RFC 4018 PROPOSED STANDARD ISCSI · SLPV2 · STORAGE

iSCSI SLPv2 Discovery: Finding Internet Small Computer Systems Interface (iSCSI) Targets and Name Servers by Using Service Location Protocol version 2 (SLPv2)

How an iSCSI host finds storage targets and management servers with the Service Location Protocol.

On rfc-editor.org ↗
PUBLISHED
May 2005
AUTHORS
M. Bakke, J. Hufferd, K. Voruganti, M. Krueger, T. Sperry
STREAM
IETF
UPDATED BY
RFC 7146 — Securing Block Storage Protocols over IP: RFC 3723 Requirements Update for IPsec v3
TEMPLATES DEFINED
3
TARGET SERVICE TYPE
service:iscsi:target
MANAGEMENT SERVICE TYPE
service:iscsi:sms
ABSTRACT SERVICE TYPE
service:iscsi
TEMPLATE VERSION
1.0
TCP PORT IN THE EXAMPLE
3260
DOI
10.17487/RFC4018

RFC text

Contents
Original text · RFC Editor View on rfc-editor.org ↗
Network Working Group                                           M. Bakke
Request for Comments: 4018                                         Cisco
Category: Standards Track                                     J. Hufferd
                                                            K. Voruganti
                                                                     IBM
                                                              M. Krueger
                                                                      HP
                                                               T. Sperry
                                                                 Adaptec
                                                              April 2005


   Finding Internet Small Computer Systems Interface (iSCSI) Targets
 and Name Servers by Using Service Location Protocol version 2 (SLPv2)

Status of This Memo

   This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
   Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
   improvements.  Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
   Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
   and status of this protocol.  Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2005).

Abstract

   The iSCSI protocol provides a way for hosts to access SCSI devices
   over an IP network.  This document defines the use of the Service
   Location Protocol (SLP) by iSCSI hosts, devices, and management
   services, along with the SLP service type templates that describe the
   services they provide.

Table of Contents

    1.  Introduction................................................   2
    2.  Notation Conventions........................................   2
    3.  Terminology.................................................   3
    4.  Using SLP for iSCSI Service Discovery.......................   4
    5.  iSCSI SLP Templates.........................................  11
    6.  Security Considerations.....................................  18
    7.  IANA Considerations.........................................  19
    8.  Summary.....................................................  19
    9.  Normative References........................................  19
   10.  Informative References......................................  20
   11.  Acknowledgements............................................  21

1.  Introduction

   iSCSI [RFC3720] is a protocol used to transport SCSI [SAM2] commands,
   data, and status across an IP network.  This protocol is connection-
   oriented and is currently defined over TCP.  iSCSI uses a client-
   server relationship.  The client end of the connection is an
   initiator, and it sends SCSI commands; the server end of the
   connection is called a target, and it receives and executes the
   commands.

   There are several methods an iSCSI initiator can use to find the
   targets to which it should connect.  Two of these methods can be
   accomplished without the use of SLP:

   - Each target and its address can be statically configured on the
     initiator.

   - Each address providing targets can be configured on the initiator;
     iSCSI provides a mechanism by which the initiator can query the
     address for a list of targets.

   The above methods are further defined in "iSCSI Naming and Discovery
   Requirements" [RFC3721].

   Each of the above methods requires a small amount of configuration to
   be done on each initiator.  The ability to discover targets and name
   services without having to configure initiators is a desirable
   feature.  The Service Location Protocol (SLP) [RFC2608] is an IETF
   standards track protocol providing several features that will
   simplify locating iSCSI services.  This document describes how SLP
   can be used in iSCSI environments to discover targets, addresses
   providing targets, and storage management servers.

2.  Notation Conventions

   In this document, the key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED",
   "SHALL", "SHALL NOT", "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY",
   and "OPTIONAL" are to be interpreted as described in [RFC2119].

3.  Terminology

   Here are some definitions that may aid readers who are unfamiliar
   with SLP, SCSI, or iSCSI.  Some of these definitions have been
   reproduced from [RFC2608] and "Finding an RSIP Server with SLP"
   [RFC3105].

   User Agent (UA)            A process working on the client's behalf
                              to establish contact with some service.
                              The UA retrieves service information from
                              the Service Agents or Directory Agents.

   Service Agent (SA)         A process working on behalf of one or more
                              services to advertise the services and
                              their capabilities.

   Directory Agent (DA)       A process that collects service
                              advertisements.  There can only be one DA
                              present per given host.

   Scope                      A named set of services, typically making
                              up a logical administrative group.

   Service Advertisement      A URL, attributes, and a lifetime
                              (indicating how long the advertisement is
                              valid) providing service access
                              information and capabilities description
                              for a particular service.

   Initiator                  A logical entity, typically within a host,
                              that sends SCSI commands to targets to be
                              executed.  An initiator is usually present
                              in the form of a device driver.

   Target                     A logical entity, typically within a
                              storage controller or gateway that
                              receives SCSI commands from an initiator
                              and executes them.  A target includes one
                              or more Logical Units (LUs); each LU is a
                              SCSI device, such as a disk or tape drive.

   iSCSI Name                 A UTF-8 character string that serves as a
                              unique identifier for iSCSI initiators and
                              targets.  Its format and usage is further
                              defined in [RFC3721].

   iSCSI Client               A logical entity, typically a host that
                              includes at least one iSCSI Initiator.

   iSCSI Server               A logical entity, typically a storage
                              controller or gateway that includes at
                              least one iSCSI Target.

   Storage Management Server  An addressable entity that provides
                              management services that benefit an iSCSI
                              environment.  "Storage management server"
                              is used as a generic term and does not
                              indicate a specific protocol or service.

4.  Using SLP for iSCSI Service Discovery

   Two entities are involved in iSCSI discovery.  The end result is that
   an iSCSI initiator (e.g., a host) discovers iSCSI targets, usually
   provided by storage controllers or gateways.

   iSCSI targets are registered with SLP as a set of service URLs, one
   for each address on which the target may be accessed.  Initiators
   discover these targets by using SLP service requests.  Targets that
   do not directly support SLP or that are under the control of a
   management service may be registered by a proxy service agent as part
   of the software providing this service.

   iSCSI entities may also use SLP to discover higher-level management
   services when these are needed.

