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diff --git a/doc/rfc/rfc1718.txt b/doc/rfc/rfc1718.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e79fd86 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/rfc/rfc1718.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1291 @@ + + + + + + +Network Working Group IETF Secretariat +Request for Comments: 1718 CNRI +Obsoletes: 1539, 1391 G. Malkin +FYI: 17 Xylogics, Inc. +Category: Informational November 1994 + + + The Tao of IETF + A Guide for New Attendees of the Internet Engineering Task Force + + +Status of this Memo + + This memo provides information for the Internet community. It does + not specify an Internet standard. Distribution of this memo is + unlimited. + + +Abstract + + Over the last two years, the attendance at Internet Engineering Task + Force (IETF) plenary meetings has grown phenomenally. Approximately + one third of the attendees are new to the IETF at each meeting, and + many of those go on to become regular attendees. When the meetings + were smaller, it wasn't very difficult for a newcomer to get into the + swing of things. Today, however, a newcomer meets many more new + people, some previously known only as the authors of documents or + thought provoking e-mail messages. + + The purpose of this For Your Information (FYI) RFC is to explain to + the newcomers how the IETF works. This will give them a warm, fuzzy + feeling and enable them to make the meeting more productive for + everyone. This FYI will also provide the mundane bits of information + which everyone who attends an IETF meeting should know. + + +On-line Availability + + Due to the nature of this document, it can become outdated quite + quickly. To overcome this problem, a WorldWide Web version has been + created that is constantly maintained (the URL is listed below). If + you have a WWW client (such as Mosaic), it is suggested that you view + the on-line version in lieu of this document. This document will be + republished as an FYI RFC every year to year-and-a-half to help those + who do not have access to the WorldWide Web. + + URL for this document: <http://www.ietf.cnri.reston.va.us/tao.html>. + URL for IETF: <http://www.ietf.cnri.reston.va.us/home.html>. + + + +Internet Engineering Task Force [Page 1] + +RFC 1718 The Tao of IETF November 1994 + + +Table of Contents + + Section 1 - The "Fun" Stuff + What is the IETF? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 + Humble Beginnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 + The Hierarchy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 + IETF Mailing Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 + Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 + Newcomers' Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 + Dress Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 + Seeing Spots Before Your Eyes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 + Terminal Room . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 + Social Event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 + Agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 + Other General Things . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 + + Section 2 - The "You've got to know it" Stuff + Registration Bullets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 + Mailing Lists and Archives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 + Important E-mail Addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 + IETF Proceedings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 + InterNIC Archives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 + Be Prepared . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 + RFCs and Internet-Drafts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 + Frequently Asked Questions (and Their Answers) . . . . . . . 17 + Pointers to Useful Documents and Files . . . . . . . . . . . 18 + + Section 3 - The "Reference" Stuff + Tao . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 + IETF Area Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 + Acronyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 + Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 + References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 + Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 + Authors' Addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 + + +What is the IETF? + + The Internet Engineering Task Force is a loosely self-organized group + of people who make technical and other contributions to the + engineering and evolution of the Internet and its technologies. It + is the principal body engaged in the development of new Internet + standard specifications. Its mission includes: + + o Identifying, and proposing solutions to, pressing operational and + technical problems in the Internet; + + + + +Internet Engineering Task Force [Page 2] + +RFC 1718 The Tao of IETF November 1994 + + + o Specifying the development or usage of protocols and the near-term + architecture to solve such technical problems for the Internet; + + o Making recommendations to the Internet Engineering Steering Group + (IESG) regarding the standardization of protocols and protocol + usage in the Internet; + + o Facilitating technology transfer from the Internet Research Task + Force (IRTF) to the wider Internet community; and + + o Providing a forum for the exchange of information within the + Internet community between vendors, users, researchers, agency + contractors and network managers. + + The IETF meeting is not a conference, although there are technical + presentations. The IETF is not a traditional standards organization, + although many specifications are produced that become standards. The + IETF is made up of volunteers who meet three times a year to fulfill + the IETF mission. + + There is no membership in the IETF. Anyone may register for and + attend