Highlights of the IETF in Dublin 

10/12/2024

By Guillermo Cicileo

From November 2 to 8, the IETF 121 meeting took place in Dublin. This time, there were numerous activities involving RIR staff engineers and highly relevant technical sessions for the Internet community. Below is an overview of the most interesting activities.

RPKI Steering Group

During this session, the RPKI Steering Group, comprised of engineers from the Regional Internet Registries (RIRs), focused on advancing the NRO RPKI Program. The idea of this program is to provide a more secure, resilient and reliable RPKI service globally. Its main goals include defining a unified system, improving transparency and understanding of its robustness, ensuring consistency in security among the different RIRs, and promoting the engagement of the technical community in its development.

Additionally, during the session, we reviewed the activities carried out in 2024 and defined the work plan for 2025. This plan includes key actions such as: coordinating improvements to unify the user experience when creating ROAs, reducing errors, and building trust; promoting greater alignment between the RPKI modules of the RIRs’ portals; simplifying the use of delegated RPKI for network operators; and progressing towards the development of a more consistent and unified API for the RPKI system.  

NRO ECG Meeting

The NRO (Number Resource Organization) ECG (Engineering Coordination Group) also met at the IETF 121 meeting. This group focuses on technical coordination among the RIRs, aiming to ensure the seamless and efficient operation of Internet number resources. These sessions provide a platform for RIR engineers to share insights and experiences from their organizations regarding operations and member services, creating valuable opportunities for knowledge sharing and improving practices. The meeting covered implementation details as well as operational and member service topics, providing significant value through the exchange of common challenges and solutions.

Topics addressed updates to the RDAP service, virtualization of services both in the cloud and on-premises, and follow-up on the IETF working groups most relevant to the operation of RIRs.  These groups include SIDROPS (focused on routing security), GROW (global routing operations), and DNSOP (DNS operations).

IEPG

The IEPG (Internet Engineering and Planning Group) session was another major activity. The IEPG serves as a forum for discussing critical technical and operational aspects of Internet infrastructure. During this meeting, topics such as DNS, TLS, incident analysis, and proposals for new RPSL extensions were presented. The presentations can be viewed here: https://iepg.org/2024-11-03-ietf121/index.html 

SIDROPS

SIDROPS is the Internet routing security operations group. During this session, topics related to securing the routing infrastructure through the use of RPKI were discussed, including measures to protect it against attacks and configuration errors.

A key highlight was the discussion on the draft document draft-snijders-constraining-rpki-trust-anchors-06. This draft proposes restrictions on RPKI trust anchors (TAs) to enhance the system’s security and transparency. The main idea is to limit the number of trust anchors allowed within the RPKI framework, which would help minimize vulnerabilities and enhance the system’s overall resilience. Furthermore, the proposal outlines a series of best practices to assist network operators in applying these controls effectively.

More information is available here.

GROW

Arturo Servín introduced a proposal for an API to simplify and enhance the peering process between networks at the Global Routing Operation (GROW) Working Group.

 The draft, draft-ramseyer-grow-peering-api, which describes a standardized API intended to automate and improve the efficiency of establishing and managing peering agreements between network operators. The initiative seeks to make the negotiation and management of peering agreements more efficient.

The group also discussed the draft draft-martin-grow-rpki-generated-loa-00, which introduces a concept for generating Letters of Authorization (LOAs) using information available in RPKI. The initiative seeks to automate the LOA creation process, allowing transit providers to verify resource authorization more efficiently and securely by simplifying the procedure.

More information is available here.

BoF on Deepspace: Internet for Other Planets

A Birds of a Feather (BoF) session on Deepspace was held to explore the challenges of extending the Internet beyond Earth.

Space communications face unique challenges, such as long and variable delays (ranging from 4 to 20 minutes between Earth and Mars) and intermittent connectivity caused by orbital dynamics. To date, these communications have relied on point-to-point Layer 2 connectivity without an end-to-end Layer 3 network.