   This section first describes the use of SLP for discovery of targets
   by iSCSI initiators, it then describes the use of SLP to discover
   storage management servers.

   This document assumes that SLPv2 will be used for discovering iSCSI-
   related services; no attempt is made to include support for SLPv1.

4.1.  Discovering iSCSI Targets with SLP

   The following diagram shows the relationship among iSCSI clients,
   servers, initiators, and targets.  An iSCSI client includes at least
   one iSCSI initiator, and an SLP user agent (UA).  An iSCSI server
   includes at least one iSCSI target an SLP service agent (SA).  Some
   entities, such as extended copy engines, include both initiators and
   targets.  These include both an SA, for its targets to be discovered,
   and a UA, for its initiator(s) to discover other targets.

              +---------------------------------+
              |          iSCSI Client           |
              |         +-----------+           |
              |         | iSCSI     |           |
              |         | initiator |           |
              |         | "myhost"  |           |
              |         +-----------+           |
              |                                 |
              +--------------------------+------+
              | iSCSI Driver             |  UA  |
              +--------------------------+------+
              |           TCP/UDP/IP            |
              +----------------+----------------+
              |  Interface 1   |   Interface 2  |
              +----------------+----------------+
                       |               |
     +------------+    |               |    +------------+
     |   SLP DA   |    |               |    |  SLP DA    |
     | (optional) |----+  IP Networks  +----| (optional) |
     +------------+    |               |    +------------+
                       |               |
              +-----------------+-----------------|
              |   Interface 1   |   Interface 2   |
              |   192.0.2.131   |    192.0.2.3    |
              +-----------------+-----------------+
              |            TCP/UDP/IP             |
              +---------------------------+-------+
              |       iSCSI Driver        |  SA   |
              +---------------------------+-------|
              |                                   |
              | +--------+ +--------+ +---------+ |
              | | iSCSI  | | iSCSI  | |  iSCSI  | |
              | | target | | target | |  target | |
              | | "one"  | | "two"  | | "three" | |
              | +--------+ +--------+ +---------+ |
              |            iSCSI Server           |
              +-----------------------------------+

   In the above drawing, the iSCSI server has three iSCSI targets that
   the client could discover, named "one", "two" and "three".  The iSCSI
   client has an iSCSI initiator with the name "myhost".  The iSCSI
   client may use the initiator name in its SLP Service Requests as a
   filter to discover only targets that are configured to accept iSCSI
   connections from "myhost".

   Each iSCSI target and initiator has a unique name, called an iSCSI
   Name.  This identifier is the same regardless of the network path
   (through adapter cards, networks, and interfaces on the storage
   device) over which the target is discovered and accessed.  For this
   example, the iSCSI names "one", "two", and "three" are used for the
   targets; the initiator uses the name "myhost".  An actual iSCSI name
   would incorporate more structure, including a naming authority, and
   is not described here.

   Each of the iSCSI targets in the drawing can appear at two addresses,
   since two network interfaces are present.  Each target would have two
   service URLs, unless a single service URL included a DNS host name
   mapping to both addresses.

   An iSCSI target URL consists of its fully qualified host name or IP
   address, the TCP port on which it is listening, and its iSCSI name.
   An iSCSI server must register each of its individual targets at each
   of its network addresses.

   The iSCSI server constructs a service advertisement of the type
   "service:iscsi:target" for each of the service URLs it wishes to
   register.  The advertisement contains a lifetime, along with other
   attributes that are defined in the service template.

   If the server in the above drawing is listening at TCP port 3260 for
   both network addresses, the service URLs registered would be

   - 192.0.2.131:3260/one

   - 192.0.2.131:3260/two

   - 192.0.2.131:3260/three

   - 192.0.2.3:3260/one

   - 192.0.2.3:3260/two

   - 192.0.2.3:3260/three

   The remainder of the discovery procedure is identical to that used by
   any client/server pair implementing SLP:

   1.  If an SLP DA is found, the SA contacts the DA and registers the
       service advertisement.  Whether or not one or more SLPv2 DAs are
       discovered, the SA maintains the advertisement itself and answers
       multicast UA queries directly.

   2.  When the iSCSI initiator requires contact information for an
       iSCSI target, the UA either contacts the DA by using unicast or
       the SA by using multicast.  If a UA is configured with the
       address of the SA, it may avoid multicast and may contact an SA
       by using unicast.  The UA includes a query based on the
       attributes to indicate the characteristics of the target(s) it
       requires.

   3.  Once the UA has the host name or address of the iSCSI server, as
       well as the port number and iSCSI Target Name, it can begin the
       normal iSCSI login to the target.

   As information contained in the iSCSI target template may exceed
   common network datagram sizes, the SLP implementation for both UAs
   and SAs supporting this template MUST implement SLP over TCP.

4.1.1.  Finding Targets Based on Initiator Credentials

   To be allowed access to an iSCSI target, an initiator must be
   authenticated.  The initiator may be required by the target to
   produce one or more of the following credentials:

   - An iSCSI Initiator Name

   - An IP address

   - A CHAP, SRP, or Kerberos credential

   - Any combination of the above

   Most iSCSI targets allow access to only one or two initiators.  In
   the ideal discovery scenario, an initiator would send an SLP request
   and receive responses ONLY for targets to which the initiator is
   guaranteed a successful login.  To achieve this goal, the iSCSI
   target template contains the following attributes, each of which
   allows a list of values:

   1.  auth-name:  This attribute contains the list of initiator names
       allowed to access this target, or the value "any", indicating
       that no specific initiator name is required.

   2.  auth-addr:  This attribute contains the list of host names
       and/or IP addresses that will be allowed access to this target,
       or the value "any", indicating that no specific address or
       host name is required.  If a large number of addresses is to
       be allowed (perhaps a subnet), this attribute may contain the
       value "any".

   3.  auth-cred:  This attribute contains a list of "method/identifier"
       credentials that will be allowed access to the target, provided
       they can produce the correct password or other verifier during
       the login process.  If no specific credentials are required, the
       value "any" is used.

   The list of valid method strings for auth-cred are defined in
   [RFC3720], section 11.1, "AuthMethod".  The identifier used after the
   "/" is defined by the specific AuthMethod, also in [RFC3720].
   Examples showing initiator searches based on auth-xxxx attributes are
   shown in the target-specific template section below.

