[Nml-wg] PortGroups and Labels for IP/MAC

[Freek Dijkstra]

Aaron Brown wrote:

>> For path finding, it seem useful to describe a all possible ports (e.g.
>> "all VLANs that can dynamically created". For this, I propose to
>> introduce a "PortGroup": which logically can be expanded to many
>> individual Ports.
>>
>> The idea is still sketchy, but I like some input if this is a good
>> approach. If so, I'll make a proposal.
> 
> In the OSCARS world, we've done this, using the label terminology, as
> "the available labels on a port". Thus, a single port might have a
> variety of available labels that could be used on that port. That
> approach makes more sense to me than introducing a new grouping concept
> for ports that don't currently exist.

Explicitly calling it a PortGroup will make it easier to spot this for
path finding ("hey, you can dynamically add new links here, just pick an
available label!"). Another reason is that it allows easier distinction
from a single Port with a dynamic label where you also like to describe
the available labels (e.g. "this is a tunable laser; you can't add a new
wavelength, but you can change the label to a different value").

Freek