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Re: Terminology: what do you call a set of related SA/SPI's?



     I've been simply using "SA pairs."  Do we need anything more than 
     that?


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Subject: Terminology: what do you call a set of related SA/SPI's?
Author:  Bill Sommerfeld <sommerfeld@apollo.hp.com> at internet-mail
Date:    12/3/96 4:29 PM


The current ipsec architecture documents define a "security 
association" as a unidirectional link; if you want communication in 
both directions (the normal case at least with today's apps), you need 
a pair of SA/SPI's.
     
If you're using both AH and ESP at the same time, you need *two* SPI's 
in each direction (though this is less likely with the current "grand 
unified transforms").
     
If you're doing regular key changes and expiring SA's/SPI's, the 
"relationship" between the communicating principals may outlast the 
lifetime of individual SA's..  [I don't see this explicitly stated, 
but I don't see a way to cleanly rekey an active SA without changing 
the SPI number].
     
I think we need a name for a higher-level relationship between 
principals involving multiple SA/SPI's..  Unfortunately, "security 
association" is already taken.
     
I'm real bad at naming.  Anyone got any bright ideas?
     
      - Bill



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