   Also note that the auth-xxxx attributes are considered security
   policy information.  If these attributes are distributed, IPsec MUST
   be implemented as specified in the Security Implementation section
   below.

4.1.2.  Supporting Access by Multiple Identities to the Same Target

   If a target is to allow access to multiple host identities, more than
   one combination of auth-xxxx attributes will have to be allowed.  In
   some of these cases, it is not possible to express the entire set of
   valid combinations of auth-xxxx attributes within a single registered
   service URL.  For example, if a target can be addressed by

      auth-name=myhost1 AND auth-cred=CHAP/user1      (identity1)

   OR

      auth-name-myhost2 AND auth-cred=CHAP/user2      (identity2)

   the above cannot be specified in a single registered service URL,
   since (auth-name=myhost1, auth-name=myhost2, auth-cred=CHAP/user1,
   auth-cred=CHAP/user2) would allow either auth-name to be used with
   either auth-cred.  This necessitates the ability to register a target
   and address under more than one service URL; one for (identity1) and
   one for (identity2).

   Because service URLs must be unique, (identity1) and (identity2) must
   each be registered under a unique service URL.  For systems that
   support the configuration of multiple identities to access a target,
   the service URL must contain an additional, opaque string defining
   the identity.  This appears after the iSCSI name in the URL string
   and is separated by a "/".  Each registered (target-address, target-
   name, initiator-identity) tuple can then register a set of auth-xxxx
   attributes.

4.1.3.  Using SLP in a Non-multicast Environment

   In some networks, the use of multicast for discovery purposes is
   either unavailable or not allowed.  These include public or service-
   provider networks that are placed between an iSCSI client and a
   server.  These are probably most common between two iSCSI gateways,
   one at a storage service provider site, and one at a customer site.

   In these networks, an initiator may allow the addresses of one or
   more SAs to be configured instead of or in addition to its DA
   configuration.  The initiator would then make unicast SLP service
   requests directly to these SAs, without the use of multicast to
   discover them first.

   This functionality is well within the scope of the current SLP
   protocol.  The main consequence for implementors is that an initiator
   configured to make direct unicast requests to an SA will have to add
   this to the SLP API, if it is following the service location API
   defined in [RFC2614].

4.2.  Discovering Storage Management Services with SLP

   Storage management servers can be built to manage and control access
   to targets in a variety of ways.  They can provide extended services
   beyond discovery, which could include storage allocation and
   management.  None of these services are defined here; the intent of
   this document is to allow these services to be discovered by both
   clients and servers, in addition to the target discovery already
   being performed.

   The following drawing shows an iSCSI client, an iSCSI server, and a
   storage management server.  To simplify the drawing, the second IP
   network is not shown but is assumed to exist.  The storage management
   server would use its own protocol (smsp) to provide capabilities to
   iSCSI clients and servers; these clients and servers can both use SLP
   to discover the storage management server.

      +---------------------------+
      |         iSCSI Client      |
      |                           |
      |       +-----------+       |
      |       | iSCSI     |       |
      |       | initiator |       |
      |       +-----------+       |
      |                           |
      +---------------+------+----+      +------------+
      | iSCSI Driver  | smsp | UA |      |  SLP DA    |
      +---------------+------+----+      |            |
      |        TCP/UDP/IP         |      | (optional) |
      +---------------+------+----+      +------------+
               |                               |
               |   IP Network                  |
           ------------------------------------------
               |                          |
               |                          |
      +---------------+-----------+     +---------------------+
      |        TCP/UDP/IP         |     | TCP/UDP/IP          |
      +---------------+------+----+     +---------------------+
      | iSCSI Driver  | smsp | UA |     |   SA    |   smsp    |
      +---------------+------+----+     +---------------------+
      |                           |     |                     |
      | +--------+ +--------+     |     | storage mgmt server |
      | | iSCSI  | | iSCSI  |     |     |                     |
      | | target | | target |     |     +---------------------+
      | |   1    | |   2    |     |
      | +--------+ +--------+     |
      |                           |
      |     iSCSI Server          |
      +---------------------------+

   Note the difference between the storage management server model and
   the previously defined target discovery model.  When target discovery
   was used, the iSCSI Server implemented an SA, to be discovered by the
   initiator's UA.  In the storage management server model, the iSCSI
   clients and servers both implement UAs, and the management server
   implements the SA.

   A storage management server's URL contains the domain name or IP
   address and TCP or UDP port number.  No other information is
   required.

   The storage management server constructs a service advertisement of
   the type "service:iscsi:sms" for each of the addresses at which it
   appears.  The advertisement contains the URL and a lifetime, along
   with other attributes that are defined in the service template.

   The remainder of the discovery procedure is identical to that used to
   discover iSCSI targets, except that both initiators and targets would
   normally be "clients" of the storage management service.

   Targets that support a storage management service implement a UA in
   addition to the SA.  A target may alternatively just implement the UA
   and allow the storage management service to advertise its targets
   appropriately by providing an SA and registering the appropriate
   service:iscsi:target registrations on the target's behalf: The target
   device would not have to advertise its own targets.  This has no
   impact on the initiator.

   This allows the initiators' discovery of targets to be completely
   interoperable regardless of which storage management service is used,
   or whether one is used at all, or whether the target registrations
   are provided directly by the target or by the management service.

4.3.  Internationalization Considerations

   SLP allows internationalized strings to be registered and retrieved.
   Attributes in the template that are not marked with an 'L' (literal)
   will be registered in a localized manner.  An "en" (English)
   localization MUST be registered, and others MAY be registered.

   Attributes that include non-ASCII characters will be encoded by using
   UTF-8, as discussed in [RFC3722] and [RFC3491].

5.  iSCSI SLP Templates

   Three templates are provided: an iSCSI target template, a management
   service template, and an abstract template to encapsulate the two.

5.1.  The iSCSI Abstract Service Type Template

   This template defines the abstract service "service:iscsi".  It is
   used as a top-level service to encapsulate all other iSCSI-related
   services.

   Name of submitter: Mark Bakke
   Language of service template: en
   Security Considerations: See section 6.

   Template Text:
   -------------------------template begins here-----------------------
   template-type=iscsi
   template-version=1.0

   template-description=
     This is an abstract service type.  The purpose of the iscsi
     service type is to encompass all of the services used to support
     the iSCSI protocol.

   template-url-syntax=
     url-path=  ;  Depends on the concrete service type.