any meeting. The closest thing there is to being an IETF + member is being on the IETF or working group mailing lists (see the + IETF Mailing Lists section). This is where the best information + about current IETF activities and focus can be found. + + +Humble Beginnings + + The 1st IETF meeting was held in January, 1986 at Linkabit in San + Diego with 15 attendees. The 4th IETF, held at SRI in Menlo Park in + October, 1986, was the first at which non-government vendors + attended. The concept of working groups was introduced at the 5th + IETF meeting at the NASA Ames Research Center in California in + February, 1987. The 7th IETF, held at MITRE in McLean, Virginia in + July, 1987, was the first meeting with over 100 attendees. + + The 14th IETF meeting was held at Stanford University in July, 1989. + It marked a major change in the structure of the IETF universe. The + IAB (then Internet Activities Board, now Internet Architecture + Board), which until that time oversaw many "task forces," changed its + structure to leave only two: the IETF and the IRTF. The IRTF is + tasked to consider the long-term research problems in the Internet. + The IETF also changed at that time. + + + + + + + +Internet Engineering Task Force [Page 3] + +RFC 1718 The Tao of IETF November 1994 + + + After the Internet Society (ISOC) was formed in January, 1992, the + IAB proposed to ISOC that the IAB's activities should take place + under the auspices of the Internet Society. During INET92 in Kobe, + Japan, the ISOC Trustees approved a new charter for the IAB to + reflect the proposed relationship. + + The IETF met in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, in July, 1993. This was + the the first IETF meeting held in Europe, and the US/non-US attendee + split was nearly 50/50. A second European meeting is scheduled for + July 1995 in Stockholm, Sweden. + + +The Hierarchy + + To completely understand the structure of the IETF, it is useful to + understand the overall structure in which the IETF resides. There + are four groups in the structure: the ISOC and its Board of Trustees, + the IAB, the IESG and the IETF itself. + + The Internet Society is a professional society that is concerned with + the growth and evolution of the worldwide Internet, with the way in + which the Internet is and can be used, and with the social, + political, and technical issues which arise as a result. The ISOC + Trustees are responsible for approving appointments to the IAB from + among the nominees submitted by the IETF nominating committee. + + The IAB is a technical advisory group of the ISOC. It is chartered + to provide oversight of the architecture of the Internet and its + protocols, and to serve, in the context of the Internet standards + process, as a body to which the decisions of the IESG may be + appealed. The IAB is responsible for approving appointments to the + IESG from among the nominees submitted by the IETF nominations + committee. + + The IESG is responsible for technical management of IETF activities + and the Internet standards process. As part of the ISOC, it + administers the process according to the rules and procedures which + have been ratified by the ISOC Trustees. The IESG is directly + responsible for the actions associated with entry into and movement + along the Internet "standards track," including final approval of + specifications as Internet Standards. + + The IETF is divided into eight functional areas. They are: + Applications, Internet, Network Management, Operational Requirements, + Routing, Security, Transport and User Services. Each area has one or + two area directors. The area directors, along with the IETF/IESG + Chair, form the IESG. Paul Mockepetris is the current IETF/IESG + Chair. + + + +Internet Engineering Task Force [Page 4] + +RFC 1718 The Tao of IETF November 1994 + + + Each area has several working groups. A working group is a group of + people who work under a charter to achieve a certain goal. That goal + may be the creation of an Informational document, the creation of a + protocol specification, or the resolution of problems in the + Internet. Most working groups have a finite lifetime. That is, once + a working group has achieved its goal, it disbands. As in the IETF, + there is no official membership for a working group. Unofficially, a + working group member is somebody who is on that working group's + mailing list; however, anyone may attend a working group meeting (see + the Be Prepared section below). + + Areas may also have Birds of a Feather (BOF) sessions. They + generally have the same goals as working groups, except that they + have no charter and usually only meet once or twice. BOFs are often + held to determine if there is enough interest to form a working + group. + + +IETF Mailing Lists + + Anyone who plans to attend an IETF meeting should join the IETF + announcement mailing list. This is where all of the meeting + information, Internet-Draft and RFC announcements, and IESG Protocol + Actions and Last Calls are posted. People who would like to "get + technical" may also join the IETF discussion list, + "ietf@cnri.reston.va.us". This is where discussions of cosmic + significance are held (most working groups have their own mailing + lists for discussions related to their work). To join the IETF + announcement list, send a request to: + + ietf-announce-request@cnri.reston.va.us + + To join the IETF discussion list, send a request to: + + ietf-request@cnri.reston.va.us + + To join both of the lists, simply send a single message, to either + "-request" address, and indicate that you'd like to join both lists. + + Do not, ever, under any circumstances, for any reason, send a request + to join a list to the list itself! The thousands of people on the + list don't need, or want, to know when a new person joins. + Similarly, when changing e-mail addresses or