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IAB Processes for Management of IETF Liaison Relationships
draft-iab-liaison-mgt-03

The information below is for an old version of the document that is already published as an RFC.
Document Type
This is an older version of an Internet-Draft that was ultimately published as RFC 4052.
Authors IAB , Leslie Daigle
Last updated 2020-01-21 (Latest revision 2004-12-10)
RFC stream Internet Architecture Board (IAB)
Intended RFC status Best Current Practice
Formats
Stream IAB state (None)
Consensus boilerplate Unknown
IAB shepherd (None)
draft-iab-liaison-mgt-03
Network Working Group                                          L. Daigle
Internet-Draft                                                    Editor
Expires: June 9, 2005                        Internet Architecture Board
                                                                     IAB
                                                        December 9, 2004

       IAB Processes for management of IETF liaison relationships
                        draft-iab-liaison-mgt-03

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   This Internet-Draft will expire on June 9, 2005.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2004).  All Rights Reserved.

Abstract

   This document discusses the procedures used by the IAB to establish
   and maintain liaison relationships between the IETF and other
   Standards Development Organizations (SDOs), consortia and industry
   fora.  This document also discusses the appointment and
   responsibilities of IETF liaison managers and representatives, and
   the expectations of the IAB for organizations with whom liaison
   relationships are established.

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Table of Contents

   1.  Liaison Relationships and Personnel  . . . . . . . . . . . . .  3
   2.  Aspects of Liaisons and Liaison Management . . . . . . . . . .  5
     2.1   Liaison Relationships  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
     2.2   Liaison Manager  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
     2.3   Liaison Representatives  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6
     2.4   Liaison Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6
   3.  Summary of IETF Liaison Manager Responsibilities . . . . . . .  7
   4.  Approval and Transmission of Liaison Statements  . . . . . . .  8
   5.  Security Considerations  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9
   6.  Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
   7.  References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
   7.1   Normative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
   7.2   Informative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
       Authors' Addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
       Intellectual Property and Copyright Statements . . . . . . . . 12

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1.  Liaison Relationships and Personnel

   The IETF, as an organization, has the need to engage in direct
   communication or joint endeavors with various other formal
   organizations.  For example, the IETF is one of several Standards
   Development Organizations, or SDOs, and all SDOs including the IETF
   find it increasingly necessary to communicate and coordinate their
   activities involving Internet-related technologies.  This is useful
   in order to avoid overlap in work efforts and to manage interactions
   between their groups.  In cases where there is formalization of a
   mutual effort to communicate and coordinate activities, these
   relationships are generically referred to as "liaison relationships".

   In such cases, a person from the IETF is designated to manage a given
   liaison relationship; that person is generally called the "IETF
   liaison manager" to the other organization.  When the liaison
   relationship is expected to encompass a complex or broad range of
   activities, more people may be designated to undertake some portions
   of the communications, coordinated by the liaison manager.  Often,
   the other organization will similarly designate their own liaison
   manager to the IETF.

   This document is chiefly concerned with:

   o  the establishment and maintenance of liaison relationships, and
   o  the appointment and responsibilities of IETF liaison managers and
      representatives.

   The management of other organizations' liaison managers to the IETF,
   whether or not in the context of a liaison relationship, is outside
   the scope of this document.

   The IETF has chartered the Internet Architecture Board to manage
   liaison relationships.  Consistent with its charter ([2]), the IAB
   acts as representative of the interests of the IETF and the Internet
   Society in technical liaison relationships with other organizations
   concerned with standards and other technical and organizational
   issues relevant to the world-wide Internet.  Liaison relationships
   are kept as informal as possible and must be of demonstrable value to
   the IETF's technical mandate.  Individual participants of the IETF
   are appointed as liaison managers or representatives to other
   organizations by the IAB.

   In general, a liaison relationship is most valuable when there are
   areas of technical development of mutual interest.  For the most
   part, SDO's would rather leverage existing work done by other
   organizations than recreate it themselves (and would like the same
   done with respect to their own work).  Establishing a liaison

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   relationship can provide the framework for ongoing communications to

   o  prevent inadvertent duplication of effort, without obstructing
      either organization from pursuing its own mandate;
   o  provide authoritative information of one organization's
      dependencies on the other's work.

