ISO/IEC TR 9577:1999

TECHNICAL ISO/IEC
REPORT TR
Fourth edition
1999-12-15
Information technology — Protocol
identification in the network layer
Technologies de l'information — Identification des protocoles dans la
couche réseau
Reference number
©
ISO/IEC 1999
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ii © ISO/IEC 1999 – All rights reserved

ISO/IEC TR 9577 : 1999 (E)
CONTENTS
Page
1 Scope . 1
2 References . 1
2.1 Identical Recommendations | International Standards. 2
2.2 Paired Recommendations | International Standards equivalent in technical content. 2
2.3 Additional references . 2
3 Abbreviations . 4
4 Protocol identifiers . 4
5 Initial protocol identifier. 5
5.1 General . 5
5.2 Assignment structure for header-oriented protocols .6
5.3 Values assigned to the IPI for header-oriented protocols. 6
5.4 Assignment structure for trailer-oriented protocols. 8
5.5 Values assigned to the IPI for trailer-oriented protocols. 8
6 Subsequent protocol identifier. 9
6.1 General . 9
6.2 Assignment structure for header-oriented protocols .10
6.3 Values assigned to the SPI for header-oriented protocols. 10
6.4 Assignment structure for trailer-oriented protocols. 12
6.5 Values assigned to the SPI for trailer-oriented protocols .12
Annex A The location and use of protocol identifiers in X.25 Packet Layer Protocol . 13
Annex B Guidelines on the processing of protocol identifiers . 15
B.1 Originating systems. 15
B.2 Destination systems. 15
Annex C – Identification of Internet protocols . 17
Annex D – Identification of protocols that are discriminated according to the IEEE-defined SNAP convention. 18
Annex E – Identification of protocols specified by the Frame Relay Forum. 19
© ISO/IEC 1999 – All rights reserved
iii
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical Commission)
form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are members of ISO or IEC
participate in the development of International Standards through technical committees established by the
respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical activity. ISO and IEC technical committees
collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in
liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the work.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 3.
In the field of information technology, ISO and IEC have established a joint technical committee, ISO/IEC JTC 1.
Draft International Standards adopted by the joint technical committee are circulated to national bodies for voting.
Publication as an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the national bodies casting a vote.
In exceptional circumstances, when a technical committee has collected data of a different kind from that which is
normally published as an International Standard ("state of the art", for example), it may decide by a simple majority
vote of its participating members to publish a Technical Report. A Technical Report is entirely informative in nature
and does not have to be reviewed until the data it provides are considered to be no longer valid or useful.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this Technical Report may be the subject of patent
rights. ISO and IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
ISO/IEC TR 9577 was prepared by Joint Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology,
Subcommittee SC 6, Telecommunications and information exchange between systems, in collaboration with ITU-T.
The identical text is published as ITU-T Rec. X.263.
This fourth edition cancels and replaces the third edition (ISO/IEC TR 9577:1996), which has been technically
revised.
iv © ISO/IEC 1999 – All rights reserved