   --------------------------template ends here------------------------

5.2.  The iSCSI Target Concrete Service Type Template

   This template defines the service "service:iscsi:target".  An entity
   containing iSCSI targets that wishes them discovered via SLP would
   register each of them, with each of their addresses, as this service
   type.

   Initiators (and perhaps management services) wishing to discover
   targets in this way will generally use one of the following queries:

   1. Find a specific target, given its iSCSI Target Name:

        Service: service:iscsi:target
        Scope:   initiator-scope-list
        Query:   (iscsi-name=iqn.2001-04.com.example:sn.456)

   2. Find all of the iSCSI Target Names that may allow access to a
      given initiator:

        Service: service:iscsi:target
        Scope:   initiator-scope-list
        Query:   (auth-name=iqn.1998-03.com.example:hostid.045A7B)

   3. Find all of the iSCSI Target Names that may allow access to
      any initiator:

        Service: service:iscsi:target
        Scope:   initiator-scope-list
        Query:   (auth-name=any)

   4. Find all of the iSCSI Target Names that may allow access to
      this initiator, or that will allow access to any initiator:

        Service: service:iscsi:target
        Scope:   initiator-scope-list
        Query:   &(auth-name=iqn.1998-03.com.example:hostid.045A7B)
                  (auth-name=any)

   5. Find all of the iSCSI Target Names that may allow access to
      a given CHAP user name:

        Service: service:iscsi:target
        Scope:   initiator-scope-list
        Query:   (auth-cred=chap/my-user-name)

   6. Find all of the iSCSI Target Names that may allow access to a
      given initiator that supports two IP addresses, a CHAP credential
      and SRP credential, and an initiator name:

        Service: service:iscsi:target
        Scope:   initiator-scope-list
        Query:   &(|(auth-name=iqn.com.example:host47)(auth-name=any)
        |(auth-addr=192.0.2.3)(auth-addr=192.0.2.131)(auth-addr=any)
        |(auth-cred=chap/foo)(auth-cred=srp/my-user-name)
         (auth-cred=any))

   7. Find the iSCSI Target Names from which the given initiator is
      allowed to boot:

        Service: service:iscsi:target
        Scope:   initiator-scope-list
        Query:   (boot-list=iqn.1998-03.com.example:hostid.045A7B)

   8. In addition, a management service may wish to discover all
      targets:

        Service: service:iscsi:target
        Scope:   management-server-scope-list
        Query:   <empty-string>

   More details on booting from an iSCSI target are defined in [BOOT].

   Name of submitter: Mark Bakke
   Language of service template: en
   Security Considerations: see section 6.

   Template Text:
   -------------------------template begins here-----------------------
   template-type=iscsi:target
   template-version=1.0

   template-description=

     This is a concrete service type.  The iscsi:target service type is
     used to register individual target addresses to be discovered
     by others.  UAs will generally search for these by including one of
     the following:

     - the iSCSI target name
     - iSCSI initiator identifiers (iSCSI name, credential, IP address)
     - the service URL

   template-url-syntax=
     url-path    = hostport "/" iscsi-name [ "/" identity ]
     hostport    = host [ ":" port ]
     host        = hostname / hostnumber  ; DNS name or IP address
     hostname    = *( domainlabel "." ) toplabel
     alphanum    = ALPHA / DIGIT
     domainlabel = alphanum / alphanum *[alphanum / "-"] alphanum
     toplabel    = ALPHA / ALPHA *[ alphanum / "-" ] alphanum
     hostnumber  = ipv4-number / ipv6-addr  ; IPv4 or IPv6 address
     ipv4-number = 1*3DIGIT 3("." 1*3DIGIT)
     ipv6-addr   = "[" ipv6-number "]"
     ipv6-number =                              6( h16 ":" ) ls32
                   /                       "::" 5( h16 ":" ) ls32
                   / [               h16 ] "::" 4( h16 ":" ) ls32
                   / [ *1( h16 ":" ) h16 ] "::" 3( h16 ":" ) ls32
                   / [ *2( h16 ":" ) h16 ] "::" 2( h16 ":" ) ls32
                   / [ *3( h16 ":" ) h16 ] "::"    h16 ":"   ls32
                   / [ *4( h16 ":" ) h16 ] "::"              ls32
                   / [ *5( h16 ":" ) h16 ] "::"              h16
                   / [ *6( h16 ":" ) h16 ] "::"
     ls32        = ( h16 ":" h16 ) / ipv4-number
                   ; least-significant 32 bits of ipv6 address
     h16         = 1*4HEXDIG
     port        = 1*DIGIT
     iscsi-name  = iscsi-char ; iSCSI target name
     identity    = iscsi-char ; optional identity string
     iscsi-char  = ALPHA / DIGIT / escaped / ":" / "-" / "."
                   ; Intended to allow UTF-8 encoded strings
     escaped     = 1*("\" HEXDIG HEXDIG)
     ;
     ; The iscsi-name part of the URL is required and must be the iSCSI
     ; name of the target being registered.
     ; A device representing multiple targets must individually
     ; register each target/address combination with SLP.
     ; The identity part of the URL is optional, and is used to
     ; indicate an identity that is allowed to access this target.
     ;
     ; Example (split into two lines for clarity):
     ; service:iscsi:target://192.0.2.3:3260/
     ;                      iqn.2001-04.com.example:sn.45678
     ;
     ; IPv6 addresses are also supported; they use the notation
     ; specified above and in [RFC3513], section 2.2

   iscsi-name = string
   # The iSCSI Name of this target.
   # This must match the iscsi-name in the url-path.

   portal-group = integer
   # The iSCSI portal group tag for this address.  Addresses sharing
   # the same iscsi-name and portal-group tag can be used within the
   # same iSCSI session.  Portal groups are described in [RFC3720].

   transports = string M L
   tcp
     # This is a list of transport protocols that the registered
     # entity supports.  iSCSI is currently supported over TCP,
     # but it is anticipated that it could be supported over other
     # transports, such as SCTP, in the future.
   tcp

   mgmt-entity = string O
   # The fully qualified domain name, or IP address in dotted-decimal
   # notation, of the management interface of the entity containing
   # this target.
   #

   alias = string O
   # The alias string contains a descriptive name of the target.

   auth-name = string M X
   # A list of iSCSI Initiator Names that can access this target.
   # Normal iSCSI names will be 80 characters or less; max length
   # is 255.
   # Normally, only one or a few values will be in the list.
   # Using the equivalence search on this will evaluate to "true"
   # if any one of the items in this list matches the query.
   # If this list contains the default name "any", any initiator
   # is allowed to access this target, provided it matches
   # the other auth-xxx attributes.
   #
   # This attribute contains security policy information.  If this
   # attribute is distributed via an Attribute Reply message,
   # IPsec MUST be implemented.

   auth-addr = string M X
   # A list of initiator IP addresses (or host names) which will
   # be allowed access to this target.  If this list contains the
   # default name "any", any IP address is allowed access to this
   # target, provided it matches the other auth-xxx attributes.

