Network Working Group P. Hoffman
Request for Comments: 3233 Internet Mail Consortium
BCP: 58 S. Bradner
Category: Best Current Practice Harvard University
February 2002

Defining the IETF

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.

Copyright Notice

Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2002). All Rights Reserved.

Abstract

This document gives a more concrete definition of "the IETF" as it
understood today. Many RFCs refer to "the IETF". Many important
IETF documents speak of the IETF as if it were an already-defined
entity. However, no IETF document correctly defines what the IETF
is.

1. IntrodUCtion

Many RFCs refer to "the IETF". Many important IETF documents speak
of the IETF as if it were an already-defined entity. However, no
IETF document correctly defines what the IETF is. This document
gives a more concrete definition of "the IETF" as it understood
today.

2. Defining the IETF

BCP 9 ("The Internet Standards Process -- Revision 3") [BCP 9], the
primary document that describes the Internet standards process, never
defines the IETF. As described in BCP 11 ("The Organizations
Involved in the IETF Standards Process") [BCP 11], the Internet
Engineering Task Force (IETF) is an open global community of network
designers, operators, vendors, and researchers producing technical
specifications for the evolution of the Internet architecture and the
smooth operation of the Internet.

It is important to note that the IETF is not a corporation: it is an
unincorporated, freestanding organization. The IETF is partially
supported by the Internet Society (ISOC). ISOC is an international
non-profit organization incorporated in the US with thousands of
individual and corporate members throughout the world who pay
membership fees to join. The Internet Society provides many services
to the IETF, including insurance and some financial and logistical
support.

As described in BCP 11, Internet standardization is an organized
activity of the ISOC, with the ISOC Board of Trustees being
responsible for ratifying the procedures and rules of the Internet
standards process. However, the IETF is not a formal subset of ISOC;
for example, one does not have to join ISOC to be a member of the
IETF.

There is no board of Directors for the IETF, no formally signed
bylaws, no treasurer, and so on. The structure of the IETF (its
leadership, its working groups, the definition of IETF membership,
and so on) are described in detail in BCP 11. Procedures for
choosing leadership are described in detail in BCP 10.

Thus, when RFCs say "the IETF", they are describing the group that
acts in accordance with BCP 9, BCP 10, and BCP 11.

3. Security Considerations

All IETF protocols must describe the security ASPects of the
environment in which they will be used. Also, the IETF has a
Security Area which discusses the security aspects of IETF protocols.
However, descriptive documents such as this one do not affect the
security of the Internet.

A. References

[BCP 9] Bradner, S., "The Internet Standards Process -- Revision 3",
BCP 9, RFC2026, October 1996.

[BCP 10] Galvin, J., "IAB and IESG Selection, Confirmation, and
Recall Process: Operation of the Nominating and Recall
Committees", BCP 10, RFC2727, February 2000.

[BCP 11] Hovey, R. and S. Bradner, "The Organizations Involved in the
IETF Standards Process", BCP 11, RFC2028, October 1996.

B. Editors' Addresses

Paul Hoffman
Internet Mail Consortium
127 Segre Place
Santa Cruz, CA 95060 USA

EMail: phoffman@imc.org

Scott Bradner
Harvard University
29 Oxford St
Cambridge MA 02138

EMail: sob@harvard.edu

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Acknowledgement

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