leaving a list, send + your request only to the "-request" address, not to the main list. + This means you!! + + + + + + +Internet Engineering Task Force [Page 5] + +RFC 1718 The Tao of IETF November 1994 + + + The IETF discussion list is unmoderated. This means that anyone can + express their opinions about issues affecting the Internet. However, + it is not a place for companies or individuals to solicit or + advertise. Only the Secretariat can send messages to the + announcement list. + + Even though the IETF mailing lists "represent" the IETF membership at + large, it is important to note that attending an IETF meeting does + not automatically include addition to either mailing list. + + +Registration + + As previously mentioned, all meeting announcements are sent to the + IETF announcement list. Within the IETF meeting announcement is a + registration form and complete instructions for registering, + including, of course, the cost. The Secretariat highly recommends + that attendees preregister. Early registration, which ends about one + month before the meeting, carries a lower registration fee. As the + size of the meetings has grown, so has the length of the lines at the + registration desk. There are two lines: "paid" (which moves very + quickly), and "not paid" (which moves slowly). + + Registration is open all week. However, the Secretariat highly + recommends that attendees arrive for early registration, beginning at + 18:00 (meeting local time), on the Sunday before the opening plenary. + Not only will there be fewer people, but there will also be a + reception at which people can get a bite to eat. If the registration + lines are long, one can eat first and try again when the lines are + shorter. + + Registered attendees (and there isn't any other kind) receive a + registration packet. It contains a general orientation sheet, the + at-a-glance sheet, a list of working group acronyms, the most recent + agenda and a name tag. The at-a-glance is a very important reference + and is used throughout the week. It contains working group and BOF + room assignments and a map of room locations. Attendees who prepaid + will also find their receipt in their packet. + + +Newcomers' Orientation + + Newcomers are encouraged to attend the IETF Newcomers' Orientation. + As the name implies, it is an orientation for first-time attendees to + IETF meetings. The orientation is organized and conducted by the + IETF Secretariat and is intended to provide useful introductory + information. The IETF Secretariat is made up of Cynthia Clark, Steve + Coya, Debra Legare, John Stewart and Megan Walnut. + + + +Internet Engineering Task Force [Page 6] + +RFC 1718 The Tao of IETF November 1994 + + + The orientation is typically about an hour long and covers a number + of topics: what's in the attendee packets, what all the dots on name + tags mean and how to read the at-a-glance. There is also discussion + about the structure of the IETF and the Internet standards process. + There is ample time at the end for questions. The Secretariat also + provides handouts which include an overview of the IETF, a list of + important files available on-line and hard copies of the slides of + the "structure and standards" presentation. + + The orientation is held on Sunday afternoon before the registration + reception. However, attending the orientation does NOT mean you can + go to the reception early! + + +Dress Code + + Since attendees must wear their name tags, they must also wear shirts + or blouses. Pants or skirts are also highly recommended. Seriously + though, many newcomers are often embarrassed when they show up Monday + morning in suits, to discover that everybody else is wearing t- + shirts, jeans (shorts, if weather permits) and sandals. There are + those in the IETF who refuse to wear anything other than suits. + Fortunately, they are well known (for other reasons) so they are + forgiven this particular idiosyncrasy. The general rule is "dress + for the weather" (unless you plan to work so hard that you won't go + outside, in which case, "dress for comfort" is the rule!). + + +Seeing Spots Before Your Eyes + + Some of the people at the IETF will have a little colored dot on + their name tag. A few people have more than one. These dots + identify people who are silly enough to volunteer to do a lot of + extra work. The colors have the following meanings: + + blue - working group/BOF chair + green - local Host + red - IAB member + yellow - IESG member + + Local hosts are the people who can answer questions about the + terminal room, restaurants and points of interest in the area. + + + + + + + + + +Internet Engineering Task Force [Page 7] + +RFC 1718 The Tao of IETF November 1994 + + + Some people have gold stars on their name tags. The stars indicate + that those people chaired working groups or BOFs in the IETF area + which submitted all of its working group/BOF minutes and area report + from the previous meeting first. The stars are the Secretariat's way + of saying "thank you" for providing the necessary information + quickly. + + It is important that newcomers to the IETF not be afraid to strike up + conversations with people who wear these dots. If the IAB and IESG + members and working group and BOF chairs didn't want to talk to + anybody, they wouldn't be wearing the dots in the first place. + + In addition, members of the Secretariat wear blue tinted name badges + so they can be spotted at a distance. + + To make life simpler for the Secretariat, registration packets are + also coded with little colored dots. These are only for Secretariat + use, so nobody else needs to worry about them. Please, don't peel + them off your packet and put them on your name tag. + + +Terminal Room + + One of the most important (depending on your point of view) things + the local host does is provide Internet access to the meeting + attendees. In general, the connectivity is excellent. This is + entirely due to the Olympian efforts of the local hosts, and their + ability to beg, borrow and steal. The people and companies who + donate their equipment, services and time are to be heartily + congratulated and thanked. + + While preparation far in advance of the meeting is encouraged, there + may be some unavoidable "last minute" things which can be + accomplished in the terminal room. It may also be useful to people + who need to make trip reports or status reports while things are + still fresh in their minds. + + +Social Event + + Another of the most important things organized and managed by the + local hosts is the IETF social event. The social event has become + something of a tradition at the IETF meetings. It has been + immortalized by Marshal T. Rose with his reference to "many fine + lunches and dinners" [ROSE], and by Claudio and Julia Topolcic with + their rendition of "Nerds in Paradise" on a pink T-shirt. + + + + + +Internet Engineering Task Force [Page 8] + +RFC 1718 The Tao of IETF November 1994 + + + Sometimes, the social event is a computer or high-tech related event. + At the Boston IETF, for example, the social was dinner at the + Computer Museum. Other times, the social might be a dinner cruise or + a trip to an art gallery. + + Newcomers to the IETF are encouraged to attend the social event. + Everyone is encouraged to wear their name tags. The social event is + designed to give people a chance to meet on a social, rather than + technical, level. + + +Agenda + + The agenda for the IETF meetings is a very fluid thing. It is sent, + in various forms, to the IETF announcement list three times prior to + the meeting. The final agenda is included in the registration + packets. Of course, "final" in the IETF doesn't mean the same thing + as it does elsewhere in the world. The final agenda is simply the + version that went to the printers. + + The Secretariat will announce agenda changes during the morning + plenary sessions. Changes will also be posted on the bulletin board + near the IETF registration desk (not the hotel registration desk). + + Assignments for breakout rooms (where the working groups and BOFs + meet) and a map showing the room locations make up the at-a-glance + sheet (included in the registration packets). Room assignments are + as flexible as the agenda. Some working groups meet multiple times + during a meeting and every attempt is made to have a working group + meet in the same room each session. Room assignment changes are not + necessarily permanent for the week. Always check the at-a-glance + first, then the bulletin board. When in doubt, check with a member + of the Secretariat at the registration desk. + + +Other General Things + + The opening plenary on Monday morning is the most heavily attended + session. It is where important introductory remarks are made, so + people are encouraged to attend. + + The IETF Secretariat, and IETFers in general, are very approachable. + Never be afraid to approach someone and introduce yourself. Also, + don't be afraid to ask questions, especially when it comes to jargon + and acronyms! + + + + + + +Internet Engineering Task Force [Page 9] + +RFC 1718 The Tao of IETF November 1994 + + + Hallway conversations are very important. A lot of very good work + gets done by people who talk together between meetings and over + lunches and dinners. Every minute of the IETF can be considered work + time (much to some people's dismay). + + A "bar BOF" is an unofficial get-together, usually in the late + evening, during which a lot of work gets done over drinks. + + It's unwise to get between a hungry IETFer (and there isn't any other + kind) and coffee break brownies and cookies, no matter how + interesting a hallway conversation is. + + IETFers are fiercely independent. It's safe to question opinions and + offer alternatives, but don't expect an IETFer to follow orders. + + The IETF, and the plenary sessions in particular, are not places for + vendors to try to sell their wares. People can certainly answer + questions about their company and its products, but bear in mind that + the IETF is not a trade show. This does not preclude people from + recouping costs for IETF related t-shirts, buttons and pocket + protectors. + + There is always a "materials distribution table" near the + registration desk. This desk is used to make appropriate information + available to the attendees (e.g., copies of something discussed in a + working group session, description of on-line IETF-related + information, etc.). Please check with the Secretariat before placing + materials on the desk; the Secretariat has the right to remove + material that they feel is not appropriate. + + +Registration Bullets + + Registration is such an important topic that it's in this RFC twice! + This is the "very important registration bullets" section. + + o To attend an IETF meeting you have to register and you have to pay + the registration fee. + + o All you need to do to be registered is to send in a completed + registration form. + + o You may register by mail, e-mail or fax. Generally, e-mail and + fax registration forms will be accepted until 13:00 US/Eastern on + the Thursday before the meeting. + + o You may preregister and pay, preregister and pay later, + preregister and pay on-site, or register and pay on-site. + + + +Internet Engineering Task Force [Page 10] + +RFC 1718 The Tao of IETF November 1994 + + + o To get the lower registration fee, you must register by the early + registration deadline (about one month before the meeting). You + can still pay later or on-site. + + o If you don't register by the early registration deadline, a late + fee is added. + + o Everyone pays the same fees. There are no educational or group + discounts. There are no discounts for attending only part of the + week. + + o Register only ONE person per registration form. Substitutions are + NOT allowed. + + o You may register then pay later, but you may not pay then register + later. Payment MUST be accompanied by a completed registration + form. + + o Purchase orders are NOT accepted. DD Form 1556 is accepted. + Invoice for payment cannot be accepted. + + o Refunds are subject to a US$20 service charge. Late fees will not + be refunded. + + o The registration fee covers Sunday evening reception (cash bar), a + daily continental breakfast and daily coffee breaks. + + +Mailing Lists and Archives + + As previously mentioned, the IETF announcement and discussion mailing + lists are the central mailing lists for IETF activities. However, + there are many other mailing lists related to IETF work. For + example, every working group has its own discussion list. In + addition, there are some long-term technical debates which have been + moved off of the IETF list onto lists created specifically for those + topics. It is highly recommended that everybody follow the + discussions on the mailing lists of the working groups which they + wish to attend. The more work that is done on the mailing lists, the + less work that will need to be done at the meeting, leaving time for + cross pollination (i.e., attending working groups outside one's + primary area of interest in order to broaden one's perspective). + + The mailing lists also provide a forum for those who wish to follow, + or contribute to, the working groups' efforts, but cannot attend the + IETF meetings. + + + + + +Internet Engineering Task Force [Page 11] + +RFC 1718 The Tao of IETF November 1994 + + + All IETF discussion lists have a "-request" address which handles the + administrative details of joining and leaving the list. It is + generally frowned upon when such administrivia appears on the + discussion mailing list. + + Most IETF discussion lists are archived. That is, all of the + messages sent to the list are automatically stored on a host for + anonymous FTP access. To find out where a particular list is + archived, send a message to the list's "-request" address, NOT to the + list itself. + + +Important E-mail Addresses + + There are some important IETF e-mail addresses with which everyone + should be familiar. They are all located at "cnri.reston.va.us" + (e.g., "ietf-info@cnri.reston.va.us"). To personalize things, the + names of the Secretariat staff who currently respond to the messages + are given for each address. + + o ietf-info general queries about the IETF - Cynthia Clark, + Debra Legare, John Stewart, and Megan Walnut + + o ietf-rsvp queries about meeting locations and fees, + e-mailed registration forms - Debra Legare + + o proceedings queries about ordering hard copies of previous + proceedings, and general questions about on-line + proceedings - Debra Legare and John Stewart + + o ietf-request requests to join/leave IETF lists - Cynthia Clark + + o internet-drafts Internet-Draft submissions and queries - Cynthia + Clark and John Stewart + + o iesg-secretary John Stewart + + o ietf-secretariat Steve Coya + + + + + + + + + + + + + +Internet Engineering Task Force [Page 12] + +RFC 1718 The Tao of IETF November 1994 + + +IETF Proceedings + + The IETF proceedings are compiled in the two months following each + IETF meeting. The proceedings usually start with a message from + Steve Coya, the Executive Director of the IETF. Each contains the + final (hindsight) agenda, an IETF overview, a report from the IESG, + area and working group reports, network status briefings, slides from + the protocol and technical presentations and the attendees list. The + attendees list includes names, affiliations, work and fax phone + numbers and e-mail addresses as provided on the registration form. + + Folks who register and pay to attend the IETF are eligible to receive + a hard copy of the proceedings. They must indicate so on the line + provided on the registration form. The proceedings are sent to the + mailing addresses provided on the registration forms. Please notify + the Secretariat immediately if your address information changes after + the meeting ends so you can be assured of receiving your copy. + + For those who could not attend a meeting but would like a copy of the + proceedings, send a check for US$35 (made payable to CNRI) to: + + Corporation for National Research Initiatives + Attn: Accounting Department - IETF Proceedings + 1895 Preston White Drive, Suite 100 + Reston, VA 22091 + USA + + Please indicate which meeting proceedings you would like to receive + by specifying the meeting date (e.g., July 1993) or meeting number + and location (e.g., 27th meeting in Amsterdam). Availability of + previous meetings' proceedings is limited, so ask BEFORE sending + payment. + + The proceedings are also available on-line via: + + o Gopher: <gopher@ietf.cnri.reston.va.us> + o WorldWide Web: <http://www.ietf.cnri.reston.va.us/home.html> + o Anonymous FTP: <ftp.ietf.cnri.reston.va.us> in /ietf-online- + proceedings + + People are encouraged to use the on-line version of the proceedings + to save paper and money, as well as to have the Internet community + use its own technology. + + + + + + + + +Internet Engineering Task Force [Page 13] + +RFC 1718 The Tao of IETF November 1994 + + +InterNIC Archives + + There is a tremendous amount of material available for those who + follow the work of the IETF. To make it easier to know what to read + to prepare for a meeting, the InterNIC has established a document + archive. Beginning about one month prior to an IETF meeting, working + group/BOF chairs and area directors put documents relevant to the + discussions to be held into the archives. Those people who plan to + attend a working group/BOF session should check the archives for + documents which need to be read. The documents are left in the + archives for