The Meta-Policy Information Base (M-PIB)
University of Toronto
University of Waterloo
This document introduces the concept of COPS-PR meta-policies and defines the Meta-Policy Information Base. The meta-policy PIB does not introduce a new policing area. On the contrary, it defines some provisioning classes that can be used by all other PIBs, in order to add meta-policing functionality into them. The meta-policy PIB, like every PIB, stores policing information that controls some policing mechanisms of the device. However, unlike other PIBs, the policing mechanism controlled by the meta-policy PRCs is the PIB itself. The data maintained by these PRCs implement policies that control other policies, this is why they are called meta-policies. Meta-policies is an attempt to push intelligence towards the COPS-PR PEPs and overcome the rigidity of their PIBs. Through meta-policies, more policing information and functionality can be pushed towards the PEP, less interaction with the PDP is necessary and less network and PDP resources are consumed. The PEP is more independent and it can bear longer PDP absences.