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+Network Working Group R. Hovey
+Request for Comments: 2028 Digital Equipment Corporation
+BCP: 11 S. Bradner
+Category: Best Current Practice Harvard University
+ October 1996
+
+
+ The Organizations Involved in the IETF Standards Process
+
+Status of this Memo
+
+ This document specifies an Internet Best Current Practices for the
+ Internet Community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
+ improvements. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.
+
+Abstract
+
+ This document describes the individuals and organizations involved in
+ the IETF. This includes descriptions of the IESG, the IETF Working
+ Groups and the relationship between the IETF and the Internet
+ Society.
+
+1. Documents controlling the process
+
+1.1 The IETF Standards Process
+
+ The process used by the Internet community for the standardization of
+ protocols and procedures is described in [B]. That document defines
+ the stages in the standardization process, the requirements for
+ moving a document between stages and the types of documents used
+ during this process. It also addresses the intellectual property
+ rights and copyright issues associated with the standards process.
+
+2. Key individuals in the Process
+
+2.1 The Request for Comments Editor
+
+ The RFC publication series [B] is managed by an Editor (which may in
+ practice be one or more individuals) responsible both for the
+ mechanics of RFC publication and for upholding the traditionally high
+ technical and editorial standards of the RFC series.
+
+ The functions of the RFC Editor are performed by one or more
+ individuals or organizations selected in accordance with the
+ procedures defined by the RFC Editor charter [G].
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Hovey & Bradner Best Current Practice [Page 1]
+
+RFC 2028 IETF Organizations October 1996
+
+
+2.2 The Working Group Chair
+
+ Each IETF Working Group is headed by a chair (or by co-chairs) with
+ the responsibility for directing the group's activities, presiding
+ over the group's meetings, and ensuring that the commitments of the
+ group with respect to its role in the Internet standards process are
+ met. In particular, the WG chair is the formal point of contact
+ between the WG and the IESG, via the Area Director of the area to
+ which the WG is assigned.
+
+ The details on the selection and responsibilites of an IETF Working
+ Group chair can be found in [A].
+
+2.3 The Document Editor
+
+ Most IETF Working Groups focus their efforts on a document, or set of
+ documents, that capture the results of the group's work. A Working
+ Group generally designates a person or persons to serve as the Editor
+ for a particular document. The Document Editor is responsible for
+ ensuring that the contents of the document accurately reflect the
+ decisions that have been made by the working group.
+
+ As a general practice, the Working Group Chair and Document Editor
+ positions are filled by different individuals to help ensure that the
+ resulting documents accurately reflect the consensus of the Working
+ Group and that all processes are followed.
+
+3. Key organizations in the Process
+
+ The following organizations and organizational roles are involved in
+ the Internet standards process. Contact information is contained in
+ Appendix A.
+
+3.1 Internet Engineering Task Force
+
+ The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) is an open international
+ community of network designers, operators, vendors and researchers
+ concerned with the evolution of the Internet architecture and the
+ smooth operation of the Internet. It is the principal body engaged
+ in the development of new Internet Standard specifications.
+
+3.2 IETF Working Groups
+
+ The technical work of the IETF is done in its Working Groups, which
+ are organized by topics into several Areas (e.g., routing, network
+ management, security, etc.) under the coordination of Area Directors.
+ Working Groups typically have a narrow focus and a lifetime bounded
+ by completion of a specific task.
+
+
+
+Hovey & Bradner Best Current Practice [Page 2]
+
+RFC 2028 IETF Organizations October 1996
+
+
+ For all purposes relevant to the Internet Standards development
+ process, membership in the IETF and its Working Groups is defined to
+ be established solely and entirely by individual participation in
+ IETF and Working Group activities. Participation in the IETF and its
+ Working Groups is by individual technical contributors rather than by
+ formal representatives of organizations.
+
+ Anyone with the time and interest to do so is entitled and urged to
+ participate actively in one or more IETF Working Groups and to attend
+ IETF meetings which are held three times a year. In most cases
+ active Working Group participation is possible through electronic
+ mail alone. Internet video conferencing is also being used to allow
+ for remote participation.