about two months after the end of the IETF meeting. + + On the host "ds.internic.net", documents are stored in the directory + "/pub/current-ietf-docs" under subdirectories named for each area and + then for each working group. For example, a document for the NISI + Working Group, which is in the User Services Area, would be stored as + "current-ietf-docs/usv/nisi/nisi-doc1.txt". Each area will also have + a subdirectory called "bof", where documents to be discussed in BOF + sessions will be placed. A directory called "plenary" will also be + created under "/pub/current-ietf-docs" to put documents or viewgraphs + related to a plenary session. Any filename conflicts will be + resolved by the archive administrator working with the submitter of + the document via e-mail. + + It is important to note that the service is provided by the InterNIC + and that the documents are submitted by the people who work on them. + The IETF Secretariat does not manage or monitor the archive service. + + Access via anonymous FTP: + + Anonymous FTP to ds.internic.net + Change directory to /pub/current-ietf-docs + Browse and get the document of interest + + Access via Gopher (from a Gopher client): + + Point to gopher.internic.net + Select the "InterNIC Directory and Database Services ..." item + Then menu item named "Internet Documentation (RFCs FYIs, etc.)/" + Lastly menu item named "Current IETF Conference Documents (...)/" + + If you do not have a Gopher client, use the InterNIC's public-access + Gopher client. Simply telnet to "gopher.internic.net" and login as + "gopher" (no password required). + + + + + + + +Internet Engineering Task Force [Page 14] + +RFC 1718 The Tao of IETF November 1994 + + +Be Prepared + + This topic cannot be stressed enough. As the IETF grows, it becomes + more and more important for attendees to arrive prepared for the + working group meetings they plan to attend. This doesn't apply only + to newcomers--everybody should come prepared. + + Being prepared means having read the documents which the working + group or BOF chair has distributed. It means having followed the + discussions on the working group's mailing list or having reviewed + the archives. For the working group/BOF chairs, it means getting all + of the documents out early (i.e., several weeks) to give everybody + time to read them and announcing an agenda and sticking to it. + + At the chair's discretion, some time may be devoted to bringing new + working group attendees up to speed. In fact, long lived working + groups have occasionally held entire sessions which were introductory + in nature. As a rule, however, a working group is not the place to + go for training. Observers are always welcome, but they must realize + that the work effort cannot be delayed for education. Anyone wishing + to attend a working group for the first time might seek out the chair + prior to the meeting and ask for some introduction. + + Another thing for everybody to consider is that working groups go + through phases. In the initial phase (say, the first two meetings), + all ideas are welcome. The idea is to gather all the possible + solutions together for consideration. In the development phase, a + solution is chosen and developed. Trying to reopen issues which were + decided more than a couple of meetings back is considered bad form. + The final phase (the last two meetings) is where the "spit and + polish" are applied to the architected solution. This is not the + time to suggest architectural changes or open design issues already + resolved. It's a bad idea to wait until the last minute to speak out + if a problem is discovered. This is especially true for people whose + excuse is that they hadn't read the documents until the day before a + comments period ended. + + Time at the IETF meetings is a precious thing. Working groups are + encouraged to meet between IETF meetings, either in person or by + video or telephone conference. Doing as much work as possible over + the mailing lists would also reduce the amount of work which must be + done at the meeting. + + + + + + + + + +Internet Engineering Task Force [Page 15] + +RFC 1718 The Tao of IETF November 1994 + + +RFCs and Internet-Drafts + + Originally, RFCs were just what the name implies: requests for + comments. The early RFCs were messages between the ARPANET + architects about how to resolve certain problems. Over the years, + RFCs became more formal. It reached the point that they were being + cited as standards, even when they weren't. + + To help clear up some confusion, there are now two special sub-series + within the RFCs: FYIs and STDs. The For Your Information RFC sub- + series was created to document overviews and topics which are + introductory. Frequently, FYIs are created by groups within the IETF + User Services Area. The STD RFC sub-series was created to identify + those RFCs which do in fact specify Internet standards. + + Every RFC, including FYIs and STDs, have an RFC number by which they + are indexed and by which they can be retrieved. FYIs and STDs have + FYI numbers and STD numbers, respectively, in addition to RFC + numbers. This makes it easier for a new Internet user, for example, + to find all of the helpful, informational documents by looking for + the FYIs amongst all the RFCs. If an FYI or STD is revised, its RFC + number will change, but its FYI or STD number will remain constant + for ease of reference. + + There is also an RTR subseries of RFCs for Reseaux Associes pour la + Recherche Europeenne (RARE) Technical Reports. These are technical + reports developed in the RARE community that are published as RFCs to + provide easy access to the general Internet community. + + Internet-Drafts are working documents of the IETF. Any group or + individual may submit a document for distribution as an Internet- + Draft. These documents are valid for six months, and may