Scenarios for Flexible Address Structure

3.1. Internet of Things (IoTs)

In many IoT scenarios, a simple, low-cost communication network is required, and there are limitations for network devices in computational power, memory, and energy availability. In addition to [IEEE.802.15.4], it can be seen that networks using link layer technologies such as Z-Wave, BLE [BLE], DECT_ULE, MS/TP, NFC, and PLC require end-to-end IPv6 protocols [RFC8200] to run on constrained node networks. The IP protocol allows IoT devices with multiple connection types to connect to each other or to other nodes on the Internet. Generally, a group of IoT network devices form a constrained node network at the edge, and IoT terminals connect to these network devices for data transmission. Devices located on the edge of this network and the Internet can act as gateway devices. To ensure security and reliability, multiple gateways must be deployed. IoT devices on the network can easily select one of gateways for traffic to pass through. This type of network and IoT devices in the network require as little computational power as possible, smaller memory requirements, and better energy availability to reduce the total cost of ownership of the network.¶

3.2. Satellite Network

In the future, the space-based Internet will provide global Internet connections through satellite and station on the ground interconnection. The low cost of satellite launch and the reduction of the cost of network equipment will promote the development of high-density satellite networks. With the convergence of space-based networks and terrestrial networks, users can experience seamless broadband access. Whatever on cruise ships, flights, and cars, users can switch data communication services over Wi-Fi, cellular, or satellite networks at any time. The network service provider will plan the transmission path of user traffic based on the network coverage, satellite orbit, route, and link load. The advantage of long-distance transmission but shorter delay of space-based networks is fully used to provide high-quality Internet connections for users in areas not covered by terrestrial networks. There is a significant difference between the high dynamics of satellite network and the statics of terrestrial network topology. The traditional satellite network cannot meet the preceding requirements through the networking of the dedicated station on the ground.¶

3.3. Dynamic Service and Resource

In the future, the network will integrate services and resources from various aspects such as life, production, and learning. Digitalized services and resources are divided into multiple data blocks on the network and multiple copies of data blocks exist, which will become the basic mode. Access to services and resources through URIs has been discussed by many researches, such as NDN [ndn] and ICN [RFC7476]. In practice, the dynamic services and resource management and access mechanisms of integrating ID and address technologies will be more suited to user needs. Providers of services and resources can publish online services and resources through unified identifiers without additional planning of identifiers and locations for data and their replicas. Users can access required services and resources in the nearest and on-demand mode. Further, users can make a request based on the type of service and resource and get a response to the service or a copy of the data.¶

3.4. Policy-based Traffic Control

Policy-based traffic control is constantly far from flexible. To restrict traffics for specific objects, e.g., devices, users, or group of them, a current solution is subnet partition. Representative technique for subnet partition includes VLAN [RFC5517] and VxLAN [RFC7348]. However, such mechanism usually involve numerous manual configuration, and even small changes in reality could also result in a repartition or manual efforts.¶

According to the semantic of IP address forwarding, any inconvenience of traffic control stems from the decoupling of address semantic and policy objects. Since address content only present topology location in IPv6, extra out-of-band effort is needed to partition network or recognize traffic from target objects.¶

For address with objects identifier encoded, policy-based traffic control could be almost automatic. For every node forwarding traffic, object identity could be first extracted from both source and destination address once packets arrive. Then by matching objects and policy-based rules, nodes on the path could trigger particular actions that dynamically assigned by administrators. For examples, action permit, action deny, and action permit but low priority. Particular, such action could also be applied from security restriction.¶

3.5. Robust Trust and Security

A flexible semantic could be significate in constructing a trust and secure communication. For example, Cryptographically Generated Addresses (CGA) [RFC3972] embeds a truncated public key in the last 57-bit of IPv6 address. Even with a truncated key, authentication and security is greatly enhanced within a IP network via asymmetric cryptography and IPsec [RFC4301]. Similarly, Host Identity Protocol (HIP) [RFC7401] refers such methodology and constructs a enhanced TCP/IP stack.¶

Within a flexible address structure, any secure-related keys could be intactly included in address structure without any information loss. Under such condition, connection provided by such address could be considered as absolute secure only if the cryptography involved is secure.¶