 
existing text.

In document order:

1) In section 2.1 "This draft defines 6LoPAN as one of the possible protocols 
to negotiate". That's not what this draft appears to do. Rather, it defines 
behavior once this 6LoPAN over DECT ULE has been negotiated. Some other 
document is defining the negotiation. I suggest replacing the sentence with 
"[TS102.939-1] defines this negotiation and specifies an Application Protocol 
Identifier of 0x06 for 6LowPAN. This document defines the behavior of that 
Application Protocol".

[Jens]: Very good comment and suggested wording. Is implemented in 
revision -09

2) The "not recommended" in the last sentence of 2.3 looks like it 
should be a
2119 keyword (NOT RECOMMENDED). Similarly, the "shall" in the last sentence 
of the first paragraph of 2.4 looks like it should be a SHALL (consider using 
MUST instead).

[Jens]: I agree. Is implemented in revision -09

3) At the mention of LOWPAN_IPHC in the second paragraph of 2.4, consider 
referencing RFC6282. It's not clear what the sentence is really trying to 
convey, though. "all the requirements" is very vague - can you point to a 
specific requirement list somewhere? "It is expected" implies that you 
believe there's a chance that it might fail. Could the sentence be removed 
(you cover this in 3.2) or be replaced with a more direct statement?

[Jens]: Agreed, is covered in section 3.2. Will be removed in revision 
-09

4) In the first section of 3.1 you have "The PP MUST be pageable".
Interestingly, the word "pageable" does not yet appear anywhere in the RFC 
series. Please add a reference into the ETSI docs that will lead the reader 
to a definition.

[Jens]: I don't think we have definition of the term we can refer to. Will 
change to an explanatory wording in revision -09.

5) In the last paragraph of 3.2 (before 3.2.1), third sentence, you 
introduce using the multi-link subnet approach. Please either add a 
reference to
RFC4903
here, or point forward to section 3.3.

[Jens]: A reference to RF4903 added in revision -09

6) In section 3.2.1, third paragraph, you say addresses are derived "similar 
to the guidance of [RFC4291]. I don't believe that is sufficient. Perhaps you 
should say "following the guidance in Appendix A of [RFC4291]"?

[Jens]: Yes, your suggestion is more accurate. Will be done revision -09.

7) The last paragraph of 3.3 says "The FPs operation role in such scenario 
are rather like Backbone Routers (6BBR) than 6LBR, as per 
[I-D.ietf-6lo-backbone-router]." Is this trying to _specify_ the behavior of 
the FP in this scenario? If not, it's unclear what the sentence is trying to 
accomplish. If so, then the sentence should be "The FPs in such a scenario 
behave as Backbone Routers (6BBR) as defined in 
[I-D.ietf-6lo-backbone-router]." And that reference should be normative, 
rather than informative.

[Jens]: I agree the wording is bit vague, but I believe we cannot 
refer to work in progress [I-D.ietf-6lo-backbone-router] in a 
normative way. I will tightening the wording revision -09
You _can_ refer normatively to a work in progress (and I think it may still be 
the right thing to do here). The consequence is that this document would stay 
in the RFC Editor's queue in a state known as MISSREF (for missing reference) 
until the referenced document was approved for publication as an RFC. You can 
see examples of this at work on https://www.rfc-editor.org/current_queue.php.