   #
   # This attribute contains security policy information.  If this
   # attribute is distributed via an Attribute Reply message,
   # IPsec MUST be implemented.

   auth-cred = string M X
   # A list of credentials which will be allowed access to the target
   # (provided they can provide the correct password or other
   # authenticator).  Entries in this list are of the form
   # "method/identifier", where the currently defined methods are
   # "chap" and "srp", both of which take usernames as their
   # identifiers.
   #
   # This attribute contains security policy information.  If this
   # attribute is distributed via an Attribute Reply message,
   # IPsec MUST be implemented.

   boot-list = string M O
   # A list of iSCSI Initiator Names that can boot from this target.
   # This list works precisely like the auth-name attribute.  A name
   # appearing in this list must either appear in the access-list,
   # or the access-list must contain the initiator name "iscsi".
   # Otherwise, an initiator will be unable to find its boot
   # target.  If boot-list contains the name "iscsi", any host can boot
   # from it, but I am not sure if this is useful to anyone.  If this
   # attribute is not registered, this target is not "bootable".
   #
   # Note that the LUN the host boots from is not specified here; a
   # host will generally attempt to boot from LUN 0.
   #
   # It is quite possible that other attributes will need to be defined
   # here for booting as well.
   #
   # This attribute contains security policy information.  If this
   # attribute is distributed via an Attribute Reply message,
   # IPsec MUST be implemented.

   --------------------------template ends here------------------------

5.3.  iSCSI Storage Management Service Templates

   This template defines the service "service:iscsi:sms".  An entity
   supporting one or more iSCSI management service protocols may
   register itself with SLP as this service type.  iSCSI clients and
   servers wishing to discover storage management services using SLP
   will usually search for them by the protocol(s) they support:

        Service: service:iscsi:sms
        Scope:   initiator-scope-list
        Query:   (protocols=isns)

   Name of submitter: Mark Bakke
   Language of service template: en
   Security Considerations: see section 6.

   Template Text:
   -------------------------template begins here-----------------------
   template-type=iscsi:sms
   template-version=1.0

   template-description=
     This is a concrete service type.  The iscsi:sms service type
     provides the capability for entities supporting iSCSI to discover
     appropriate management services.

   template-url-syntax=
     url-path   = ; The URL of the management service [RFC2608].

   protocols = string M
   # The list of protocols supported by this name service.  This
   # list may be expanded in the future.  There is no default.
   #
   # "isns"  - This management service supports the use of the iSNS
   #           protocol for access management, health monitoring, and
   #           discovery management services.  This protocol is defined
   #           in [ISNS].
   isns

   transports = string M L
   tcp
   # This is a list of transport protocols that the registered
   # entity supports.
   tcp, udp

   server-priority = integer
   # The priority a client should give this server, when choosing
   # between multiple servers with the same protocol type.
   # When multiple servers are discovered for a given protocol type,
   # this parameter indicates their relative precedence. Server
   # precedence is protocol-specific; for some protocols, the primary
   # server may have the highest server-priority value, while for
   # others it may have the lowest. For example, with iSNS, the primary
   # server has the lowest value (value 0).

   --------------------------template ends here------------------------

6.  Security Considerations

   The SLPv2 security model as specified in [RFC2608] does not provide
   confidentiality but does provide an authentication mechanism for UAs
   to ensure that service advertisements only come from trusted SAs,
   with the exception that it does not provide a mechanism to
   authenticate "zero-result responses".  See [RFC3723] for a discussion
   of the SLPv2 [RFC2608] security model.

   Once a target or management server is discovered, authentication and
   authorization are handled by the iSCSI protocol, or by the management
   server's protocol.  It is the responsibility of the providers of
   these services to ensure that an inappropriately advertised or
   discovered service does not compromise their security.

   When no security is used for SLPv2, there is a risk of distribution
   of false discovery information.  The primary countermeasure for this
   risk is authentication.  When this risk is a significant concern,
   IPsec SAs and iSCSI in-band authentication SHOULD be used for iSCSI
   traffic subject to this risk to ensure that iSCSI traffic only flows
   between endpoints that have participated in IKE authentication and
   iSCSI in-band authentication.  For example, if an attacker
   distributes discovery information falsely claiming that it is an
   iSCSI target, it will lack the secret information necessary to
   complete IKE authentication or iSCSI in-band authentication
   successfully and therefore will be prevented from falsely sending or
   receiving iSCSI traffic.

   A risk remains of a denial of service attack based on repeated use of
   false discovery information that will cause initiation of IKE
   negotiation.  The countermeasures for this are administrative
   configuration of each iSCSI Target to limit the peers  it is willing
   to communicate with (i.e., by IP address range and/or DNS domain),
   and maintenance of a negative authentication cache to avoid
   repeatedly contacting an iSCSI Target that fails to authenticate.
   These three measures (i.e., IP address range limits, DNS domain
   limits, negative authentication cache) MUST be implemented.

   The auth-name, auth-addr, auth-cred, and boot-list attributes
   comprise security policy information.  When these are distributed,
   IPsec MUST be implemented.

6.1.  Security Implementation

   Security for SLPv2 in an IP storage environment is specified in
   [RFC3723].  IPsec is mandatory-to-implement for IPS clients and
   servers.  Thus, all IP storage clients, including those invoking SLP,
   can be assumed to support IPsec.  SLP servers, however, cannot be
   assumed to implement IPsec, since there is no such requirement in
   standard SLP.  In particular, SLP Directory Agents (DA) may be
   running on machines other than those running the IPS protocols.

   IPsec SHOULD be implemented for SLPv2 as specified in [RFC3723]; this
   includes ESP with a non-null transform to provide both authentication
   and confidentiality.

