Misconceptions, was: IPv6 RA vs DHCPv6 - The chosen one?

Wed Jan 11 20:12:38 UTC 2012

On 1/11/12 9:58 AM, Masataka Ohta wrote:
> A better default could be that IGP will be automatically invoked
> if DHCP does not supply a default router.
>
That's ridiculous.  You need some link state to even find a
DHCP server.  So, the very idea that DHCP would tell you where
your routers are is preposterous on its face.

Besides, that's terrible system design.  You should never design a
system where some code paths aren't exercised regularly.

> If there are multiple IGPs are implemented, snooping IGPs'
> advertisement to know which is the locally available IGP may
> also be a good idea.
>
> My point w.r.t. multiple next hop routers is that RA supplied
> information is not good enough, which means DHCP is no
> worse than RA even if there are multiple next hop routers.
>
I've not read the whole thread yet (I had read the start what
seems to be weeks ago), but I'll pipe up here and point out that
in my _original_ design, every host was running a link state IGP.

Even without any router at all, you need link state to handle
mobile nodes, hidden terminals, partitioned networks, satellite
versus land-line unidirectional links, etc, etc, etc.

Of course, all that was ripped out by the ignorant folks who
came later.  Thus, IPv6 is much worse at self-configuration,
security, mobility, and *everything* than originally envisioned.