+
+ To ensure a fair and open process, participants in the IETF and its
+ Working Groups must be able to disclose, and must disclose to the
+ Working Group chairs any relevant current or pending intellectual
+ property rights that are reasonably and personally known to the
+ participant if they participate in discussions about a specific
+ technology.
+
+ New Working Groups are established within the IETF by explicit
+ charter. The guidelines and procedures for the formation and
+ operation of IETF working groups are described in detail in [A].
+
+ A Working Group is managed by one or more Working Group chairs (see
+ section 2.2). It may also include editors of documents that record
+ the group's work (see section 2.3). Further details of Working Group
+ operation are contained in [A]
+
+ IETF Working Groups display a spirit of cooperation as well as a high
+ degree of technical maturity; IETF participants recognize that the
+ greatest benefit for all members of the Internet community results
+ from cooperative development of technically superior protocols and
+ services.
+
+3.3 IETF Secretariat
+
+ The administrative functions necessary to support the activities of
+ the IETF are performed by a Secretariat consisting of the IETF
+ Executive Director and his or her staff. The IETF Executive Director
+ is the formal point of contact for matters concerning any and all
+ aspects of the Internet standards process, and is responsible for
+ maintaining the formal public record of the Internet standards
+ process [B].
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Hovey & Bradner Best Current Practice [Page 3]
+
+RFC 2028 IETF Organizations October 1996
+
+
+3.4 Internet Society
+
+ The Internet Society (ISOC) is an international organization
+ concerned with the growth and evolution of the worldwide Internet and
+ with the social, political, and technical issues that arise from its
+ use. The ISOC is an organization with individual and organizational
+ members. The ISOC is managed by a Board of Trustees elected by the
+ worldwide individual membership.
+
+ Internet standardization is an organized activity of the ISOC, with
+ the Board of Trustees being responsible for ratifying the procedures
+ and rules of the Internet standards process [B].
+
+ The way in which the members of the ISOC Board of Trustees are
+ selected, and other matters concerning the operation of the Internet
+ Society, are described in the ISOC By Laws [C].
+
+3.5 Internet Engineering Steering Group
+
+
+ The Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG) is the part of the
+ Internet Society responsible for the management of the IETF technical
+ activities. It administers the Internet Standards process according
+ to the rules and procedures defined in [B]. The IESG is responsible
+ for the actions associated with the progression of technical
+ specification along the "standards track" including the initial
+ approval of new Working Groups and the final approval of
+ specifications as Internet Standards. The IESG is composed of the
+ IETF Area Directors and the chair of the IETF, who also serves as the
+ chair of the IESG.
+
+ The members of the IESG are nominated by a nominations committee (the
+ Nomcom), and are approved by the IAB. See [E] for a detailed
+ description of the Nomcom procedures. Other matters concerning its
+ organization and operation, are described in the IESG charter [does
+ not yet exist].
+
+3.6 Internet Architecture Board
+
+ The Internet Architecture Board (IAB) is chartered by the Internet
+ Society Trustees to provide oversight of the architecture of the
+ Internet and its protocols. The IAB appoints the IETF chair and is
+ responsible for approving other IESG candidates put forward by the
+ IETF nominating committee. The IAB is also responsible for reviewing
+ and approving the charters of new Working Groups that are proposed
+ for the IETF.
+
+ The IAB provides oversight of the process used to create Internet
+
+
+
+Hovey & Bradner Best Current Practice [Page 4]
+
+RFC 2028 IETF Organizations October 1996
+
+
+ Standards and serves as an appeal board for complaints of improper
+ execution of the standards process [B]. In general it acts as source
+ of advice to the IETF, the ISOC and the ISOC Board of Trustees
+ concerning technical, architectural, procedural, and policy matters
+ pertaining to the Internet and its enabling technologies.
+
+ The members of the IAB are nominated by a nominations committee (the
+ Nomcom), and are approved by the ISOC board. See [E] for a detailed
+ description of the Nomcom procedures. The membership of the IAB
+ consists of members selected by the Nomcom process and the IETF chair
+ sitting as a ex-officio member. Other matters concerning its
+ organization and operation, are described in the IAB charter [D].