   When SLPv2 can be used to distribute auth-name, auth-addr, auth-cred,
   and boot-list information (see section 5.2 above), IPsec MUST be
   implemented, as these items are considered sensitive security policy
   information.  If IPsec is not implemented, auth-name, auth-addr,
   auth-cred, and boot-list information MUST NOT be distributed via
   SLPv2 and MUST NOT be used if discovered via SLPv2.

   Because the IP storage services have their own authentication
   capabilities when located, SLPv2 authentication is OPTIONAL to
   implement and use (as discussed in more detail in [RFC3723]).

7.  IANA Considerations

   This document describes three SLP Templates.  They have been reviewed
   and approved by the IESG and registered in the IANA's "SVRLOC
   Templates" registry.  This process is described in the IANA
   Considerations section of [RFC2609].

8.  Summary

   This document describes how SLP can be used by iSCSI initiators to
   find iSCSI targets and storage management servers.  Service type
   templates for iSCSI targets and storage management servers are
   presented.

9.  Normative References

   [RFC2608]   Guttman, E., Perkins, C., Veizades, J., and M. Day,
               "Service Location Protocol, Version 2", RFC 2608, June
               1999.

   [RFC2609]   Guttman, E., Perkins, C., and J. Kempf, "Service
               Templates and Service: Schemes", RFC 2609, June 1999.

   [RFC2119]   Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate
               Requirement Levels", BCP 14, RFC 2119, March 1997.

   [RFC3491]   Hoffman, P. and M. Blanchet, "Nameprep: A Stringprep
               Profile for Internationalized Domain Names (IDN)", RFC
               3491, March 2003.

   [RFC3513]   Hinden, R. and S. Deering, "Internet Protocol Version 6
               (IPv6) Addressing Architecture", RFC 3513, April 2003.

   [RFC3720]   Satran, J., Meth, K., Sapuntzakis, C., Chadalapaka, M.,
               and E. Zeidner, "Internet Small Computer Systems
               Interface (iSCSI)", RFC 3720, April 2004.

   [RFC3722]   Bakke, M., "String Profile for Internet Small Computer
               Systems Interface (iSCSI) Names", RFC 3722, April 2004.

   [RFC3723]   Aboba, B., Tseng, J., Walker, J., Rangan, V., and F.
               Travostino, "Securing Block Storage Protocols over IP",
               RFC 3723, April 2004.

10.  Informative References

   [RFC2614]   Kempf, J. and E. Guttman, "An API for Service Location",
               RFC 2614, June 1999.

   [SAM2]      ANSI T10.  "SCSI Architectural Model 2", March 2000.

   [RFC3721]   Bakke, M., Hafner, J., Hufferd, J., Voruganti, K., and M.
               Krueger, "Internet Small Computer Systems Interface
               (iSCSI) Naming and Discovery", RFC 3721, April 2004.

   [ISNS]      Tseng, J., Gibbons, K., Travostino, F., Du Laney, C. and
               J.  Souza, "Internet Storage Name Service", Work in
               Progress, February 2004.

   [BOOT]      Sarkar, P., Missimer, D. and C. Sapuntzakis,  "A Standard
               for Bootstrapping Clients using the iSCSI Protocol", Work
               in Progress, March 2004.

   [RFC3105]   Kempf, J. and G. Montenegro, "Finding an RSIP Server with
               SLP", RFC 3105, October 2001.

11.  Acknowledgements

   This document was produced by the iSCSI Naming and Discovery team,
   including Joe Czap, Jim Hafner, John Hufferd, and Kaladhar Voruganti
   (IBM), Howard Hall (Pirus), Jack Harwood (EMC), Yaron Klein (Sanrad),
   Marjorie Krueger (HP), Lawrence Lamers (San Valley), Todd Sperry
   (Adaptec), and Joshua Tseng (Nishan).  Thanks also to Julian Satran
   (IBM) for suggesting the use of SLP for iSCSI discovery, and to Matt
   Peterson (Caldera) and James Kempf (Sun) for reviewing the document
   from an SLP perspective.

Authors' Addresses

   Mark Bakke
   Cisco Systems, Inc.
   7900 International Drive, Suite 400
   Bloomington, MN
   USA 55425

   EMail: mbakke@cisco.com


   Kaladhar Voruganti
   IBM Almaden Research Center
   650 Harry Road
   San Jose, CA 95120

   EMail: kaladhar@us.ibm.com


   John L. Hufferd
   IBM Storage Systems Group
   5600 Cottle Road
   San Jose, CA 95193

   Phone: +1 408 997-6136
   EMail: jlhufferd@comcast.net


   Marjorie Krueger
   Hewlett-Packard Corporation
   8000 Foothills Blvd
   Roseville, CA 95747-5668, USA

   Phone: +1 916 785-2656
   EMail: marjorie_krueger@hp.com


   Todd Sperry
   Adaptec, Inc.
   691 South Milpitas Boulevard
   Milpitas, Ca. 95035

   Phone: +1 408 957-4980
   EMail: todd_sperry@adaptec.com

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ISO Plain Language

On this page
PROBLEMAn iSCSI initiator has to know the address of the storage target it should talk to, and the usual answers are a static list on the initiator or a list of targets fetched from a known address. Both need configuration on every host.
MECHANISMThe RFC defines the SLP service types that iSCSI targets and storage management servers register, the attributes that describe them, and the queries an initiator can use to find the targets it is allowed to log in to.
STATUS TODAYRFC 4018 is a Proposed Standard from April 2005 and has been updated by RFC 7146.

§1Why SLP for iSCSI

iSCSI, defined in RFC 3720, transports SCSI commands, data and status across an IP network. It is connection-oriented and is currently defined over TCP. It uses a client and server relationship: the client end is an initiator, which sends SCSI commands, and the server end is a target, which receives and executes them.

There are several ways for an initiator to find the targets it should connect to, and two of them need no SLP at all. Each target and its address can be configured statically on the initiator, or each address that provides targets can be configured on the initiator, and iSCSI then offers a mechanism to query that address for a list of targets. Both are defined in the iSCSI naming and discovery requirements.

Each of those needs a little configuration on every initiator. Being able to discover targets and name services without configuring initiators is a desirable feature, and the Service Location Protocol, an IETF standards track protocol, provides several features that simplify locating iSCSI services. This document describes how SLP can be used in iSCSI environments to discover targets, addresses that provide targets, and storage management servers.

