Network Working Group R. Johnson
Internet-Draft Cisco Systems, Inc.
Intended status: Informational January 6, 2009
Expires: July 10, 2009
VoIP Configuration Server Address Option
draft-raj-dhc-tftp-addr-option-05.txt
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Abstract
This memo documents existing usage for the "VoIP Configuration Server
Address Option" (previously known as the "TFTP Server IP Address
Option"). The option number currently in use is 150. This memo
documents the current usage of the option in agreement with RFC 3942
[RFC3942], which declares that any pre-existing usages of option
numbers in the range 128 - 223 should be documented and the working
group will try to officially assign those numbers to those options.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2. Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3. VoIP Configuration Server Address Option Definition . . . . . . 5
4. Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
5. IANA Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
6. References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
6.1. Normative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
6.2. Informative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Author's Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
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1. Introduction
Voice over IP ("VoIP") devices, such as IP phones, have a need to
download their configuration from a configuration server on the
network. There are commonly accepted methods to discover this server
via DHCP; the "sname" field in the DHCP header [RFC2131], the "TFTP
Server name" option (#66) [RFC2132]. Both of these sources of
information, however, contain the TFTP server's hostname. That
hostname must then be translated to an IP address. The usual method
to accomplish this would be DNS [RFC1034]. This means the firmware
in a VoIP device (with possibly limited flash, memory, and/or
processing resources) would need to implement the DNS protocol in
order to perform this translation. This would also introduce an
additional unnecessary point of failure whereby the device is
dependent on the DNS server infrastructure in order to boot up and
communicate with its call agent.
In order to eliminate DNS as a point of failure and keep the firmware
in such a VoIP device to a minimum the "VoIP Configuration Server
Address" option (150) was introduced. This option allows the DHCP
server to pass one or more IP addresses of the VoIP Configuration
Server(s) instead of the hostname, thus making the information
directly usable by the VoIP device.
Other reasons for this option are that, (1) the "siaddr" field is not
configurable on some DHCP servers, (2) the "siaddr" field only allows
for one IPv4 address and it is desirable to have the ability to
configure multiple IP addresses for redundancy, (3) some DHCP servers
have been found to fill in their own IPv4 address as siaddr, (4) some
customers were already using the "siaddr" field for other purposes,
and finally (5) the configuration server may use a protocol other
than TFTP to serve configuration files, making the use of the "TFTP
Server name" opion (#66) in inappropriate.
In cases where other download server address information also appears
in the response packet, such as "sname" and "TFTP Server name", it is
left to the device to decide which piece of information to use.
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2. Conventions
The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT",
"SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY" and "OPTIONAL" in this
document are to be interpreted as described in RFC 2119 [RFC2119].
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3. VoIP Configuration Server Address Option Definition
The VoIP Configuration Server Address option is a DHCP option
[RFC2132]. The option contains one or more IPv4 addresses of the
VoIP Configuration Server which the client MAY use.
The format of the option is:
Code Len IPv4 Configuration Server Address(es)
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| 150 | n | IPv4 address | ...
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
Figure 1
The option minimum length (n) is 4.
The "Len" field must specify a length which is an integral multiple
of 4 octets (4, 8, 12, etc.). If an option is received where this is
not the case, the option information SHOULD be ignored. Dividing
this "Len" value by 4 will give number of IPv4 VoIP Configuration
Server addresses which are specified in the option.
The option SHOULD NOT be specified by the DHCP Client as it is
intended only to be returned from the DHCP Server. If the DHCP
Client wants to receive this information from the server, it SHOULD
include the number 150 in the DHCP "Parameter List" option (55).
Server addresses SHOULD be listed in order of preference.
The client may use as many or as few of the addresses provided. For
example, if client is only capable of accepting 2 configuration
server addresses, it may ignore any other addresses provided after
the second address. A client SHOULD accept an offer that contains
more addresses than it is capable of utilizing and ignore those that
it is not capable of using.
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4. Security Considerations
A rogue DHCP Server could use this option in order to coerce a Client
into downloading configuration from an alternate Configuration Server
and thus gain control of the device's configuration. This, however,
is no more of a security threat than similar attacks using other DHCP
options which specify server names or addresses, of which there are
many. If this is a concern, then DHCP Authentication may be used.
Another method of addressing this security threat would be the use of
encryption, authentication keys, or even certificates, as part of the
configuration data itself and which are tied to the device which is
downloading the configuration. In other words, there are various
methods to ensure the integrity of configuration data independent
from insuring the integrity of the this DHCP option or even DHCP
itself.
Message authentication in DHCP for intradomain use where the out-of-
band exchange of a shared secret is feasible is defined in [RFC3118].
Potential exposures to attack are discussed in section 7 of the DHCP
protocol specification in [RFC2131].
Other out-of-band methods of verifying the validity of the VoIP
Configuration Server Address, such as certificates of trust, could be
used to mitigate some security concerns.
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5. IANA Considerations
IANA is requested to assign DHCP option number 150 for this option,
in accordance with [RFC3942].
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6. References
6.1. Normative References
[RFC2119] Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate
Requirement Levels", BCP 14, RFC 2119, March 1997.
[RFC2131] Droms, R., "Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol",
RFC 2131, March 1997.
[RFC2132] Alexander, S. and R. Droms, "DHCP Options and BOOTP Vendor
Extensions", RFC 2132, March 1997.
[RFC3942] Volz, B., "Reclassifying Dynamic Host Configuration
Protocol version 4 (DHCPv4) Options", RFC 3942,
November 2004.
6.2. Informative References
[RFC1034] Mockapetris, P., "Domain names - concepts and facilities",
STD 13, RFC 1034, November 1987.
[RFC3118] Droms, R. and W. Arbaugh, "Authentication for DHCP
Messages", RFC 3118, June 2001.
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Author's Address
Richard A. Johnson
Cisco Systems, Inc.
170 W. Tasman Dr.
San Jose, CA 95134
US
Phone: +1 408 526 4000
Email: raj@cisco.com
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