be updated, + replaced or obsoleted at any time. Guidelines require that an + expiration date appear on every page of an Internet-Draft. It is not + appropriate to use Internet-Drafts as reference material or to cite + them, other than as "working drafts" or "works in progress." + + For additional information, read the following documents: + + o Request for Comments on Request for Comments [RFC 1111] + o F.Y.I. on F.Y.I: Introduction to the F.Y.I notes [FYI1] + o Introduction to the STD Notes [RFC 1311] + o Guidelines to Authors of Internet-Drafts [GAID] + o The Internet Activities Board [RFC 1160] + o The Internet Standards Process [RFC 1602] + o Internet Official Protocol Standards [STD1] + + + + + +Internet Engineering Task Force [Page 16] + +RFC 1718 The Tao of IETF November 1994 + + +Frequently Asked Questions (and Their Answers) + + Q: My working group moved this morning. Where is it now? + A: Check the at-a-glance sheet and the message board for + announcements. + + Q: Where is room 'foo'? + A: Check the map on the at-a-glance sheet. An enlarged version is on + the bulletin board. + + Q: Where can I get a copy of the proceedings? + A: If you have registered and paid to attend an IETF meeting simply + indicate you wish to receive a hardcopy of the proceedings and it + will be mailed to you. For on-line retrieval refer to "IETF + Proceedings" section which appears on page thirteen of this RFC. + Both the hardcopy and on-line version of the proceedings are + generally available two months after the meeting. + + Q: When is on-site registration? + A: On-site registration is first possible from 18:00 to 20:00 on the + Sunday night before the meeting starts. The IETF registration desk + will be set up in the same room in which the reception is held. + On-site registration on Monday begins at 8:00, Tuesday through + Friday at 8:30, and is open until 18:00 every day but Friday. + + Q: Where is lunch served? + A: The meeting does not include lunch or dinner. Ask a local host + (somebody with a green dotted badge) for a recommendation. + + Q: Where are the receipts for the social event? + A: The social is not managed by the IETF Secretariat. Ask a local + host. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +Internet Engineering Task Force [Page 17] + +RFC 1718 The Tao of IETF November 1994 + + +Pointers to Useful Documents and Files + + This is a list of documents and files that provide useful information + about the IETF meetings, working groups and documentation. These + files reside in the "ietf" directory on the anonymous FTP sites + listed below. File names beginning with "0" (zero) pertain to IETF + meetings; these may refer to a recently held meeting if the first + announcement of the next meeting has not yet been sent to the IETF + mailing list. File names beginning with "1" (one) contain general + IETF information. This is only a partial list of the available + files. (The 'yymm' below refers to the year and month.) + + o 0mtg-agenda.txt Agenda for the meeting + o 0mtg-at-a-glance-yymm.txt Logistics information for the meeting + o 0mtg-rsvp.txt Meeting registration form + o 0mtg-sites.txt Future meeting sites and dates + o 0mtg-multicast-guide-yymm.txt Schedule for MBone-multicast sessions + o 0mtg-traveldirections-yymm.txt Directions to the meeting site + o 0tao.txt This document + + o 1directories.txt IETF shadow directory locations and + contents + o 1id-guidelines.txt Guidelines to authors of Internet- + Drafts + o 1ietf-description.txt Short description of the IETF and + IESG, including a list of area + directors + o 1nonwg-discuss.txt A list of mailing lists relevant to + the IETF, but not associated with + working groups + o 1proceedings-request.txt A proceedings order form + o 1wg-summary.txt List of all working groups, by + area, including the chair(s) and + mailing list + o 1wg-summary-by-acronym.txt Same as above, but sorted by + acronym + o 1wg-charter.txt Abbreviated versions of all current + working group charters + o 1wg-charters-by-acronym.txt Same as above, but sorted by + acronym + + Additionally, the full charters and minutes of the working groups and + BOFs are archived under the "ietf" directory (see 1directories.txt + for a complete explanation). + + + + + + + +Internet Engineering Task Force [Page 18] + +RFC 1718 The Tao of IETF November 1994 + + + All of these documents are available by anonymous FTP from the + following primary sites (there may be closer shadow sites, so check + with your network administrator): + + o Europe: nic.nordu.net (192.36.148.17) + o Pacific Rim: munnari.oz.au (128.250.1.21) + o US/East Coast: ds.internic.net (198.49.45.10) + o US/West Coast: ftp.isi.edu (128.9.0.32) + + These files are also available through the Internet Gopher on host + "gopher.ietf.cnri.reston.va.us" and the WorldWide Web server at URL + <http://www.ietf.cnri.reston.va.us/home.html>. + + Residing on the same archive sites are the RFCs and Internet-Drafts. + They are in the "rfc" and "internet-drafts" directories, + respectively. The file "1rfc_index.txt" contains the latest + information about the RFCs (e.g., which have been obsoleted by + which). In general, only the newest version of an Internet-Draft is + available. + + All of the files, RFCs and Internet-Drafts are also available via e- + mail from various mail servers. To to get the IETF agenda, + Internet-Draft abstracts and RFC 1150 from the mail server at the + InterNIC, for example, you would send the following message: + + To: mailserv@ds.internic.net Message header + Subject: anything you want + + FILE /ietf/0mtg-agenda.txt Body of the message + FILE /internet-drafts/1id-abstracts.txt + FILE /rfc/rfc1150.txt + PATH jdoe@anywhere.edu + + Where FILE specifies the name of a file to be returned and PATH is an + optional command that specifies the e-mail address to which the + file(s) should be sent. The file(s) can