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Active Network Encapsulation Protocol

Some means is required to allow users to control the routing of packets to a particular EE. The Active Network Encapsulation Protocol [ANEP] provides this capability. The ANEP header includes a "TypeIdentifier'' field; well­known Type IDs are assigned to specific execution environments. (Presently this assignment is handled by the Active Network Assigned Number Authority.) If a particular EE is present at a node, packets containing a valid ANEP header with a Type ID assigned to that EE (encapsulated in a supported protocol stack) will be routed to channels connected to the indicated EE (provided they do not match some more­specific classification pattern). These default channels are created when the EE starts up. Note that, depending on how they are configured, the ANEP header may occur at various places in the sequence of protocol headers in a packet. A packet need not contain an ANEP header for it to be processed by an EE. 
The Active Network Encapsulation Protocol also provides a vehicle for other communications with the NodeOS. When a packet fails to reach the desired EE at a node (perhaps because the node does not support it, or resources were not available), the ANEP header lets the user instruct the Node OS as to the expected response, for example: drop the packet silently, try to forward it, or send an error message. The latter two require an address in the ANEP header that is recognized by the node OS itself. This implies that this mechanism requires at least one address format that can be assumed to be routable by every node. 
ffl Security vouchers. It is impractical for every node in the network to retrieve or store the information required to authenticate every packet passing through it. However, it may be practical for a packet to be authenticated just once when it enters the network, and thereafter be vouched­for node­to­node using keys shared between neighboring nodes. [4] 

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