Routing Over Low power and Lossy networks
charter-ietf-roll-04-07

Low power and Lossy Networks (LLNs ) are made up of many embedded devices
with limited power, memory, and processing resources. They are interconnected
by a variety of links, such as IEEE 802.15.4, Bluetooth, Low Power WiFi, wired
or other low power PLC (Powerline Communication) links. LLNs are transitioning
to an end-to-end IP-based solution to avoid the problem of non-interoperable
networks interconnected by protocol translation gateways and proxies.

RFC7102 discusses ROLL specific aspects of LLNs, and RFC7228 provides additional
terminology for constrained devices. RFC 5548, 5673, 5826, and 5876 describe the
requirements for LLNs from several application perspectives.

The Working Group has focused on routing solutions for the areas: connected
home, building, and urban sensor networks. It has developed a Framework that
takes into consideration various aspects including high reliability in the
presence of time varying loss characteristics and connectivity while permitting
low-power operation with very modest memory and CPU pressure in networks
potentially comprising a very large number (several thousands) of nodes.

The Working Group continues to focus on routing issues for LLN and to maintain,
improve and streamline the protocols already developed, including RPL and MPL.
The focus is on IPv6 work only. The Working Group will pay particular attention
to routing security and manageability (e.g., self-configuration) issues. The
working group will consider the transport characteristics that routing protocol
messages will experience.

ROLL will coordinate closely with the working groups in other areas that focus
on constrained networks and/or constrained nodes, such as 6lo, 6tisch, ipwave,
lwig and CoRE. Other working groups such as pim, bier and manet will be
consulted as needed. The Working group will align with the 6man WG when needed.

Work Items are:

• Guidance in using RFC6553, RFC6554, and IPv6-in-IPv6 encapsulation.

• Additional protocol elements to reduce packet size and the amount of required
  routing states

• Automatic selection of MPL forwarders to reduce message replication.

• Data models for RPL and MPL management.

• Multicast enhancements algorithms.