ISO/IEC TR 9577 : 1999 (E)
Introduction
Identifying protocols by information in a uniform part of the protocol control information fulfils two requirements:
a) It enables an entity to verify that the protocol received is of the type and kind expected; and
b) It permits an entity to discriminate among a number of different protocols (both OSI and non-OSI) that
might co-exist in a common environment.
This Recommendation | Technical Report contains a description of the means used to identify protocols and where that
information is located in a protocol, together with a record of those values of protocol identifiers which have been used
by ITU-T and ISO/IEC, and by other authorities. This Recommendation | Technical Report does not attempt to provide
any general architectural principles for the functions of protocol identification, nor does it attempt to provide judgements
as to whether a protocol might have more than one value of protocol identifier.
By reference to this Recommendation | Technical Report, future protocols can be developed to include a protocol
identifier and the values of such protocol identifiers can be chosen on a knowledgeable basis.
© ISO/IEC 1999 – All rights reserved
v
ISO/IEC TR 9577 : 1999 (E)
TECHNICAL REPORT
ISO/IEC TR 9577 : 1999 (E)
ITU-T Rec. X.263 (1998 E)
ITU-T RECOMMENDATION
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY – PROTOCOL IDENTIFICATION
IN THE NETWORK LAYER
1 Scope
This Recommendation | Technical Report provides:
a) the description of a means to permit a protocol to be identified;
b) a record of the structure and allowable ranges of protocol identifier(s) which can be assigned by ITU-T,
ISO/IEC and other authorities;
c) a record of the values of protocol identifiers used by OSI Network layer protocols and non-OSI protocols
occupying a similar position: in particular, protocols with protocol control information commencing in
octet 1 of the protocol data unit (header-oriented protocols), and protocols with protocol control
information commencing in the final octet of the protocol data unit (trailer-oriented protocols), are
covered; and
d) a record of the values that are in use as protocol control information in non-Network layer protocols
where they impact on Network layer protocol identification.
The application of this Recommendation | Technical Report is:
a) in the identification of internationally standardized Network layer protocols operating directly above the
Data Link service;
b) in the identification of protocols used in conjunction with internationally standardized Network layer
protocols that operate directly above the Data Link service; and
c) to distinguish between Internationally standardized Network layer protocols, and other internationally
standardized protocols used in conjunction with internationally standardized Network layer protocols.
This Recommendation | Technical Report is for use by ITU-T Study Groups, ISO/IEC Technical Committees and other
authorities in applying the principles contained in clause 4, and in selecting an unused value or values from the range of
values permitted in clauses 5 or 6, as appropriate. When a new value is selected, that value and its usage should be
brought to the attention of ITU-T Study Group 7 or ISO/IEC JTC 1 SC6 so that this Recommendation | Technical Report
can be amended.
2 References
The following Recommendations and International Standards contain provisions which, through reference in this text,
constitute provisions of this Recommendation | Technical Report. At the time of publication, the editions indicated were
valid. All Recommendations and Standards are subject to revision, and parties to agreements based on this
Recommendation | Technical Report are encouraged to investigate the possibility of applying the most recent edition of
the Recommendations and Standards listed below. Members of IEC and ISO maintain registers of currently valid
International Standards. The Telecommunication Standardization Bureau of the ITU maintains a list of currently valid
ITU-T Recommendations.
ITU-T Rec. X.263 (1998 E) 1
ISO/IEC TR 9577 : 1999 (E)
2.1 Identical Recommendations | International Standards
– ITU-T Recommendation X.200 (1994) | ISO/IEC 7498-1:1994, Information technology – Open Systems
Interconnection – Basic Reference Model: The Basic Model.
– ITU-T Recommendation X.224 (1995) | ISO/IEC 8073:1997, Information technology – Open Systems
Interconnection – Protocol for providing the connection-mode transport service.
– ITU-T Recommendation X.233 (1993) | ISO/IEC 8473-1:1994, Information technology – Protocol for
providing the connectionless-mode network service: Protocol specification.
– ITU-T Recommendation X.260 (1996) | ISO/IEC 14765:1997, Information technology – Framework for
protocol identification and encapsulation.
– ITU-T Recommendation X.273 (1994) | ISO/IEC 11577:1995, Information technology – Open Systems
Interconnection – Network layer security protocol.
– ITU-T Recommendation X.633 (1996) | ISO/IEC 14700:1997, Information technology – Open Systems
Interconnection – Network Fast Byte Protocol.
– ITU-T Recommendation X.634 (1996) | ISO/IEC 14699:1997, Information technology – Open Systems
Interconnection – Transport Fast Byte Protocol.
2.2 Paired Recommendations | International Standards equivalent in technical content
– ITU-T Recommendation X.223 (1993), Use of X.25 to provide the OSI connection-mode network service
for ITU-T applications.
ISO/IEC 8878:1992, Information technology – Telecommunications and information exchange between
systems – Use of X.25 to provide the OSI Connection-mode Network Service.
– ITU-T Recommendation X.264 (1993), Transport protocol identification mechanism.
ISO/IEC 11570:1992, Information technology – Telecommunications and information exchange between
systems – Open Systems Interconnection – Transport protocol identification mechanism.
2.3 Additional references
– CCITT Recommendation G.764 (1990), Voice packetization – Packetized voice protocols.
– ITU-T Recommendation I.365.2 (1995), B-ISDN ATM adaptation layer sublayers: Service specific
coordination function to provide the connection-oriented network service.
– ITU-T Recommendation I.365.3 (1995), B-ISDN ATM adaptation layer sublayers: Service specific
coordination function to provide the connection-oriented transport service.
– ITU-T Recommendation Q.931 (1993), ISDN user-network interface layer 3 specification for basic call
control.
– ITU-T Recommendation Q.932 (1993), Generic procedures for the control of ISDN supplementary
services.
– ITU-T Recommendation Q.933 (1995), Signalling specifications for frame mode switched and permanent
virtual connection control and status monotoring.
– ITU-T Recommendation Q.2119 (1996), B-ISDN ATM adaptation layer – Convergence function for
SSCOP above the frame relay core service.
2 ITU-T Rec. X.263 (1998 E)
ISO/IEC
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