IP Flow Information Export (ipfix) Internet Drafts
| Architecture for IP Flow Information Export | |||||||||||||||||
|
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. | ||||||||||||||||
| IPFIX Applicability | |||||||||||||||||
|
In this document we describe the applicability of the IP Flow Information Export (IPFIX) protocol for a variety of applications. We show how applications can use IPFIX, describe the relevant information elements (IEs) for those applications and present opportunities and limitations of the protocol. We furthermore describe relations of the IPFIX framework to other architectures and frameworks. | ||||||||||||||||
| Reducing Redundancy in IP Flow Information Export (IPFIX) and Packet Sampling (PSAMP) Reports | |||||||||||||||||
|
This document describes a bandwidth saving method for exporting flow or packet information using the IP Flow Information Export (IPFIX) protocol. As the Packet Sampling (PSAMP) protocol is based on IPFIX, these considerations are valid for PSAMP exports as well. This method works by separating information common to several flow records from information specific to an individual flow record. Common flow information is exported only once in a data record defined by an option template, while the rest of the specific flow information is associated with the common information via a unique identifier. | ||||||||||||||||
| Guidelines for IP Flow Information eXport (IPFIX) Testing | |||||||||||||||||
|
This document presents a list of tests for implementers of IP Flow Information Export (IPFIX) compliant Exporting Processes and Collecting Processes. This document specifies guidelines for a series of tests that can be run on the IPFIX Exporting Process and Collecting Process in order to probe the conformity and robustness of the IPFIX protocol implementations. These tests cover all important functions, in order to gain a level of confidence in the IPFIX implementation. Therefore they allow the implementer to perform interoperability or plug tests with other IPFIX Exporting Processes and Collecting Processes. | ||||||||||||||||
| Definitions of Managed Objects for IP Flow Information Export | |||||||||||||||||
|
This document defines managed objects for IP Flow Information Export (IPFIX). These objects provide information for monitoring IPFIX Exporters and IPFIX Collectors including the basic configuration information. | ||||||||||||||||
| An IPFIX-Based File Format | |||||||||||||||||
|
This document describes a file format for the storage of flow data based upon the IPFIX Message format. It proposes a set of requirements for flat-file, binary flow data file formats, then applies the IPFIX message format to these requirements to build a new file format. This IPFIX-based file format is designed to facilitate interoperability and reusability among a wide variety of flow storage, processing, and analysis tools. | ||||||||||||||||
| Exporting Type Information for IPFIX Information Elements | |||||||||||||||||
|
This document describes an extension to IPFIX to allow the encoding of IPFIX Information Model properties within an IPFIX Message stream. This enables the export of extended type information for enterprise- specific Information Elements, facilitating interoperability and reusability among a wide variety of applications and tools. | ||||||||||||||||
| IPFIX Mediation: Problem Statement | |||||||||||||||||
|
Flow-based measurement is currently a popular method for traffic monitoring. To construct a measurement system, an IPFIX mediation device (IPFIX Mediator), which reroutes, filters, aggregates, or modifies Flow information, may help scalability and several other purposes. This document describes the applicability of an IPFIX Mediator and the problems that the IPFIX Mediator might encounter. | ||||||||||||||||
| IPFIX Mediation: Framework | |||||||||||||||||
|
This document describes a framework for an IPFIX Mediation. An IPFIX Mediation device (IPFIX Mediator) is an intermediate device between IPFIX Exporters and IPFIX Collectors. This framework describes an architecture model, the components of the architecture, and guidelines for the IPFIX protocol specifications for the IPFIX Mediators. In addition, this document describes applicable examples for IPFIX Mediation. | ||||||||||||||||
| IPFIX Export per SCTP Stream | |||||||||||||||||
|
This document specifies an improvement to the use of SCTP as specified in the IPFIX specifications in order to be able to deduce the Data Record loss per Template Record in case of partially-reliable SCTP export. This specification offers several extra advantages: immediate export of the Template Withdrawal Message, immediate reuse of Template ID within a stream, and the Collecting Process's job is easier. | ||||||||||||||||
| Configuration Data Model for IPFIX and PSAMP | |||||||||||||||||
|
This document specifies a data model for the configuration of caches, selection processes, exporting processes, and collecting processes of IPFIX and PSAMP compliant monitoring devices. The configuration data model is encoded in Extensible Markup Language (XML). The structure of the data model is specified in a YANG module to ensure compatibility with the NETCONF protocol. A YANG-to-XSD converter is available which allows generating an XML Schema Definition (XSD) of the data model. | ||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
IP Flow Information Export (ipfix)
Last Modified: 2008-04-23
Additional information is available at tools.ietf.org/wg/ipfix
Chair(s):
Operations and Management Area Director(s):
Operations and Management Area Advisor:
Mailing Lists:
General Discussion: ipfix@ietf.orgTo Subscribe: http://www1.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ipfix
Archive: http://www1.ietf.org/mail-archive/web/ipfix/current/index.html
Description of Working Group:
The IPFIX working group has specified the Information Model (todescribe IP flows) and the IPFIX protocol (to transfer IP flow data
from IPFIX exporters to collectors). Several implementers have already
built applications using the IPFIX protocol. As a result of a series
of IPFIX interoperability testing events the WG has produced
guidelines for IPFIX implementation and testing as well as
recommendations for handling special cases such as bidirectional flow
reporting and reducing redundancy in flow records.
Practical experiences with IPFIX implementations exposed new
requirements for the IPFIX protocol that so far have not been
addressed by the WG. The major current goal of the WG is developing
solutions that meet the new requirements without modifying the core
IPFIX protocol specifications.
