**Session Date/Time:** 10 Nov 2023 14:30

# bier

## Summary
The BIER working group meeting covered several draft updates, a hackathon report, and discussions on new proposals related to source protection, DR election, and loop avoidance. Key topics included shepherding documents through the IETF process, scalability concerns with BIER-TE, and the need for practical deployments of BIER technology.

## Key Discussion Points

*   **Shepherding:** The importance of volunteering as document shepherds to move drafts through the IETF process was emphasized. Several documents are in the ISG queue and require attention to address review comments.
*   **BIER-TE Scalability:** A presentation explored alternative approaches to BIER-TE using bit-string and segment-encoded explicit trees to improve scalability in large networks.
*   **Source Protection:** A draft on source protection in BIER was presented. Concerns were raised regarding its value compared to existing multicast redundancy mechanisms and whether BIER-specific solutions are necessary.
*   **DR Election:** A draft proposing a protocol-independent Designated Router/Designated Forwarder (DRDF) election mechanism using RGP was discussed as a potential alternative to PIM-based DR election.
*   **Hackathon Report:** A report on informal interoperability testing was presented, highlighting progress in forwarding and challenges in virtualized environments. Plans for more formal EANTC testing in March were announced.
*   **Loop Avoidance:** A proposal to use segment routing for loop avoidance was presented, but participants questioned whether the problem was relevant and if workarounds were needed.

## Decisions and Action Items

*   **OEM Requirements:** A volunteer was found to trade shepherd roles.
*   **BIER BFD:** The document is ready for working group last call and a shepherd will be assigned.
*   **Hybrid Performance Measurement:** To reissue a last call for this document to remind people of the work.
*   **BIER Prefix Redistribution:**  Needs a shepherd, Greg volunteered.
*   **BIER Source Protection:**  The topic needs further discussion on the mailing list to determine if it is worth documenting.
*   **DRDF Election:** An adoption call was made to start the process of standardization.
*   **OSPF Extensions (v2 & v3):** Send the document to the LSR working group for review.

## Next Steps

*   Authors to address review comments on documents in the ISG queue.
*   Continue discussion on the mailing list regarding source protection.
*   Continue planning for formal interoperability testing at EANTC in March.
*   Authors of the DRDF draft prepare for working group adoption.