RE: COPS&COPS-PR -- PDP request for a new request state

["Durham, David" <david.durham@intel.com>]

Title: COPS&COPS-PR -- PDP request for a new request state

The COPS-PR DEC with the new request state flag signifies that the PDP would like to create a new name space for provisioning information. It is somewhat analogous to an SNMP context. The framework PIB determines which request state is active at any time, and allows you to switch between multiple request states.

 

You use it to create multiple copies of provisioned state that you can quickly swap between... Eg. say at 5:00pm you want your end of the day policies active, and at 8:00am you want your work hours policies active. You could download at 5:00pm a whole new set of policies, or you could simply swap between different request states, one with the 8am policies already configured, and the other one with the 5pm policies configured. That is one example of its use.

 

This functionality only applies for COPS-PR PEPs & PDPs (because it is only defined in COPS-PR)

 

More below:

 

-Dave

-----Original Message-----
From: Iliff, Tina [mailto:Tina.Iliff@WCOM.Com]
Sent: Friday, October 20, 2000 7:24 AM
To: 'rap@ops.ietf.org'
Cc: Sunlin, Richard (c)
Subject: COPS&COPS-PR -- PDP request for a new request state

All,

I need clarification on the function of a DEC to request a new request state.  Will the PEP remove the installed request-state identified by the client-handle in this DEC and transmit a REQ with a new client-handle or will the subsequent DEC in response to the new REQ override the installed client-state for the specified handle? 
[Dave] The old request state is not deleted until the PDP requests that it is to be deleted and then the client sends a DRQ for it (or the PEP looses its connection and the state times out anyway). Each request state contains a non-overlapping space for provisioned data/network policies. You can swap between them by setting a value in the incarnation table defined in the framework PIB.

  OR  Can it serve as a method for a backup PDC, in the case of failover, to receive client specific information from a PEP in order to provision it in the case the PEP does not transmit a REQ after the CAT...if this can be the case, the Client-Handle cannot be mandatory because the backup PDP would have no knowledge of client-handles? 
[Dave] This is not the case.

 I am trying to find a unique function for the DEC (request for a new request state) and I cannot..I can see a purpose if maybe it is used for COPS-RSVP.  In other words, the only reason why a PDP would request a new request state would be if the PDP was aware of a new event occurring related to an external signalling protocol; e.g. a new SIP registration or something which would need to maintain separate states.
[Dave] This is also a possible (but yet undefined) use.

    The bottom line is I do not see any use for it in COPS-PR.  Please clarify.
[Dave] See above. 

Thank you,
Tina Iliff