Today a host has to be told where its storage lives, or be told where to ask. The Service Location Protocol lets the storage advertise itself instead, so a host can find it with a query.

§3The Terms Used

Some definitions are reproduced from the SLP and the related RSIP server documents. A User Agent is a process working on the client's behalf to establish contact with some service; it retrieves service information from the Service Agents or Directory Agents. A Service Agent is a process working on behalf of one or more services to advertise the services and their capabilities. A Directory Agent is a process that collects service advertisements, and there can be only one on a given host. A Scope is a named set of services, typically making up a logical administrative group. A Service Advertisement is a URL, attributes and a lifetime, giving service access information and a capabilities description for a particular service.

On the storage side, an initiator is a logical entity, typically within a host, that sends SCSI commands to targets to be executed, and is usually a device driver. A target is a logical entity, typically within a storage controller or gateway, that receives those commands and executes them; a target includes one or more Logical Units, each of which is a SCSI device such as a disk or a tape drive. An iSCSI Name is a UTF-8 character string that serves as a unique identifier for iSCSI initiators and targets.

An iSCSI Client is a logical entity, typically a host, that includes at least one initiator, and an iSCSI Server is a logical entity, typically a storage controller or gateway, that includes at least one target. A Storage Management Server is an addressable entity that provides management services that benefit an iSCSI environment; the term is generic and does not indicate a specific protocol or service.

Three SLP roles again: the service agent advertises, the user agent asks, the directory agent collects. On the storage side, the initiator sends commands and the target executes them, and each has a unique iSCSI name.

§4.1Discovering iSCSI Targets

An iSCSI client includes at least one initiator and an SLP user agent. An iSCSI server includes at least one target and an SLP service agent. Some entities, such as extended copy engines, include both initiators and targets, and so both a service agent for their targets and a user agent for their initiators.

Each target and initiator has a unique iSCSI name, and that name is the same whatever path the target is discovered and accessed over. An iSCSI target URL consists of the fully qualified host name or IP address, the TCP port the target listens on, and the iSCSI name. A server must register each of its individual targets at each of its network addresses, so a target with two addresses has two service URLs, unless a single service URL used a DNS host name that mapped to both.

The server constructs a service advertisement of the type service:iscsi:target for each service URL it wishes to register, with a lifetime and the other attributes defined in the service template. In the RFC's example, a server listening on TCP port 3260 at two addresses registers six URLs: 192.0.2.131:3260/one, 192.0.2.131:3260/two, 192.0.2.131:3260/three, 192.0.2.3:3260/one, 192.0.2.3:3260/two and 192.0.2.3:3260/three.

The rest of the procedure is the one used by any SLP client and server pair. If a directory agent is found, the service agent registers the advertisement with it; whether or not a directory agent is found, the service agent keeps the advertisement itself and answers multicast user agent queries directly. When the initiator needs contact information for a target, the user agent either contacts the directory agent by unicast or the service agent by multicast, and includes a query based on the attributes to say what characteristics the target must have. A user agent configured with the address of a service agent may avoid multicast entirely and contact it by unicast. Once the user agent has the host name or address of the server, the port number and the target name, it can begin the normal iSCSI login.

Because the information in the target template may exceed common network datagram sizes, the SLP implementation for both user agents and service agents that support the template must implement SLP over TCP.

Each target is registered once per address, with a URL that names the address, the port and the iSCSI name. The initiator asks for the targets it needs, and once it has the address, the port and the name, it logs in as usual.

ILLUSTRATIVE, NOT FROM THE RFC: DISCOVERY AND THEN LOGIN
Initiator and user agentDirectory agentiSCSI target
  1. Service registrationThe service agent registers a service:iscsi:target advertisement for each address.
  2. Service requestA query on the attributes says what kind of target is wanted.
  3. Service replyReturns the URLs of the matching targets, with the port and the iSCSI name.
  4. iSCSI loginThe normal login starts from the address, port and target name found.

§4.1.1Matching Targets by Initiator Credentials

To be allowed access to a target, an initiator must be authenticated, and the target may require it to produce one or more of an iSCSI initiator name, an IP address, a CHAP, SRP or Kerberos credential, or any combination of these.

Most targets allow access to only one or two initiators. In the ideal discovery scenario, an initiator would send an SLP request and receive responses only for targets to which it is guaranteed a successful login. To reach that, the target template carries three attributes, each holding a list of values. auth-name lists the initiator names allowed to access the target, or the value 'any' when no specific name is required. auth-addr lists the host names and IP addresses that will be allowed access, or 'any'. auth-cred lists credentials of the form method/identifier, such as CHAP or SRP with a user name, that will be allowed access, provided the initiator can produce the right password or other verifier during login; the value 'any' means no specific credential is required.

When a target allows access to several host identities, more than one combination of these attributes has to be allowed, and in some cases the whole set of valid combinations cannot be expressed in a single registered service URL. If a target can be addressed by one name with one credential, or by a second name with a second credential, listing all the names and all the credentials together would allow either name with either credential. So a target and address have to be registered under more than one service URL, one for each identity, and because service URLs must be unique, the URL carries an additional opaque string that defines the identity. That string appears after the iSCSI name in the URL and is separated by a slash, and each registered tuple of target address, target name and initiator identity can then carry its own set of attributes.

A target can say in advance who may log in to it: by name, by address, and by credential. An initiator can search on those rules and get back only the targets it will be allowed into.

THE THREE ACCESS ATTRIBUTES OF THE TARGET TEMPLATE
  • auth-nameThe initiator names allowed to reach the target, or the value any.
  • auth-addrThe host names and IP addresses allowed to reach the target, or the value any.
  • auth-credCredentials of the form method/identifier, such as chap or srp with a user name.

§4.1.3Discovery Without Multicast

In some networks multicast is unavailable or not allowed for discovery. These include public or service-provider networks placed between an iSCSI client and a server, which are probably most common between two iSCSI gateways, one at a storage service provider site and one at a customer site.

In such networks, an initiator may have the addresses of one or more service agents configured, instead of or in addition to its directory agent configuration. The initiator then makes unicast SLP service requests directly to those service agents, without using multicast to find them first. The RFC notes that this is well within the scope of the current SLP protocol, and that the main consequence for implementers is that an initiator configured to make direct unicast requests to a service agent has to add this to the SLP API, if it follows the service location API defined in RFC 2614.

