Internet standard
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... This memo documents the process currently used by the Internet
community for the standardization of protocols and procedures. The
Internet Standards process is an activity of the Internet Society
that is organized and managed on behalf of the Internet community ...
... Internet Standards ...
... host-to-host
communication through voluntary adherence to open protocols and
procedures defined by Internet Standards. There are also many
isolated interconnected networks, which are not connected to the
...
...
The Internet Standards Process described in this document is
concerned with all protocols, procedures, and conventions that are
used in or by the Internet ...
... TCP/IP protocol suite. In the case of protocols developed and/or
standardized by non-Internet organizations, however, the Internet
Standards Process normally applies to the application of the protocol
or procedure in the Internet context ...
...
In general, an Internet Standard is a specification that is stable
and well-understood, is technically competent, has multiple,
...
... The Internet Standards Process ...
...
In outline, the process of creating an Internet Standard is
straightforward: a specification undergoes a period of development
and several iterations of review by the Internet community ...
...
The goals of the Internet Standards Process are:
...
... These procedures are intended to provide a fair, open, and
objective basis for developing, evaluating, and adopting Internet
Standards. They provide ample opportunity for participation and
comment by all interested parties. At each stage of the
standardization process, a specification is repeatedly discussed
...
... interoperability by multiple independent parties and utilized in
increasingly demanding environments, before it can be adopted as
an Internet Standard.
...
... parties to comment all require significant time and effort. On the
other hand, today's rapid development of networking technology
demands timely development of standards. The Internet Standards
Process is intended to balance these conflicting goals. The process
is believed to be as short and simple as possible without sacrificing
technical excellence, thorough testing before adoption of a standard,
...
...
Section 2 describes the publications and archives of the Internet
Standards Process. Section 3 describes the types of Internet
standard specifications. Section 4 describes the Internet standards
...
... Section 2 describes the publications and archives of the Internet
Standards Process. Section 3 describes the types of Internet
standard specifications. Section 4 describes the Internet standards
specifications track. Section 5 describes Best Current Practice ...
... archives of the Internet
Standards Process. Section 3 describes the types of Internet
standard specifications. Section 4 describes the Internet standards
specifications track. Section 5 describes Best Current Practice
...
... standardization. Section 7 specifies the way in which externally-
sponsored specifications and practices, developed and controlled by
other standards bodies or by others, are handled within the Internet
Standards Process. Section 8 describes the requirements for notices
and record keeping Section 9 defines a variance process to allow
...
... intellectual property rights in the context of the development and
use of Internet Standards. Section 11 includes acknowledgments of
some of the people involved in creation of this document. Section 12
notes that security issues ...
... INTERNET STANDARDS-RELATED PUBLICATIONS ...
...
Each distinct version of an Internet standards-related specification
is published as part of the "Request for Comments" (RFC) document
series. This archival series is the official publication channel ...
... series. This archival series is the official publication channel for
Internet standards documents and other publications of the IESG, IAB,
...
... acronyms). RFCs cover a wide range of
topics in addition to Internet Standards, from early discussion of
new research concepts to status memos about the Internet ...
...
Some RFCs document Internet Standards. These RFCs form the 'STD'
subseries of the RFC series [4 ...
... subseries of the RFC series [4]. When a specification has been
adopted as an Internet Standard, it is given the additional label
"STDxxx", but it keeps its RFC number and its place in the RFC
series. (see section 4.1.3)
...
... services for the Internet
should or will become Internet Standards or BCPs. Such non-standards
track specifications are not subject ...
... * are standards track documents, and that not all *
* standards track documents reach the level of *
* Internet Standard. In the same way, not all RFCs *
* which describe current practices have been given *
* the review and approval to become BCPs ...
... INTERNET STANDARD SPECIFICATIONS ...
...
Specifications subject to the Internet Standards Process fall into
one of two categories: Technical Specification (TS ...
... TS may be completely self-
contained, or it may incorporate material from other specifications
by reference to other documents (which might or might not be Internet
Standards).
...
... Internet capability. An AS may specify uses for TSs that are not
Internet Standards, as discussed in Section 7.
...
... THE INTERNET STANDARDS TRACK ...
...
Specifications that are intended to become Internet Standards evolve
through a set of maturity levels known as the "standards track".
These maturity levels -- "Proposed Standard ...
...
Even after a specification has been adopted as an Internet Standard,
further evolution often occurs based on experience and the
recognition of new requirements ...
...
Standards with new ones, and the assignment of descriptive labels to
indicate the status of "retired" Internet Standards. A set of
maturity levels is defined in section 4.2 to cover these and other
specifications that are not considered to be on the standards track.
...
... Internet specifications go through stages of development, testing,
and acceptance. Within the Internet Standards Process, these stages
are formally labeled "maturity levels".
...
... Working Group chair is responsible for documenting the specific
implementations which qualify the specification for Draft or Internet
Standard status along with documentation about testing of the
interoperation of these implementations. The documentation must
include information about the support of each of the individual
...
... Internet Standard ...
... A specification for which significant implementation and successful
operational experience has been obtained may be elevated to the
Internet Standard level. An Internet Standard (which may simply be
referred to as a Standard) is characterized by a high degree of
...
... operational experience has been obtained may be elevated to the
Internet Standard level. An Internet Standard (which may simply be
referred to as a Standard) is characterized by a high degree of
technical maturity and by a generally held belief that the specified
...
...
Not every specification is on the standards track. A specification
may not be intended to be an Internet Standard, or it may be intended
for eventual standardization but not yet ready to enter the standards
track. A specification may have been superseded by a more recent
...
... for eventual standardization but not yet ready to enter the standards
track. A specification may have been superseded by a more recent
Internet Standard, or have otherwise fallen into disuse or disfavor.
...
