%%%
    title           = "Spinel: A protocol basis for control and management of IPv6 network interface co-processors"
    abbrev          = "Spinel Basis"
    category        = "std"
    docName         = "draft-rquattle-spinel-basis"
    ipr             = "trust200902"
    keyword         = ["Spinel", "IPv6", "NCP"]
    date            = @SOURCE_DATE@
    
    [pi]
    editing         = "yes"
    compact         = "yes"
    subcompact      = "yes"
    comments        = "yes"
    
    [[author]]
    initials        = "R."
    surname         = "Quattlebaum"
    fullname        = "Robert S. Quattlebaum"
    organization    = "Nest Labs, Inc."
    
        [author.address]
        email       = "rquattle@nestlabs.com"
        
        [author.address.postal]
        street      = "3400 Hillview Ave."
        city        = "Palo Alto"
        region      = "California"
        code        = "94304"
        country     = "USA"
    
    [[author]]
    initials        = "j.h."
    surname         = "woodyatt"
    fullname        = "james woodyatt"
    organization    = "Nest Labs, Inc."
    role            = "editor"
    
        [author.address]
        email       = "jhw@nestlabs.com"
        
        [author.address.postal]
        street      = "3400 Hillview Ave."
        city        = "Palo Alto"
        region      = "California"
        code        = "94304"
        country     = "USA"
%%%

.# Abstract

This document specifies the basis of the Spinel protocol, which facilitates the control and management of IPv6 network interfaces on devices where general purpose application processors offload network functions at their interfaces to network co-processors (NCP) connected by simple communication links like serial data channels. Spinel was initially designed for use with Thread network co-processors, but its basis is general purpose and intended to be easily adapted to other types of IPv6 network interface.

{mainmatter}

# Introduction #

Spinel is a host-controller protocol designed to enable interoperation over simple serial connections between general purpose device operating systems (OS) and network co-processors (NCP) for the purpose of controlling and managing their IPv6 network interfaces, achieving the following goals:

*   Adopt a layered approach to the protocol design, allowing future support for other types of IPv6 link.
*   Minimize the number of required commands/methods by supporting a rich, property-based programming interface.
*   Support NCPs capable of multiple simultaneous IPv6 interfaces.
*   Support NCPs capable of communicating simultaneously on more than one physical link.
*   Gracefully handle the addition of new features and capabilities without necessarily breaking backward compatibility.
*   Be as minimal and light-weight as possible without unnecessarily sacrificing flexibility.

On top of this core framework, properties and commands enable various common features of IPv6. In related and forthcoming documents, the Spinel protocol is extended to support NCP implementations for specific IPv6 link types, e.g. Thread.

{{spinel-frame-format.md}}

{{spinel-data-packing.md}}

{{spinel-commands.md}}

{{spinel-prop.md}}

{{spinel-status-codes.md}}

{{spinel-tech-thread.md}}

{{spinel-feature-network-save.md}}

{{spinel-feature-host-buffer-offload.md}}

{{spinel-feature-jam-detect.md}}

{{spinel-feature-gpio.md}}

{{spinel-feature-trng.md}}

{{spinel-security-considerations.md}}

{backmatter}

{{spinel-framing.md}}

{{spinel-test-vectors.md}}

{{spinel-example-sessions.md}}

{{spinel-basis-glossary.md}}

# Acknowledgments #

Thread is a registered trademark of The Thread Group, Inc.

Special thanks to Nick Banks, Jonathan Hui, Abtin Keshavarzian, Piotr Szkotak, Arjuna Sivasithambaresan and Martin Turon for their substantial contributions and feedback related to this document.

This document was prepared using [mmark](https://github.com/miekg/mmark) by (Miek Gieben) and [xml2rfc (version 2)](http://xml2rfc.ietf.org/).