+
+3.7 Internet Assigned Numbers Authority
+
+ Many protocol specifications include numbers, keywords, and other
+ parameters that must be uniquely assigned. Examples include version
+ numbers, protocol numbers, port numbers, and MIB numbers. The
+ Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) is responsible for
+ assigning the values of these protocol parameters for the Internet.
+ The IANA publishes tables of all currently assigned numbers and
+ parameters in RFCs entitled "Assigned Numbers" [E]. The IANA
+ functions as the "top of the pyramid" for DNS and Internet Address
+ assignment establishing policies for these functions.
+
+ The functions of the IANA are performed by one or more individuals or
+ organizations selected in accordance with the procedures defined by
+ the IANA charter [F].
+
+3.8 Internet Research Task Force
+
+ The Internet Research Task Force (IRTF) is not directly involved in
+ the Internet standards process. It investigates topics considered to
+ be too uncertain, too advanced, or insufficiently well-understood to
+ be the subject of Internet standardization. When an IRTF activity
+ generates a specification that is sufficiently stable to be
+ considered for Internet standardization, the specification is
+ processed through the IETF using the rules in this document.
+
+ The IRTF is composed of individual Working Groups, but its structure
+ and mode of operation is much less formal than that of the IETF, due
+ in part to the fact that it does not participate directly in the
+ Internet standards process. The organization and program of work of
+ the IRTF is overseen by the Internet Research Steering Group (IRSG),
+ which consists of the chairs of the IRTF Working Groups. Details of
+ the organization and operation of the IRTF and its Working Groups may
+ be found in [H].
+
+
+
+
+Hovey & Bradner Best Current Practice [Page 5]
+
+RFC 2028 IETF Organizations October 1996
+
+
+4. Security Considerations
+
+ Security is not addressed in this memo.
+
+5. References
+
+ [A] Huizer,E. and D. Crocker, "IETF Working Group Guidelines and
+ Procedures", RFC 1603, March 1994.
+
+ [B] Bradner, S., Editor, "The Internet Standards Process -- Revision
+ 3", RFC 2026, October 1996.
+
+ [C] By - Laws for the Internet Society, as amended:
+ gopher://info.isoc.org/00/isoc/basic_docs/bylaws.txt
+
+ [D] Huitema, C. and the IAB, "Charter of the Internet Architecture
+ Board (IAB)", RFC 1601, March 1994.
+
+ [E] Galvin, J (Ed.), "IAB and IESG Selection, Confirmation, and
+ Recall Process: Operation of the Nominating and Recall Committees",
+ RFC 2027, October 1996.
+
+ [F] IANA Charter, Work in Progress.
+
+ [G] RFC Editor Charter, Work in Progress.
+
+ [H] IRTF Charter, RFC 2014, October 1996.
+
+5. Authors' Addresses:
+
+ Richard Hovey
+ Digital Equipment Corporation
+ 1401 H Street NW
+ Washington DC 20005
+
+ Phone: +1 202 383 5615
+ EMail: hovey@wnpv01.enet.dec.com
+
+ Scott Bradner
+ Harvard University
+ 1350 Mass Ave. Rm 813
+ Cambridge MA 02138
+
+ Phone: +1 617 495 3864
+ EMail: sob@harvard.edu
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Hovey & Bradner Best Current Practice [Page 6]
+
+RFC 2028 IETF Organizations October 1996
+
+
+Appendix A - Contact Information
+
+ IETF - ietf@ietf.org, http://www.ietf.org
+
+ IESG - iesg@ietf.org, http://www.ietf.org/iesg.html
+
+ IAB - iab@ietf.org, http://www.iab.org/iab
+
+ RFC Editor - rfc-ed@isi.edu, http://www.isi.edu/rfc-editor
+
+ IANA - iana@iana.org, http://www.iana.org/iana/
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+Hovey & Bradner Best Current Practice [Page 7]
+