Where a network blocks multicast, the host can be given the address of the advertising agent and ask it directly, with no group traffic on the wire.

§4.2Discovering Storage Management Services

Storage management servers can be built to manage and control access to targets in a variety of ways, and can provide extended services beyond discovery, such as storage allocation and management. None of those services are defined here; the intent is to allow them to be discovered by both clients and servers, alongside the target discovery already described.

The storage management server would use its own protocol to provide capabilities to iSCSI clients and servers, and both of those can use SLP to discover it. The model differs from target discovery: when a target was being discovered, the iSCSI server implemented a service agent to be found by the initiator's user agent. In the storage management server model, the iSCSI clients and servers both implement user agents, and the management server implements the service agent.

A storage management server's URL holds the domain name or IP address and the TCP or UDP port number, and nothing else is required. The server constructs a service advertisement of the type service:iscsi:sms for each of the addresses at which it appears, with the URL, a lifetime and the other attributes in the service template. The discovery procedure is then the same as for targets, except that both initiators and targets are normally clients of the storage management service.

A target that supports a storage management service implements a user agent in addition to the service agent. Alternatively, a target may implement only the user agent and let the storage management service advertise its targets, by the management service providing a service agent and registering the appropriate service:iscsi:target registrations on the target's behalf, so that the target device does not advertise its own targets. This has no impact on the initiator, and it means the initiator's discovery of targets stays fully interoperable regardless of which storage management service is used, whether one is used at all, and whether the registrations come from the target or from the management service.

A management server is found the same way, but the roles are reversed: the storage side advertises the management server, and the hosts and storage both ask for it. A management server may also advertise the targets on the storage's behalf.

§5The Service Type Templates

Three templates are provided: an iSCSI target template, a management service template, and an abstract template to encapsulate the two. All three have template version 1.0.

The abstract template defines the service service:iscsi, used as a top-level service to encapsulate all other iSCSI-related services, with a URL syntax that depends on the concrete service type. The target template defines the service service:iscsi:target, and an entity holding iSCSI targets registers each of them, with each of its addresses, under that type. Its URL syntax is a host and optional port, then a slash, then the iSCSI name, then an optional slash and an identity string. The iSCSI name is required and must be the name of the target being registered, and a device representing several targets must register each target and address combination separately.

The target template defines these attributes: iscsi-name, the iSCSI name of the target, which must match the name in the URL path; portal-group, the iSCSI portal group tag for the address, where addresses sharing the same name and tag can be used within the same iSCSI session; transports, the transport protocols the entity supports, which is TCP today, with SCTP anticipated; mgmt-entity, the name or address of the management interface of the entity holding the target; and alias, a descriptive name for the target. It also defines the three access attributes described earlier, and boot-list, a list of initiator names that may boot from the target, which works like the access list, and which is not registered at all when the target is not bootable.

The management service template defines the service service:iscsi:sms. An entity supporting one or more iSCSI management service protocols may register itself under that type, and clients and servers usually search for them by the protocols they support, with the query (protocols=isns) as the example. Its URL is the URL of the management service. Its attributes are protocols, the list of protocols the name service supports, with no default, transports, which for this service lists TCP and UDP, and server-priority, the priority a client should give this server when choosing between several with the same protocol type. The precedence is protocol-specific: with iSNS, for example, the primary server has the lowest value, which is 0.

On internationalization, SLP allows internationalized strings to be registered and retrieved. Template attributes that are not marked as literal are registered in a localized manner; an English localization must be registered and others may be. Attributes that include non-ASCII characters are encoded with UTF-8.

The three templates have been reviewed and approved by the IESG and registered in IANA's SVRLOC Templates registry, following the process described in RFC 2609.

Three templates describe what a target, a management server and the family around them look like: how the URL is written and what attributes come with it.

THE THREE iSCSI SERVICE TYPE TEMPLATES
TemplateService typeWhat it registers
Abstractservice:iscsiA top-level service that encapsulates the other iSCSI services.
Target THIS RFCservice:iscsi:targetIndividual target addresses, so that initiators can find them.
Storage managementservice:iscsi:smsManagement servers, found by the protocols they support.

§6Security Considerations

The SLPv2 security model provides no confidentiality but does provide a way for user agents to be sure that service advertisements come only from trusted service agents, except that it has no mechanism to authenticate a response that returns no results.

Once a target or management server has been discovered, authentication and authorisation are handled by the iSCSI protocol, or by the management server's own protocol. It is the responsibility of the providers of those services to make sure that an inappropriately advertised or discovered service does not compromise their security.

Without security in SLPv2, false discovery information may be distributed. The primary countermeasure is authentication: where the risk matters, IPsec security associations and iSCSI in-band authentication should be used, so that traffic only flows between endpoints that took part in IKE authentication and iSCSI in-band authentication. An attacker who distributes discovery information claiming to be an iSCSI target will lack the secrets needed to complete those exchanges and so will be prevented from sending or receiving iSCSI traffic falsely.

A denial of service risk remains, based on repeated use of false discovery information that triggers IKE negotiation. The countermeasures are administrative configuration of each iSCSI target to limit the peers it will talk to, by IP address range or DNS domain, and a negative authentication cache that avoids repeatedly contacting a target that fails to authenticate. These three measures must be implemented.

The auth-name, auth-addr, auth-cred and boot-list attributes are security policy information, and when they are distributed IPsec must be implemented. If IPsec is not implemented, that information must not be distributed via SLPv2 and must not be used if it is discovered that way.

For the implementation, security for SLPv2 in an IP storage environment is specified in RFC 3723. IPsec is mandatory to implement for the block storage clients and servers, so all of them, including those invoking SLP, can be assumed to support it. SLP servers cannot be assumed to implement IPsec, because standard SLP has no such requirement, and in particular a directory agent may run on a machine that runs no block storage protocol. IPsec should be implemented for SLPv2, including ESP with a non-null transform to give both authentication and confidentiality. Because the storage services have their own authentication capabilities once located, SLPv2 authentication is optional to implement and use.

Finding a target proves nothing, so the iSCSI login still authenticates the peer. The access rules published in discovery are themselves sensitive, and the RFC says they must not travel without IPsec.

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