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