IPSec (2nd Edition)

This chapter discusses the IPSec architecture in detail. This includes various components of IPSec, how they interact with each other, the protocols in the IPSec family, and the modes in which they operate.

The IPSec working group at the IETF has defined 12 RFCs (Request for Comments). The RFCs define various aspects of IPSec architecture, key management, base protocols, and the mandatory transforms to implement for the base protocols. This chapter concentrates mostly on the architecture. The base protocols and the key management protocols are discussed in greater detail in later chapters.