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2.  Aspects of Liaisons and Liaison Management

2.1  Liaison Relationships

   A liaison relationship is set up when it is mutually agreeable and
   needed for some specific purpose, in the view of the other
   organization, the IAB, and the IETF participants conducting the work.
   There is no set process or form for this; the IETF participants and
   the peer organization approach the IAB, and after discussion come to
   an agreement to form the relationship.  In some cases, the intended
   scope and guidelines for the collaboration are documented
   specifically (e.g., see [3], [4], and [5]).

   The IAB's expectation in setting up the relationship is that there
   will be a mutual exchange of views and discussion of the best
   approach to undertaking new standardization work items.  Any work
   items resulting for the IETF will be undertaken in the usual IETF
   procedures, defined in [1].  The peer organization often has
   different organizational structure and different procedures than the
   IETF, which will require some flexibility on the part of both
   organizations to accommodate.  The IAB expects that each organization
   will use the relationship carefully, allowing time for the processes
   it requests to occur in the other organization and not making
   unreasonable demands.

2.2  Liaison Manager

   As described above, most work on mutually interesting topics will be
   carried out in the usual way within the IETF and the peer
   organization.  Therefore, most communications will be informal in
   nature (e.g., working group, mailing list discussions, etc).

   An important function of the liaison manager is to ensure that
   communication is maintained, is productive, and is timely.  He or she
   may use any applicable businesslike approach, from private
   communications to public communications, and bringing in other
   parties as needed.  If a communication from a peer organization is
   addressed to an inappropriate party, such as being sent to the
   working group but not copying the AD or being sent to the wrong
   working group, the liaison manager will help redirect or otherwise
   augment the communication.

   IETF liaison managers should also communicate and coordinate with
   other liaison managers where concerned technical activities overlap.

   Since the IAB is ultimately responsible for liaison relationships,
   anyone who has a problem with a relationship (whether an IETF
   participant or a person from the peer organization) should first

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   consult the IAB's designated liaison manager, and if that does not
   result in a satisfactory outcome, the IAB itself.

2.3  Liaison Representatives

   The liaison manager is, specifically, a representative of the IETF
   for the purposes of managing the liaison relationship.  There may be
   occasion to identify other representatives for the same relationship.
   For example,  if the area of mutual work is extensive, it might be
   appropriate to name several people to be liaison representatives to
   different parts of the other organization.  Or, it might be
   appropriate to name a liaison representative to attend a particular
   meeting.

   These other liaison representatives are selected by the IAB and work
   in conjunction (and close communication) with the liaison manager.
   In some cases, this may also require communication and coordination
   with other liaison managers or representatives where concerned
   technical activities overlap.  The specific responsibilities of the
   liaison representative will be identified at the time of appointment.

2.4  Liaison Communications

   Communications between organizations use a variety of formal and
   informal channels.  The stated preference of the IETF, which is
   largely an informal organization, is to use informal channels, as
   these have historically worked well to expedite matters.  In some
   cases, however, a more formal communication is appropriate, either as
   an adjunct to the informal channel, or in its place.  In the case of
   formal communications, the established procedures of many
   organizations use a form known as a "liaison statement".  Procedures
   for sending, managing, and responding to liaison statements are
   discussed in [6].

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3.  Summary of IETF Liaison Manager Responsibilities

   While the requirements will certainly vary depending on the nature of
   the peer organization and the type of joint work being undertaken,
   the general expectations of a liaison manager appointed by the IAB
   are as follows:

   o  Attend relevant meetings of the peer organization as needed and
      report back to the appropriate IETF organization any material
      updates.
   o  Carry any messages from the IETF to the peer organization, when
      specifically instructed.  Generally, these communications
      "represent the IETF", and due care (and consensus) must be applied
      in their construction.
   o  Prepare occasional updates -- e.g., to the IAB, an AD, a WG.  The
      target of these updates will generally be identified upon
      appointment.
   o  Oversee delivery of liaison statements addressed to the IETF,
      ensuring that they reach the appropriate destination within the
      IETF, and work to ensure that whatever relevant response from the
      IETF is created and sent in a timely fashion.
   o  Work with the other organization to ensure that the IETF's liaison
      statements are appropriately directed and responded to in a timely
      fashion.
   o  Communicate and coordinate with other IETF liaison managers and
      representatives where concerned technical activities overlap.

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4.  Approval and Transmission of Liaison Statements

   It is important that appropriate leadership review be made of
   proposed IETF liaison statements and that those who write such
   statements who claim to be speaking on behalf of IETF are truly
   representing IETF views.

   All outgoing liaison statements will be copied to IETF Secretariat
   using procedures defined in [6] or its successors.

   For a liaison statement generated on behalf of an IETF working group,
   the working group chair(s) must create a statement based on
   appropriate discussions within the working group to ensure working
   group consensus for the position(s) presented.  The chair(s) must
   have generated, or must agree with the sending of the liaison
   statement, and must advise the Area Director(s) that the liaison
   statement has been sent by copying the appropriate Area Directors on
   the message.

   For a liaison statement generated on behalf of an IETF Area, the Area
   Director(s) must have generated or must agree with the sending of the
   liaison statement.  In the case that the liaison statement is not
   sent by the Area Directors, their agreement must have been obtained
   in advance and is confirmed by copying the Area Directors on the
   message.

   For a liaison statement generated on behalf of the IETF as a whole,
   the IETF Chair must have generated or must agree with the sending of
   the liaison statement.  In the case that the liaison statement is not
   sent by the IETF Chair then his or her agreement must be obtained in
   advance and is confirmed by copying the IETF Chair on the message.

   For a liaison statement generated by the IAB, the IAB Chair must have
   generated or must agree with the sending of the liaison statement.
   In the case that the liaison statement is not sent by the IAB Chair,
   then his or her agreement must be obtained in advance and is
   confirmed by copying the IAB Chair on the message.

   In cases where prior agreement was not obtained as outlined above,
   and the designated authority (Area Directory, IETF Chair, or IAB
   Chair) in fact does not agree with the message, they will follow up
   as appropriate, including emitting a revised liaison statement if
   necessary.  Clearly, this is a situation best avoided by assuring
   appropriate agreement in advance of sending the liaison message.

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5.  Security Considerations

   The security of the Internet is not threatened by these procedures.

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6.  Acknowledgements

   This document was developed as part of a conversation regarding the
   management of [6], and the authors of that document contributed
   significantly to it.  Also, this version of the document has been
   improved over its predecessor by several suggestions from Stephen J.
   Trowbridge, Peter Saint-Andre,  Michael Patton, Bert Wijnen, Fred
   Baker, Scott Bradner, Scott Brim, Avri Doria, Allison Mankin, Thomas
   Narten, Russ Housley and Dan Romasanu.

   Members of the IAB at the time of approval of this document were:

      Bernard Aboba
      Harald Alvestrand (IETF chair)
      Rob Austein
      Leslie Daigle (IAB chair)
      Patrik Faltstrom
      Sally Floyd
      Jun-ichiro Itojun Hagino
      Mark Handley
      Bob Hinden
      Geoff Huston (IAB Executive Director)
      Eric Rescorla
      Pete Resnick
      Jonathan Rosenberg

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7.  References

7.1  Normative References

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

   [2]  Internet Architecture Board and B. Carpenter, "Charter of the
        Internet Architecture Board (IAB)", BCP 39, RFC 2850, May 2000.

7.2  Informative References

   [3]  Rosenbrock, K., Sanmugam, R., Bradner, S. and J. Klensin,
        "3GPP-IETF Standardization Collaboration", RFC 3113, June 2001.

   [4]  Bradner, S., Calhoun, P., Cuschieri, H., Dennett, S., Flynn, G.,
        Lipford, M. and M. McPheters, "3GPP2-IETF Standardization
        Collaboration", RFC 3131, June 2001.

   [5]  Fishman, G. and S. Bradner, "Internet Engineering Task Force and
        International Telecommunication Union - Telecommunications
        Standardization Sector Collaboration Guidelines", RFC 3356,
        August 2002.

   [6]  Trowbridge, S., Bradner, S. and F. Baker, "Procedure for
        Handling Liaison Statements Between Standards Bodies", June
        2004.

Authors' Addresses

   Leslie Daigle
   Editor

   Internet Architecture Board
   IAB

   EMail: iab@iab.org

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