Space agencies and private entities are now planning to deploy IP networks on celestial bodies such as the Moon and Mars, connecting them with orbital equipment and Earth to create an end-to-end IP network in space. However, current protocols will need to be adapted to operate effectively  under space conditions.

The working group will focus on documenting the unique characteristics of the space environment, designing suitable applications, and developing an architecture for the use of IP in space.

 While the lunar network will serve as the first implementation case, the architecture must be scalable to support communications to Mars and beyond.

Some space communications involve long and variable delays (e.g., 4 to 20 minutes one-way between Earth and Mars) and intermittent end-to-end connectivity due to orbital dynamics. To date, these communications have relied on a point-to-point Layer 2 connectivity, sometimes involving relays, without establishing an end-to-end Layer 3 network.

Now, space agencies and private sector actors are planning to deploy IP networks on the surfaces of celestial bodies like the Moon and Mars. These networks will connect to orbital equipment and, in turn, to Earth, creating an end-to-end IP network across space.

However, given the delays and disruptions involved in space communications, protocols must be adapted to operate efficiently in this environment.

More information is available here.

Internet Research Task Force (IRTF) Sessions

The Internet Research Task Force (IRTF) focuses on long-term research related to the evolution of the Internet. Current areas of investigation include quantum networks, the Internet of Things (IoT), privacy, and measurements and analysis (MAPRG). Unlike the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), which concentrates on developing operational standards and protocols, the IRTF is dedicated to exploring emerging technologies and research challenges that may shape the future of the Internet.

Sessions on Quantum Computing and Post-Quantum Cryptology

Quantum computing was a key focus at IETF 121. Sessions addressed the development of the quantum Internet and the implementation of post-quantum cryptography to prepare the global network for the potential impact of quantum computers capable of breaking current security algorithms.

In a session titled Engineering Quantum Connectivity:  The Quest for a Paradigm Shift, presented by Marcello Caleffi, the focus was on exploring the possibilities of multipartite quantum entanglement—entanglement shared between more than two parties. This type of entanglement represents a powerful resource for quantum networks, enabling a new form of connectivity.

Another session, Control-Plane Stack and Two-Level Scheduler with Network Layers and Protocols Being Developed at QUANT-NET, presented by Wenji Wu, highlighted the progress in building a testbed for quantum networking technologies (QUANT-NET), supported by the U.S. Department of Energy. The aim is to establish an experimental network between Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and the University of California, Berkeley (UCB). These two sites will be connected via a fiber-optic entanglement swapping substrate spanning approximately 5 km, managed by a quantum network protocol stack.

Regarding post-quantum cryptography, the session discussed the draft draft-ietf-pquip-pqt-hybrid-terminology,  which presents unified terminology to describe hybrid quantum and post-quantum architectures.

The draft aims to create a standardized framework for referencing systems that combine classical and post-quantum cryptography, facilitating the transition to an environment where quantum technologies and post-quantum security measures can coexist efficiently.

Additionally, the draft draft-ietf-pquip-pqc-engineers provides practical guidance for engineers on integrating post-quantum cryptography into current systems and networks. This document addresses technical challenges and best practices for implementing post-quantum cryptographic algorithms, with a focus on ensuring compatibility with existing infrastructures and enabling a secure transition to quantum-resistant environments.

As we can see, quantum computing and its related fields are increasingly taking center stage.

More information is available here. 

Conclusions

The IETF 121 meeting in Dublin stood out for its broad range of technical activities and strategic discussions that continue to shape the future of the Internet. From developments in routing security to innovations in quantum networks and efforts to extend the Internet into space, these topics continue to be actively discussed within the IETF working groups, which remain open to participation from anyone interested.

In addition to the interesting topics discussed, Dublin’s unique charm, its excellent Irish whiskeys and Guinness, provided an ideal setting to promote collaboration and the exchange of ideas. We invite everyone interested to follow these discussions through the mailing lists of the mentioned IETF working groups and to contribute actively to shaping the present and future of the Internet.