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FTSC                             FIDONET TECHNICAL STANDARDS COMMITTEE
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Publication:    FRL-1036
Revision:       1
Title:          IPv6 numbers in the nodelist. 
Author(s):      Michiel van der Vlist

Date:           6 Jauary 2013
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Contents:
                1. Introduction.
                2. The problem.
                3. The solution.
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Status of this document
-----------------------


  This document is a Fidonet Reference Library Document (FRL)

  This document preserves FSP-1036 which is integrated in 
  FTS-5000 and FTS-5001.

  This document is released to the public domain, and may be used,
  copied or modified for any purpose whatever.


1. Introduction
---------------

  In addition to the classic modem connection over telephone lines,
  FidoNet increasingly makes use of the InterNet for its links.
  This means InterNet contact information needs to be in the nodelist.
  Up to now, this has been in the form of IP quads and fqdn's. (Fully
  Qualified  Domain Names). 
  In the future the need to have IPv6 addresses in the nodelist may
  very well arise.

  There is a problem however.


2. The Problem
--------------

  The format of an IPv6 address is:

    Eight hexadecimal values in the range 0-FFFF separated by a colon.
    One or more successive zero values may once be represented by
    two successive colons. F.e. 1234::6789:abcd expands to
    1234:0:0:0:0:0:6789:abcd.

  The problem is that the colon is already in use to separate a node-
  list flag from its parameter(s), that some flags may carry a varia-
  ble number  of parameters and that the colon is also used to sepa-
  rate parameters from each other.

  E.g. a flag carrying both a host name and a port number:

    FLAG:fido.vlist.eu:24555

  Having the same character for separating parameters as for separa-
  ting individual items within a multidimensional parameter creates
  a parsing problem.

  Does 1234::6789:abcd:5678 resolve to address 1234:0:0:0:0:0:6789:abcd
  with a port number of 5678 or does it resolve to just an address of
  1234:0:0:0:0:6789:abcd:5678 and no port number specified?


3. The Solution
---------------

  Whenever an IPv6 address is to appear as a parameter in the
  nodelist the address shall be encased in square brackets.

  This follows the practise described in RFC 2732 paragraph 2
  and RFC 3986 paragraph 3.2.2 for literal IPv6 addresses in
  URL's and URI's.

  Example: FLAG:[2002:4f87:44d5::1]:443


References
----------

  [FTS-5]    "The distribution nodelist", Ben Baker, Rick Moore.
             February 1989. Obsoleted by FTS-5000.

  [FTS-5000] "The distribution nodelist".
             FTSC Members, Administrator and Honoured Guests
             Jan 2005.

  [FTS-5001] "Nodelist flags and userflags".
             FTSC Members, Administrator and Honoured Guests
             Jan 2005.

  [RFC1883]  S. Deering, R. Hinden. Internet Protocol, version 6 (IPv6)
             Dec 1995

  [RFC1884]  S. Deering, R. Hinden. IP Version 6 Addressing Architecture.
             Dec 1995
 
  [RFC2732]  R. Hinden, B. Carpenter, L. Masisnter.
             Format for Literal IPv6 Addresses in URL's
             Dec 1999.

  [RFC3986]  T. Berners Lee, R. Fielding, L. Masinter.
             Uniform Resource Identifier (URI): Generic Syntax
             Jan 2005.


Contact Data
------------

  Michiel van der Vlist
  Fidonet:  2:280/5555
  E-mail:   pa0mmv at vrza dot org
  E-mail:   administrator at ftsc dot org

History
-------

   Rev.1, 20100309: Initial Release.
                    Principal author Michiel van der Vlist.
          20130106: Preserved in FRL-1036.

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