Key Issues
Standardisation
The use of standard technologies and protocols is one of the most significant reasons for the successful growth of the Internet. In fact the Internet itself, rather than being a single entity, is a vast network of networks, comprising many different sorts of devices, designs, and purposes. Standards are what bring this all together and allow end-to-end operation. Furthermore, open standards, such as those developed by the Internet Engineering Taskforce (IETF), are able to be used by anyone, free of charge. This encourages innovation and promotes interoperability.
Concepts and questions
Who develops standards for the Internet? How are they developed?
There are a number of organisations involved in developing standards for the Internet, the foremost of which is the IETF. The IETF, an activity of the Internet Society, is a self-organised group of people who contribute to the engineering and evolution of Internet technologies. It is the principal body engaged in developing new Internet standard specifications.
Read more about the background to the IETF and how it works here:
- The Tao of IETF - A Novice's Guide to the Internet Engineering Task Force
- Best Current Practices for the Internet Community
- Who's who in the IETF Zoo? (PDF: 182KB)
- ISOC's IETF Journal
Where are long-term Internet architecture issues developed?
The Internet Architecture Board (IAB) is chartered both as a committee of the IETF and as an advisory body to ISOC. Its responsibilities include architectural oversight of IETF activities, Internet Standards Process oversight and appeal, and the appointment of the RFC Editor. The IAB is also responsible for managing the IETF protocol parameter registries.
Is there any long-term research being done on the Internet protocols, applications, and architecture?
The Internet Research Task Force (IRTF) is affiliated with the IETF via the IAB. It is chartered to conduct this type of research. The IRTF's mission is to promote research of importance to the evolution of the future Internet by creating focused, long-term and small Research Groups working on topics related to Internet protocols, applications, architecture, and technology.
Are the standards established by the IETF available to anyone?
Yes, the IETF standards are freely available to everyone. They are all available from the RFC-editor web site.
What is an RFC?
The Requests for Comments (RFC) document series is a set of technical and organisational notes about the Internet (originally the ARPANET), beginning in 1969. Memos in the RFC series discuss many aspects of computer networking, including protocols, procedures, programs, and concepts. Some RFCs also document meeting notes, opinions, and sometimes humor.
For more information on RFCs, or the history of the RFC series, see:
What other bodies are involved in developing Internet standards?
For information on other organisations involved in broader standards work, see:
