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authorThomas Voss <mail@thomasvoss.com> 2024-11-27 20:54:24 +0100
committerThomas Voss <mail@thomasvoss.com> 2024-11-27 20:54:24 +0100
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+
+Network Working Group J. Postel
+Request for Comments: 902 J. Reynolds
+ ISI
+ July 1984
+
+
+ ARPA-Internet Protocol Policy
+
+
+Status of this Memo
+
+ This memo is a policy statement on how protocols become official
+ standards for the ARPA-Internet and the DARPA research community.
+ This is an official policy statement of the ICCB and the DARPA.
+ Distribution of this memo is unlimited.
+
+Introduction
+
+ The purpose of this memo is to explain how protocol standards are
+ adopted for the ARPA-Internet and the DARPA research community.
+ There are three important aspects to be discussed: the process, the
+ authority, and the complex relationship between the DARPA community
+ and the DDN community. To do this some background must be given and
+ some of the players described.
+
+ DARPA = Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
+ DDN = Defense Data Network
+
+The DARPA World
+
+ The DARPA world is headed up by the DARPA office. DARPA sponsors
+ research on many subjects with a number of contractors. This set of
+ contractors is called the "DARPA research community". DARPA
+ typically casts its research efforts into "programs" that involve
+ work by several contractors. One program is the "Internet Program",
+ which is researching computer communications issues and constructing
+ experimental communication systems. When the experiments are
+ successful, the results are often put into use to support further
+ work in the Internet Program and other DARPA research programs. In
+ this way, DARPA developed the ARPANET, SATNET, Packet Radio Networks,
+ and the Internet.
+
+ In 1981 DARPA established the Internet Configuration Control Board
+ (ICCB) to help manage the DARPA Internet Program.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Postel & Reynolds [Page 1]
+
+
+
+RFC 902 July 1984
+DARPA Internet Protocol Policy
+
+
+The ICCB
+
+ The concerns of the ICCB fall into two categories:
+
+ Short Term Issues:
+
+ Keeping the Internet operating as an on-going resource, i.e.,
+ dealing with problems that arise due to the growth in the size
+ of the system and the level of use of the system. Sometimes
+ this suggests research on new procedures and algorithms, or
+ suggests changes to the existing protocols and procedures.
+ Sometimes the results of long range research become available
+ and their introduction into the current system becomes a short
+ term concern.
+
+ Long Term Issues:
+
+ The ICCB also considers communication problems related to the
+ Internet more abstractly. The ICCB suggests to DARPA possible
+ research topics and experiments. The ICCB may act as a
+ sounding board for ideas suggested by others.
+
+ DARPA has delegated some aspects of the management of the Internet
+ Program and operation of the (experimental) ARPA-Internet for the
+ DARPA research community to the ICCB.
+
+ The members of ICCB were chosen to represent a spectrum of interests
+ and viewpoints. The ICCB members are from different organizations,
+ their individual backgrounds specialize in different operating
+ systems and their viewpoints on computer communication issues are
+ diverse.
+
+ The chairman of the ICCB is also the "Internet Architect", and the
+ assistant chairman is the "Deputy Internet Architect". The ICCB
+ currently has 12 members. The Internet Architect is Dave Clark of
+ MIT, and the Deputy Internet Architect is Jon Postel of ISI.
+
+The DDN World
+
+ The DDN is a communication system for DoD operational use. It
+ integrates many networks and communication systems now used and
+ planned within the DoD. One part of the DDN system is networks that
+ are also part of the Internet, specifically MILNET and the networks
+ connected to it.
+
+ The DDN is managed by the DDN Program Management Office (DDN-PMO).
+ The DDN-PMO sets policy for the use of DDN facilities and enforces
+ protocol standards established for use in the DDN networks.
+
+
+Postel & Reynolds [Page 2]
+
+
+
+RFC 902 July 1984
+DARPA Internet Protocol Policy
+
+
+ Within the DoD, there are three protocol committees: the Protocol
+ Standard Steering Group (PSSG), the Protocol Standard Technical Panel
+ (PSTP), and the Protocol Configuration Control Board (PCCB). These
+ committees have members that represent most elements of the DoD.
+ Generally, they develop and recommend guidelines for protocol
+ standardization and usage to the DDN-PMO, and to all of the DoD. The
+ PSSG is a policy setting committee for all of DoD on matters of
+ protocols standards.
+
+The Relationship between the DARPA World and the DDN World
+
+ There is cooperation between DDN-PMO and DARPA about the Internet. A
+ few people serve on both the DoD committees (PSSG, PSTP, or PCCB) and
+ the DARPA committee (ICCB). There are good working relationships
+ between the key people in the DARPA office and the DDN-PMO, and
+ between the technical people in both worlds at lower levels.
+
+ For example, the ICCB may decide that a certain protocol is to be
+ used in the ARPA-Internet, and develop an implementation plan and
+ schedule. The DDN-PMO would separately consider the issue. It may
+ decide to require that protocol to be implemented in DDN on the same
+ schedule, or it may decide to wait for some results from the DARPA
+ experiment with that protocol before committing to a schedule, or it
+ may decide that that protocol is not required in the DDN.
+
+ There are two documents that specify TCP. RFC-793 is the official
+ specification of the DARPA research community. Military Standard
+ 1778 is the official specification of the DDN community. The two
+ documents specify the same protocol.
+
+ Organizations that are connected to the Internet through authority
+ derived from DARPA follow the rules set by the ICCB and DARPA.
+
+ Organizations that are connected to the Internet through authority
+ derived from DDN-PMO follow the rules set by the DDN-PMO.
+
+DARPA Official Protocol Designation
+
+ Official protocols for the ARPA-Internet and DARPA research community
+ are specified in RFCs and should have that designation indicated in
+ the first few paragraphs of the defining RFC. That is, the RFC
+ defining an official protocol should have a policy statement that
+ says,
+
+ "This RFC specifies a standard for the DARPA community. Hosts on
+ the ARPA-Internet are expected to adopt and implement this
+ standard.",
+
+
+
+Postel & Reynolds [Page 3]
+
+
+
+RFC 902 July 1984
+DARPA Internet Protocol Policy
+
+
+ or something quite similar.
+
+ Also, there is a memo titled "Official Protocols". This document is
+ issued occasionally as an RFC that describes all the official
+ protocols of the ARPA-Internet. This document provides information
+ on each protocol; its status (experimental, required, etc.),
+ specification, additional comments, other references, dependencies,
+ and the person to contact. The most recent issue is RFC-901.
+
+ RFCs are coordinated by the RFC Editor and distributed by the Network
+ Information Center (NIC). The RFC documents are stored as online
+ files in the NIC's computer. Announcements of new RFCs are sent to a
+ mailing list of interested people. The RFC Editor is Jon Postel.
+
+The Normal Development of an DARPA Protocol Standard
+
+ There probably never has been a "normal" case. In most instances
+ some exception or another has been made to the following procedure.
+
+ The Typical Chain of Events
+
+ The development of a protocol starts with some discussion with
+ random people in messages and meetings over an idea of a new
+ protocol and the form it ought to take.
+
+ Someone writes a draft and proposes this draft to a group of
+ people who are interested in the problem. They suggest revisions
+ and iterate the discussion. Eventually, they may decide that they
+ have a reasonable definition of the new protocol and then pass
+ this definition on to the RFC Editor.
+
+ The next step is that the RFC Editor sends a draft to other people
+ who might also be interested in the problem. These people can
+ number just a few, or be part of a large mailing list. Depending
+ upon the results from this selected informal group, the draft can
+ be revised and rewritten several times.
+
+ When this process stabilizes, the protocol draft is sent out as an
+ RFC, identified as a draft proposal of a protocol that may become
+ an official protocol. The RFC is sent to the ARPA-Internet world
+ at large.
+
+ After a certain amount of time, if only a few comments are sent
+ back, some people may try to implement the draft protocol.
+
+ Test implementation of a protocol is a difficult management issue.
+
+
+
+
+Postel & Reynolds [Page 4]
+
+
+
+RFC 902 July 1984
+DARPA Internet Protocol Policy
+
+
+ Experiments must be done with a small number of participants due
+ to the difficulty in changing many implementations at the same
+ time if changes in the protocol are necessary.
+
+ In cases where the ICCB deems it necessary, a set of test
+ implementations will be done. A few participants are picked
+ (typically 5 or fewer) for such experiments. This may lead to
+ revision of the protocol before further implementations are
+ encouraged or before the protocol is made official.
+
+ If no problems arise, a new RFC is issued containing the complete
+ definition of the protocol, and that the protocol is an official
+ protocol of the ARPA-Internet and DARPA research community.
+
+ In general, lower level protocols are more critically judged than
+ higher level protocols (for example, a protocol like TCP would be
+ subject to more careful study than an application like the DAYTIME
+ protocol).
+
+The Bottom Line
+
+ For the ARPA-Internet and the DARPA research community, DARPA is in
+ charge. DARPA delegates the authority for protocol standards to the
+ ICCB. The ICCB delegates the actual administration of the protocol
+ standards to the Deputy Internet Architect.
+
+ For the DoD in general, the PSSG is in charge. The PSSG delegates
+ the authority for the day to day management of protocol standards in
+ the DDN to the DDN-PMO.
+
+
+
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+
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+
+
+Postel & Reynolds [Page 5]
+