The Identifier-Locator Network Protocol (ILNP) is a
network protocol
A communication protocol is a system of rules that allows two or more entities of a communications system to transmit information via any variation of a physical quantity. The protocol defines the rules, syntax, semantics, and synchronization of ...
that divides the two functions of
network address
A network address is an identifier for a node or host on a telecommunications network. Network addresses are designed to be unique identifiers across the network, although some networks allow for local, private addresses, or locally administere ...
es, namely the identification of network endpoints, and assisting
routing
Routing is the process of selecting a path for traffic in a Network theory, network or between or across multiple networks. Broadly, routing is performed in many types of networks, including circuit-switched networks, such as the public switched ...
, by separating topological information from node identity.
ILNP is backwards-compatible with existing Internet Protocol functions, and is incrementally deployable.
ILNP has an architecture with two different instantiations. ILNPv4 is ILNP engineered to work as a set of IPv4 extensions, while ILNPv6 has a set of IPv6 extensions.
At least three independent open-source implementations of ILNPv6 exist.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews (, ; abbreviated as St And in post-nominals) is a public university in St Andrews, Scotland. It is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, oldest of the four ancient universities of Scotland and, f ...
(Scotland) has a prototype in Linux/x86 and FreeBSD/x86, while Tsinghua U. (China) has a prototype in Linux/x86. The
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews (, ; abbreviated as St And in post-nominals) is a public university in St Andrews, Scotland. It is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, oldest of the four ancient universities of Scotland and, f ...
ILNP group is led by Prof. Saleem Bhatti. Other academics involved in continuing research include Ryo Yanagida, Samuel J. Ivey and Gregor Haywood.
In February 2011, the IRTF Routing Research Group (RRG) Chairs recommended that the IETF standardise ILNP () as the preferred evolutionary direction for IPv6.
RFC specifications
* – ILNP Architectural Description
* – ILNP Engineering Considerations
* – DNS Resource Records for ILNP
* – ICMPv6 Locator Update Message for ILNPv6
* – IPv6 Nonce Destination Option for ILNPv6
* – ICMP Locator Update for IPv4
* – IPv4 Options for ILNPv4
* – Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) for ILNPv4
* – Optional Advanced Deployment Scenarios for ILNP
See also
*
Host Identity Protocol
The Host Identity Protocol (HIP) is a host identification technology for use on Internet Protocol (IP) networks, such as the Internet. The Internet has two main name spaces, IP addresses and the Domain Name System. HIP separates the end-point ide ...
*
Locator/Identifier Separation Protocol
Locator/ID Separation Protocol (LISP) () is a "map-and-encapsulate" protocol which is developed by the Internet Engineering Task Force LISP Working Group. The basic idea behind the separation is that the Internet architecture combines two functio ...
*
Mobile IP
Mobile IP (or MIP) is an Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) standard communications protocol that is designed to allow mobile device users to move from one network to another while maintaining a permanent IP address. Mobile IP for IPv4 is descr ...
*
Proxy Mobile IPv6
References
External links
* Recommendations for a Routing Architecture ()
IRTF Routing Research Group (RRG) ILNP Projecta
University of St Andrews(Scotland)
{{IPv6
Internet architecture
Multihoming
Internet protocols
Internet layer protocols
Network layer protocols