About the Internet Society 

Initiatives for 2008-2010

InterNetWorks Initivative

This initiative focuses on the continued operation of the global Internet, taking a holistic approach to identify issues and opportunities in technology development and deployment for open networking.

Many network growth opportunities and issues cross boundaries and cut into competing interests. Existing and new players need to be brought (back) to the community table to discuss and determine best paths forward.

ISOC's purposes in this initiative are to:

• Identify and help elaborate such cross-boundary network issues.
• Promote resolution of cross boundary network issues through open dialog and collaboration of involved entities, in appropriate fora.
• Promote and validate the open collaborative Internet development model.

1. Global Addressing Program
   The "Global Addressing" program specifically identifies challenges to global addressing (for example, IPv4 address pool exhaustion, issues in deploying IPv6, and lack of credible alternatives). ISOC can help to coordinate the efforts of the standards, operational, and RIR communities and facilitate the expression of requirements. The goal is to deliver a smooth transition beyond the end of the IANA IPv4 address pool, while working out the longer-term architecture of the Internet.
2. Common and Open Internet Program
   The “Common and Open Internet Program" identifies forces towards islands of networking and multiple networked realities. It aims to drive the development and acceptance of a modern understanding and consistent implementation of “the end to end principle” of the Internet. This program will be focus on identifying threats to the common Internet model and supporting work to mitigate or disarm those threats.
3. Security & Stability
   The “Secure & Stable Infrastructure” program aims to support development and deployment of key technologies for ensuring a stable and secure Internet infrastructure.
4. AlterNetives (new in 2009)
   Work in this program identifies impacts of alternative networks (e.g., mobile data networks, sensor networks) on the Internet, expressed in terms of requirements for Internet development. This will be a start-up effort for 2009, focusing primarily on establishing the areas of key interest and impact for future years.