RFC 1264 Is Obsolete
draft-fenner-obsolete-1264-03

Network Working Group                                          B. Fenner
Internet-Draft                                      AT&T Labs - Research
Obsoletes: 1264 (if approved)                              July 11, 2006
Intended status: Informational
Expires: January 12, 2007

                          RFC 1264 is Obsolete
                     draft-fenner-obsolete-1264-03

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Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2006).

Abstract

   RFC 1264 was written during what was effectively a completely
   different time in the life of the Internet.  It prescribed rules to
   protect the Internet against new routing protocols that may have
   various undesirable properties.  In today's Internet, there are so
   many other pressures against deploying unreasonable protocols that we
   believe that existing controls suffice, and the RFC 1264 rules just
   get in the way.

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1.  Introduction

   RFC 1264 [RFC1264] describes various rules to be applied when
   publishing routing protocols on the IETF Standards Track, including
   requirements for implementation, MIBs, security, etc.  These rules
   were written in an attempt to protect the Internet from incomplete or
   unscalable new protocols.

   Today, one of the big problems the IETF faces is timeliness.
   Applying additional rules to a certain class of protocols hurts the
   IETF's ability to publish specifications in a timely manner.

   The current standards process [RFC2026] already permits the IESG to
   require additional implementation experience when it appears to be
   needed.  We do not need any more rules than that.  RFC 2026 says:

      Usually, neither implementation nor operational experience is
      required for the designation of a specification as a Proposed
      Standard.  However, such experience is highly desirable, and will
      usually represent a strong argument in favor of a Proposed
      Standard designation.

      The IESG may require implementation and/or operational experience
      prior to granting Proposed Standard status to a specification that
      materially affects the core Internet protocols or that specifies
      behavior that may have significant operational impact on the
      Internet.

2.  RFC 1264 is Obsolete

   Therefore, this document reclassifies RFC 1264 as historic.  While
   that does not prohibit the Routing Area Directors from requiring
   implementation and/or operational experience under the RFC 2026
   rules, it removes the broad, general requirement from all routing
   documents.

3.  Working Group Procedures

   Some working groups within the Routing Area have developed
   procedures, based on RFC 1264, to require implementations before
   forwarding a document to the IESG.  This action does not prevent
   those working groups from continuing with these procedures if the
   working group prefers to work this way.  We encourage working groups
   to put measures in place to improve the quality of their output.

   RFC 1264 required a MIB module to be in development for a protocol;

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   this is still encouraged in a broad sense.  This is not meant to be
   limiting, however; protocol management and manageability should be
   considered in the context of current IETF management protocols.  In
   addition, [I-D.farrel-rtg-manageability-requirements] contains a
   description of a "Manageability Requirements" section; this is not
   currently a requirement but should be considered.

4.  IANA Considerations

   This document makes no request of IANA.

   Note to RFC Editor: this section may be removed on publication as an
   RFC.

5.  Security Considerations

   While RFC 1264's rules placed additional constraints on the security-
   related contents of an RFC, current policies (e.g., the requirement
   for a Security Considerations section) suffice.

6.  Acknowledgements

   Alex Zinin and Bill Fenner spent a great deal of time trying to
   produce an updated version of the RFC 1264 rules that would apply to
   today's Internet.  This work was eventually abandoned when it was
   realized (after much public discussion at Routing Area meetings,
   Internet Area meetings, and on the Routing Area mailing list) that
   there was just no way to write the rules in a way that advanced the
   goals of the IETF.

7.  References

7.1.  Normative References

   [RFC1264]  Hinden, R., "Internet Engineering Task Force Internet
              Routing Protocol Standardization Criteria", RFC 1264,
              October 1991.

   [RFC2026]  Bradner, S., "The Internet Standards Process -- Revision
              3", BCP 9, RFC 2026, October 1996.

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7.2.  Informative References

   [I-D.farrel-rtg-manageability-requirements]
              Farrel, A., "Requirements for Manageability Sections in
              Routing Area Drafts",
              draft-farrel-rtg-manageability-requirements-01 (work in
              progress), October 2005.

Author's Address

   Bill Fenner
   AT&T Labs - Research
   1 River Oaks Place
   San Jose, CA  95134-1918
   USA

   Phone: +1 408 493-8505
   Email: fenner@research.att.com

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