eap Mailing List: NETSEL Issue: Terminology issues

[Bernard Aboba (bernard_aboba]

Issue: Terminology issues
Submitter name: Bernard aboba
Submitter email address: aboba [at] internaut.com
Date Submitted: January 24, 2006
Reference:
Document: NETSEL-03
Comment type: E
Priority: S
Section: Various
Rationale/Explanation of issue:

This document needs a terminology section.

In particular, the term "network selection" is not defined, and appears to 
be  used to refer to a number of fundamentally different problems.

In looking at usage in other standards bodies (such as IEEE 802.11), the 
term has been used in a number of contexts, and at times it is hard to tell 
what context the document is discussing.  For example:

a. The term "Network Selection" has sometimes been used to describe the 
problem of
choosing between interfaces.  For example, one interface may be CDMA, and 
another
may be 802.11;  which interface should be used for outgoing traffic?  I 
would
propose that we call this "interface selection".

b. The term has also been used to describe the problem of choosing between 
"points
of attachment".  For example, there are three APs out there, which one 
should my
802.11 interface choose?  In this context, the term "network" may actually 
refer
to a desire to avoid having to change IP addresses by retaining attachment
to the same IP network or prefix.  Perhaps the term "handoff
candidate selection" might better describe this problem?

c. Sometimes the term appears to be used as a synonym for
"identity selection".   Note that RFC 4284 is entitled "Identity Selection 
Hints
for EAP"; the document does not use the term "network selection"  except
in reference to external work, such as this problem statement document.

Given the confusion caused by conflicting usage of the term "network
selection" I would recommend that the authors consider adding a terminology
section in which this and other terms can be defined.