The Host Identity Protocol (HIP) is a host identification technology for use on Internet Protocol (IP) networks, such as the Internet. The Internet has two main name spaces, IP addresses and the Domain Name System. HIP separates the end-point identifier and locator roles of IP addresses. It introduces a Host Identity (HI) name space, based on a public key security infrastructure.

The Host Identity Protocol provides secure methods for IP multihoming and mobile computing.

HIP was specified in the IETF HIP working group. An Internet Research Task Force (IRTF) HIP research group looks at the broader impacts of HIP.

The working group is chartered to produce Requests for Comments on the "Experimental" track, but it is understood that their quality and security properties should match the standards track requirements. The main purpose for producing Experimental documents instead of standards track ones are the unknown effects that the mechanisms may have on applications and on the Internet in the large.

Version 2

Host Identity Protocol version 2 (HIPv2) is the second iteration of HIP, specified in RFC 7401 in 2015. It replaces the original protocol defined in RFC 5201 and updates the cryptographic algorithms, packet format, and key exchange procedures. Like the original specification, HIPv2 separates the identifier and locator roles of IP addresses by introducing a cryptographic host identity namespace.

Mobility and multihoming

HIP supports host mobility by allowing a host to update its locator (IP address) without breaking ongoing transport-layer connections, since those connections are bound to the Host Identity rather than to an IP address. Mobility procedures are defined in RFC 8046. Multihoming, where a host maintains simultaneous reachability via several locators, is defined in a companion specification, RFC 8047.

RFC references

  • - Host Identity Protocol (HIP) Architecture (early "informational" snapshot, obsoleted by RFC 9063)
  • - Host Identity Protocol base (Obsoleted by RFC 7401)
  • - Using the Encapsulating Security Payload (ESP) Transport Format with the Host Identity Protocol (HIP) (Obsoleted by RFC 7402)
  • - Host Identity Protocol (HIP) Registration Extension (obsoleted by RFC 8003)
  • - Host Identity Protocol (HIP) Rendezvous Extension (obsoleted by RFC 8004)
  • - Host Identity Protocol (HIP) Domain Name System (DNS) Extension (obsoleted by RFC 8005)
  • - End-Host Mobility and Multihoming with the Host Identity Protocol
  • - NAT and Firewall Traversal Issues of Host Identity Protocol (HIP) Communication
  • - Basic Requirements for IPv6 Customer Edge Routers
  • - Host identity protocol version 2 (HIPv2) (updated by RFC 8002)
  • - Using the Encapsulating Security Payload (ESP) transport format with the Host Identity Protocol (HIP)
  • - Host Identity Protocol Certificates
  • - Host Identity Protocol (HIP) Registration Extension
  • - Host Identity Protocol (HIP) Rendezvous Extension
  • - Host Identity Protocol (HIP) Domain Name System (DNS) Extension
  • - Host Mobility with the Host Identity Protocol
  • - Host Multihoming with the Host Identity Protocol
  • - Native NAT Traversal Mode for the Host Identity Protocol
  • - Host Identity Protocol Architecture

See also

  • Identifier-Locator Network Protocol (ILNP)
  • IPsec
  • Locator/Identifier Separation Protocol (LISP)
  • Mobile IP (MIP)
  • Proxy Mobile IPv6 (PMIPv6)

References

  • IETF HIP working group
  • IRTF HIP research group
  • OpenHIP project
  • How HIP works - InfraHIP project archive
  • HIP simulation framework for OMNeT++.