[openib-general] [RFC] IB address translation using ARP

[Caitlin Bestler]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: openib-general-bounces at openib.org 
> [mailto:openib-general-bounces at openib.org] On Behalf Of Sean Hefty
> Sent: Wednesday, October 12, 2005 2:36 PM
> To: Michael Krause
> Cc: openib-general at openib.org
> Subject: Re: [openib-general] [RFC] IB address translation using ARP
> 
> Michael Krause wrote:
> > 1. Applications want to use existing API to identify remote 
> endnodes / 
> > services.
> 
> To clarify, the applications want to use IP based addressing 
> to identify remote endnotes.  The connection API is under development.
> 


No, I think Mike's comment was dead on. Applications want to
use the existing API. They want to use the existing API even
when the API is clearly defective. Note that there are several
generations of host-resolution APIs for the IP world, with the
earlier ones clearly being heavily inferior (not thread safe,
not IPv4/IPv6 neutral, etc). But they have not been eliminated.

Why, because applications want to use the existing API.

If application developers were rationale and totally open to
adopt new ideas instantly then the active side would ask to
make a connection to a *service*, not to a host with a service
qualifier.

A new API may be under development to meet new needs. But keep in
mind that the application developers expect it to be as close to
what they are used to as possible, and will grumble that it is
not 100% compatible.