1. The IPFIX WG has developed a MIB module for monitoring IPFIX
implementations. Means for configuring these devices have not been
standardized yet. The WG will develop an XML-based configuration data
model that can be used for configuring IPFIX devices and for storing,
modifying and managing IPFIX configurations parameter sets. This work
will be performed in close collaboration with the NETCONF WG.
2. There is a need for storing measured flow information and for
exchanging this information between different systems and
organizations. The WG will develop a common IPFIX file format for
storing flow data in order to facilitate interoperability and
reusability among a wide variety of flow storage, processing, and
analysis tools. It will be a flat-file format using binary encodings
that are based on the IPFIX message format.
3. When dealing with enterprise-specific information elements in IPFIX
flow records, it often occurs that the receiver of the record does not
know the definition of the information element. For processing such
information elements it would be desirable for the receiver to know at
least the data types of the enterprise-specific information elements.
The WG will develop an extension to IPFIX that provides means for the
encoding of IPFIX data type information within an IPFIX Message
stream.
4. Another requirement resulting from practical use of IPFIX is
reporting IPFIX template records and corresponding data records within
the same SCTP stream. The IPFIX WG will develop guidelines for this
use case.
5. First applications of IPFIX at large operator networks showed the
need for mediation of flow information, for example, for aggregating
huge amounts of flow data and for anomymization of flow information.
The IPFIX WG will investigate this issue and produce a problem
statement and a framework for IPFIX flow mediation.
Goals and Milestones:
| Done | Submit Revised Internet-Draft on IP Flow Export Requirements | |
| Done | Submit Internet-Draft on IP Flow Export Architecture | |
| Done | Submit Internet-Draft on IP Flow Export Data Model | |
| Done | Submit Internet-Draft on IPFIX Protocol Evaluation Report | |
| Done | Submit Internet-Draft on IP Flow Export Applicability Statement | |
| Done | Select IPFIX protocol, revise Architecture and Data Model drafts | |
| Done | Submit IPFX-REQUIREMENTS to IESG for publication as Informational RFC | |
| Done | Submit IPFIX Protocol Evaluation Report to IESG for publication as Informational RFC | |
| Done | Submit IPFX-ARCHITECTURE to IESG for publication as Proposed Standard RFC | |
| Done | Submit IPFX-INFO_MODEL to IESG for publication as Informational RFC | |
| Done | Submit IPFX-APPLICABILITY to IESG for publication as Informational RFC | |
| Done | Submit IPFX-PROTOCOL to IESG for publication as Proposed Standard RFC | |
| Done | Publish Internet Draft on IPFIX Implementation Guidelines | |
| Done | Publish Internet Draft on Reducing Redundancy in IPFIX data transfer | |
| Done | Publish Internet Draft on Handling IPFIX Bidirectional Flows | |
| Done | Publish Internet Draft on IPFIX Testing | |
| Done | Publish Internet Draft on IPFIX MIB | |
| Done | Submit IPFIX Implementation Guidelines draft to IESG for publication as Informational RFC | |
| Done | Submit IPFIX Reducing Redundancy draft to IESG for publication as Informational RFC | |
| Done | Submit IPFIX Testing draft to IESG for publication as Informational RFC | |
| Done | Submit IPFIX Biflows draft to IESG for publication as Standards Track RFC | |
| Done | Publish Internet draft on IPFIX Type Information Export | |
| Dec 2007 | Publish Internet draft on IPFIX Configuration Data Model | |
| Dec 2007 | Publish Internet draft on Single SCTP Stream Reporting | |
| Done | Publish Internet draft on IPFIX File Format | |
| Jan 2008 | Publish Internet draft on IPFIX Mediation Problem Statement | |
| Jan 2008 | Submit File Format draft to IESG for publication as Standards track RFC | |
| Mar 2008 | Submit IPFIX MIB draft to IESG for publication as Standards track RFC | |
| Jun 2008 | Submit Type Export draft to IESG for publication as Standards track RFC | |
| Jun 2008 | Submit Single SCTP Stream draft to IESG for publication as Informational RFC | |
| Oct 2008 | Submit Configuration Data Model draft to IESG for publication as Standards track RFC | |
| Oct 2008 | Submit Mediation Problem draft to IESG for publication as Informational RFC |
Internet-Drafts:
Architecture for IP Flow Information Export (66507 bytes)IPFIX Applicability (76478 bytes)
Reducing Redundancy in IP Flow Information Export (IPFIX) and Packet Sampling (PSAMP) Reports (76733 bytes)
Guidelines for IP Flow Information eXport (IPFIX) Testing (71218 bytes)
Definitions of Managed Objects for IP Flow Information Export (118194 bytes)
An IPFIX-Based File Format (131986 bytes)
Exporting Type Information for IPFIX Information Elements (41187 bytes)
IPFIX Mediation: Problem Statement (39933 bytes)
IPFIX Mediation: Framework (43018 bytes)
IPFIX Export per SCTP Stream (46041 bytes)
Configuration Data Model for IPFIX and PSAMP (93025 bytes)
Request For Comments:
Requirements for IP Flow Information Export (RFC 3917) (81615 bytes)Evaluation of Candidate Protocols for IP Flow Information Export (IPFIX) (RFC 3955) (55143 bytes)
Bidirectional Flow Export using IP Flow Information Export (IPFIX) (RFC 5103) (53534 bytes)
Information Model for IP Flow Information Export (RFC 5102) (335617 bytes)
Specification of the IP Flow Information Export (IPFIX) Protocol for the Exchange of IP Traffic Flow Information (RFC 5101) (147196 bytes)
IPFIX Implementation Guidelines (RFC 5153) (82845 bytes)
IETF Secretariat - Please send questions, comments, and/or suggestions to ietf-web@ietf.org.
Return to working group directory. 