be returned in one or more + MIME messages by adding the command "ENCODING mime" to the top of the + message. + + + + + + + + + + + + + +Internet Engineering Task Force [Page 19] + +RFC 1718 The Tao of IETF November 1994 + + + RFCs may also be retrieved via e-mail from ISI's RFC-Info server at + "rfc-info@isi.edu". To get a specific RFC, include the following in + the body of the message: + + Retrieve: RFC + Doc-ID: RFC0951 + + This example would cause a copy of RFC 951 (the leading zero in the + Doc-ID is required) to be e-mailed to the requestor. To get a list + of available RFCs which match certain criteria, include the following + in the body of the message: + + LIST: RFC + Keywords: gateway + + This example would e-mail a list of all RFCs with "gateway" in the + title or as an assigned keyword. To get information on other ways to + get RFCs: + + HELP: ways_to_get_rfcs + + +Tao + + Pronounced "dow", Tao means "the way." It is the basic principle + behind the teachings of Lao-tse, a Chinese master. Its familiar + symbol is the black and white Yin-Yang circle. + + +IETF Area Abbreviations + + APP Applications + INT Internet Services + IPNG IP: Next Generation + MGT Network Management + OPS Operational Requirements + RTG Routing + SEC Security + TSV Transport + USV User Services + + + + + + + + + + + +Internet Engineering Task Force [Page 20] + +RFC 1718 The Tao of IETF November 1994 + + +Acronyms + + :-) Smiley face + ANSI American National Standards Institute + ARPA Advanced Research Projects Agency + ARPANET Advanced Research Projects Agency Network + AS Autonomous System + ATM Asynchronous Transfer Mode + BGP Border Gateway Protocol + BOF Birds Of a Feather + BSD Berkeley Software Distribution + BTW By The Way + CCIRN Coordinating Committee for Intercontinental Research Networks + CCITT International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee + CIDR Classless Inter-Domain Routing + CIX Commercial Information Exchange + CNI Coalition for Networked Information + CREN The Corporation for Research and Educational Networking + DARPA US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (now ARPA) + DDN US Defense Data Network + DISA US Defense Information Systems Agency + EGP Exterior Gateway Protocol + FAQ Frequently Asked Question + FARNET Federation of American Research NETworks + FIX US Federal Information Exchange + FNC US Federal Networking Council + FQDN Fully Qualified Domain Name + FYI For Your Information (RFC) + GOSIP US Government OSI Profile + IAB Internet Architecture Board + IANA Internet Assigned Numbers Authority + I-D Internet-Draft + IEN Internet Experiment Note + IESG Internet Engineering Steering Group + IETF Internet Engineering Task Force + IGP Interior Gateway Protocol + IMHO In My Humble Opinion + IMR Internet Monthly Report + InterNIC Internet Network Information Center + IPng IP: Next Generation + IR Internet Registry + IRSG Internet Research Steering Group + IRTF Internet Research Task Force + ISO International Organization for Standardization + ISOC Internet Society + ISODE ISO Development Environment + ITU International Telecommunication Union + MIB Management Information Base + + + +Internet Engineering Task Force [Page 21] + +RFC 1718 The Tao of IETF November 1994 + + + MIME Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions + NIC Network Information Center + NIS Network Information Services + NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology + NOC Network Operations Center + NREN National Research and Education Network + NSF National Science Foundation + OSI Open Systems Interconnection + PEM Privacy Enhanced Mail + PTT Postal, Telegraph and Telephone + RARE Reseaux Associes pour la Recherche Europeenne + RFC Request For Comments + RIPE Reseaux IP Europeenne + SIG Special Interest Group + STD Standard (RFC) + TLA Three Letter Acronym + TTFN Ta-Ta For Now + UTC Universal Time Coordinated + WG Working Group + WRT With Respect To + WYSIWYG What You See is What You Get + + +Acknowledgments + + The IETF Secretariat would like to acknowledge the time and efforts + of Gary Malkin who prepared the first version of this document (RFC + 1391), and coordinated all the changes in the first revision (RFC + 1539). Without his help, this document might still be "in progress." + + +References + + FYI1 Malkin, G., and J. Reynolds, "F.Y.I. on F.Y.I.", FYI 1, RFC + 1150, Proteon, USC/Information Sciences Institute, March + 1990. + + GAID "Guidelines to Authors of Internet Drafts", + 1id-guidelines.txt. + + ROSE Rose, M., "The Open Book: A Practical Perspective on OSI", + Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1989. + + RFC1543 Postel, J., "Request for Comments on Request for Comments", + RFC 1543, USC/Information Sciences Institute, August 1989. + + RFC1160 Cerf, V., "The Internet Activities Board", RFC 1160, NRI, May + 1990. + + + +Internet Engineering Task Force [Page 22] + +RFC 1718 The Tao of IETF November 1994 + + + RFC1602 Chapin, L., Chair, "The Internet Standards Process", RFC + 1602, Internet Activities Board, March 1992. + + RFC1311 Postel, J., Editor, "Introduction to the STD Notes", RFC + 1311, USC/Information Sciences Institute, March 1992. + + STD1 Postel, J., Editor, "Internet Official Protocol Standards", + STD 1, RFC 1720, Internet Architecture Board, November 1994. + + +Security Considerations + + Security issues are not discussed in this memo. + + +Authors' Addresses + + The IETF Secretariat + c/o Corporation for National Research Initiatives + 1895 Preston White Drive + Suite 100 + Reston, VA 22091 + + Phone: +1 703 620 8990 + Fax: +1 703 620 0913 + EMail: ietf-info@cnri.reston.va.us + + + Gary Scott Malkin + Xylogics, Inc. + 53 Third Avenue + Burlington, MA 01803 + + Phone: +1 617 272 8140 + EMail: gmalkin@Xylogics.COM + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +Internet Engineering Task Force [Page 23] + |