Architecture for IP Flow Information Export
RFC 5470

• Status
• IESG evaluation record
• IESG writeups
• Email expansions
• History

• Versions
• 12

Network Working Group                                       G. Sadasivan
Request for Comments: 5470                                Rohati Systems
Category: Informational                                      N. Brownlee
                                      CAIDA | The University of Auckland
                                                               B. Claise
                                                     Cisco Systems, Inc.
                                                              J. Quittek
                                                                     NEC
                                                              March 2009

              Architecture for IP Flow Information Export

Status of This Memo

   This memo provides information for the Internet community.  It does
   not specify an Internet standard of any kind.  Distribution of this
   memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (c) 2009 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
   document authors.  All rights reserved.

   This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal
   Provisions Relating to IETF Documents in effect on the date of
   publication of this document (http://trustee.ietf.org/license-info).
   Please review these documents carefully, as they describe your rights
   and restrictions with respect to this document.

   This document may contain material from IETF Documents or IETF
   Contributions published or made publicly available before November
   10, 2008.  The person(s) controlling the copyright in some of this
   material may not have granted the IETF Trust the right to allow
   modifications of such material outside the IETF Standards Process.
   Without obtaining an adequate license from the person(s) controlling
   the copyright in such materials, this document may not be modified
   outside the IETF Standards Process, and derivative works of it may
   not be created outside the IETF Standards Process, except to format
   it for publication as an RFC or to translate it into languages other
   than English.

Abstract

   This memo defines the IP Flow Information eXport (IPFIX) architecture
   for the selective monitoring of IP Flows, and for the export of
   measured IP Flow information from an IPFIX Device to a Collector.

Sadasivan, et al.            Informational                      [Page 1]
RFC 5470                   IPFIX Architecture                 March 2009

Table of Contents

   1. Introduction ....................................................3
      1.1. Document Scope .............................................3
      1.2. IPFIX Documents Overview ...................................3
   2. Terminology .....................................................4
   3. Examples of Flows ...............................................8
   4. IPFIX Reference Model ..........................................10
   5. IPFIX Functional and Logical Blocks ............................12
      5.1. Metering Process ..........................................12
           5.1.1. Flow Expiration ....................................12
           5.1.2. Flow Export ........................................13
      5.2. Observation Point .........................................13
      5.3. Selection Criteria for Packets ............................13
           5.3.1. Sampling Functions, Si .............................14
           5.3.2. Filter Functions, Fi ...............................15
      5.4. Observation Domain ........................................15
      5.5. Exporting Process .........................................15
      5.6. Collecting Process ........................................16
      5.7. Summary ...................................................17
   6. Overview of the IPFIX Protocol .................................18
      6.1. Information Model Overview ................................19
      6.2. Flow Records ..............................................19
      6.3. Control Information .......................................20
      6.4. Reporting Responsibilities ................................21
   7. IPFIX Protocol Details .........................................21
      7.1. The IPFIX Basis Protocol ..................................21
      7.2. IPFIX Protocol on the Collecting Process ..................22
      7.3. Support for Applications ..................................22
   8. Export Models ..................................................23
      8.1. Export with Reliable Control Connection ...................23
      8.2. Collector Failure Detection and Recovery ..................23
      8.3. Collector Redundancy ......................................24
   9. IPFIX Flow Collection in Special Situations ....................24
   10. Security Considerations .......................................25
      10.1. Data Security ............................................25
           10.1.1. Host-Based Security ...............................26