1 A short introduction to the IETF Harald Alvestrand IETF chair Harald Alvestrand IETF chair.

1

A short introduction to the IETF

A short introduction to the IETF

Harald Alvestrand

IETF chair

Harald Alvestrand

IETF chair

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IETF HistoryIETF History

3Internettdagerna Oct 24, 2000 www.ietf.org

Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)

Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)

• Historical developer of Internet-related protocols

Http://www.ietf.org

Consortium of individuals from

Research, Education, Network operators, and Internet vendors


Changed IETF composition and roles

Changed IETF composition and roles

0

500

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1986

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1998

1999

Att

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dan

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Actual Avg..

Vendor/International

Research/Educationprimarily US


USA71.6%

Other5.5%

JAPAN7.6%

Sweden1.8%

Germany1.9%France

2.0%

Canada3.1%UK4.2%

Netherlands2.2%

IETF Growth by CountryIETF Growth by Country

• December 1996 (San Jose)

• 11 Countries

• July 1999 (Oslo)

• 33 Countries

Japan6%

USA48%

Other 8%

Italy2%

Netherlands3%Canada3%France4%Finland4%Germany5%Norway5%

UK6%

Sweden6%

66

IETF structureIETF structure


IETF structures and key forums

IETF structures and key forums

• Internet Architecture Board

• Internet Engineering Steering Group

• Working groups in eight areas


Internet Architecture Board (IAB)

Internet Architecture Board (IAB)

• Mission

Oversight of IETF, IRTF, IANA, liaisons

Think tank for future Internet activities

• Recent activities

Really worried right now about

Integrity of the infrastructure

Impact of unbridled creativity

Wireless communications


Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG)

Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG)

• MissionAssure open-ness and adherence to process

Working group chartering and management

“Quality assurance” on specifications

• Activities and trendsMaking sure mobile networks are part of the Internet

Trying to grow the network (v6, routing)


Working groups in eight areasWorking groups in eight areas

Internet

Routing

Transport

Applications

(Sub-IP)

Security

Operations and management

General


Working group summaryWorking group summary

• We have more than 100 working groups

Not all currently active

• Maintain the v4 Internet

• Enable the v6 Internet

• Create the mobile Internet

• Make all the Internet useful and secure

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IETF processIETF process


MembershipMembership

• IETF members are people

As opposed to nations or companies

• Communications tend to be among people

As opposed to working groups, boards, etc.

Have trouble understanding “liaison”


Fundamental working principle

Fundamental working principle

“

”

We reject kings, presidents, and voting.

We believe in rough consensus and running code.

Dr. David C. Clark, Massachusetts Institute of Technology


Fundamental perspective of enlightened self-interest

Fundamental perspective of enlightened self-interest

• There is no one organization or company which has a corner on intelligence or expertise

Good ideas that help our markets come from everywhere and anywhere

• Growing the Internet is good for all of us

A larger Internet creates larger markets.

Larger markets create cheaper products.

Cheaper products create more end-user value.


Two types of documentsTwo types of documents

• Internet drafts

• RFC - “request for comments”


Internet draftsInternet drafts

• Most analogous to ITU “contributions” and “working papers”

Not necessarily work items

Half of all Internet drafts are simply documents people have chosen to post

Nine out of ten I-Ds do NOT result in RFCs

• Types of draftsWorking group documents

Submissions to working groups

Individual submissions


RFCsRFCs

• Historical archive

• Many kinds of documents

Informational

Historical

Experimental

Standards

• Standards

Proposed, draft, full

Best current practice


Development processDevelopment process

• Bottom-up

Working Group charters developed to support work people want to do

• Development process

Working groups develop

IESG reviews

RFC editor publishes

2020

Relations among standards bodiesRelations among standards bodies

“Anyone who likes legislation or sausage should watch neither one

being made”

Baron von Bismarck

“Anyone who likes legislation or sausage should watch neither one

being made”

Baron von Bismarck


IETF: infrastructure protocolsIETF: infrastructure protocols

• Some link layer

PPP

• Network layer

IPv4, IPv6

Routing protocols

• Transport layer

TCP, UDP, RTP

• Security services

Transport layer security, IPSEC, ISAKMP

• Telephony signaling

Signaling transport

• Quality support

Differentiated services

Integrated services


IETF: infrastructure applications

IETF: infrastructure applications

• SNMP management

• SMTP mail

• DNS name services

• LDAP directory services

• SSH virtual terminal protocol

• FTP file transfer

• HTTP web transfer

• And more...


How IETF sees work dividedHow IETF sees work divided

• Applications come from all over

• IETF

Provides network infrastructure

Tends to use interfaces defined by other bodies

Wants to make sure the whole thing works

HTMLHTTP

UDP RTP

Ethernet ATM Frame Relay PPPCellular Radio

Telephony Signaling

A variety of physical layers and interfaces

Internet ProtocolTCP

Mail SNMPVoice/ VideoData

IEEEETSI

W3C

ITU-T

MPLS


Questions?Questions?

1 A short introduction to the IETF Harald Alvestrand IETF chair Harald Alvestrand IETF chair.

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