... Experimental",
"Informational", or "Historic". The documents bearing these labels
are not Internet Standards in any sense.
...
...
Specifications that have been prepared outside of the Internet
community and are not incorporated into the Internet Standards
Process by any of the provisions of section 10 may be published as
Informational RFCs, with the permission of the owner and the
concurrence of the RFC Editor.
...
... To ensure that the non-standards track Experimental and Informational
designations are not misused to circumvent the Internet Standards
Process, the IESG and the RFC Editor have agreed that the RFC Editor
will refer to the IESG ...
... published as originally submitted or referred to the IETF as a
contribution to the Internet Standards Process.
...
...
Historically Internet standards have generally been concerned with
the technical specifications for hardware ...
... THE INTERNET STANDARDS PROCESS ...
...
The mechanics of the Internet Standards Process involve decisions of
the IESG concerning the elevation of a specification onto the
...
...
A specification that is intended to enter or advance in the Internet
standards track shall first be posted as an Internet-Draft (see
section 2.2) unless it has not changed since publication as an RFC.
...
... appear in each issue of the Internet Society's newsletter. This
shall constitute the "publication of record" for Internet standards
actions.
...
...
When a standards-track specification has not reached the Internet
Standard level but has remained at the same maturity level for
twenty-four (24) months, and every twelve (12) months thereafter
until the status is changed, the IESG ...
...
A new version of an established Internet Standard must progress
through the full Internet standardization process as if it were a
...
... will be moved to Historic status. However, in some cases both
versions may remain as Internet Standards to honor the requirements
of an installed base. In this situation, the relationship between
...
... discussion. This
section specifies the procedures that shall be followed to deal with
Internet standards issues that cannot be resolved through the normal
processes whereby IETF Working Groups and other Internet Standards
Process ...
... Internet standards issues that cannot be resolved through the normal
processes whereby IETF Working Groups and other Internet Standards
Process participants ordinarily reach consensus.
...
... The IAB decision is final with respect to the question of whether or
not the Internet standards procedures have been followed and with
respect to all questions of technical merit.
...
... This document sets forward procedures required to be followed to
ensure openness and fairness of the Internet Standards Process, and
the technical viability of the standards created. The IESG ...
... The IAB decision is final with respect to the question of whether or
not the Internet standards procedures have been followed.
...
... themselves (i.e., the procedures described in this document) are
claimed to be inadequate or insufficient to the protection of the
rights of all parties in a fair and open Internet Standards Process.
Claims on this basis may be made to the Internet Society Board of
Trustees ...
... [NOTE: These procedures intentionally and explicitly do not
establish a fixed maximum time period that shall be considered
"reasonable" in all cases. The Internet Standards Process places a
premium on consensus and efforts to achieve it, and deliberately
foregoes deterministically swift execution of procedures in favor of
...
... desirable to reach common agreements on their usage -- i.e., to
establish Internet Standards relating to these external
specifications.
...
... concerned with the practical application of their standards. All
of these are considered to be "open external standards" for the
purposes of the Internet Standards Process.
(2) Other Specifications
...
... TS or AS may incorporate an open external
standard by reference. For example, many Internet Standards
incorporate by reference the ANSI standard character set ...
...
Each of the organizations involved in the development and approval of
Internet Standards shall publicly announce, and shall maintain a
publicly accessible record of, every activity in which it engages, to
the extent that the activity represents the prosecution of any part
...
... publicly accessible record of, every activity in which it engages, to
the extent that the activity represents the prosecution of any part
of the Internet Standards Process. For purposes of this section, the
organizations involved in the development and approval of Internet
Standards includes the IETF ...
... of the Internet Standards Process. For purposes of this section, the
organizations involved in the development and approval of Internet
Standards includes the IETF, the IESG, the IAB ...
...
As a practical matter, the formal record of all Internet Standards
Process activities is maintained by the IETF Secretariat, and is the
responsibility of the IETF Secretariat ...
... directories shall be archived by the IETF Secretariat for the sole
purpose of preserving an historical record of Internet standards
activity and thus are not retrievable except in special
circumstances.
...
...
This document, which sets out the rules and procedures by which
Internet Standards and related documents are made is itself a product
of the Internet Standards Process (as a BCP ...
... Internet Standards and related documents are made is itself a product
of the Internet Standards Process (as a BCP, as described in section
5). It replaces a previous version ...
... of the proper and correct process to follow, and requirements to be
met, to allow for the best possible Internet Standards and BCPs, it
cannot be assumed that this will always remain the case. From time to
...
... IESG shall at least consider (a) the technical
merit of the specification, (b) the possibility of achieving the
goals of the Internet Standards Process without granting a variance,
(c) alternatives to the granting of a variance, (d) the collateral
and precedential effects of granting a variance, and (e) the IESG's ...
... confidentiality
or any restriction on its dissemination may be considered in any part
of the Internet Standards Process, and there must be no assumption of
any confidentiality obligation with respect to any such contribution.
...
... of such rights, a written assurance that upon approval by the IESG
of the relevant Internet standards track specification(s), any
party will be able to obtain the right to implement, use and
distribute the technology or works when implementing, using or
...
... technology has been fulfilled in practice. It will instead use the
normal requirements for the advancement of Internet Standards to
verify that the terms for use are reasonable. If the two unrelated
implementations of the specification that are required to advance
...
... attention, at the earliest possible time, the existence of any
intellectual property rights pertaining to Internet Standards.
For this purpose, each standards document shall include the
following invitation:
...
... Internet
organizations, except as needed for the purpose of developing
Internet standards in which case the procedures for copyrights
defined in the Internet Standards process must be followed, or
...
... Internet standards in which case the procedures for copyrights
defined in the Internet Standards process must be followed, or
as required to translate it into languages other than English.
...