Definition of new tags for relations between RFCs
draft-kuehlewind-update-tag-02

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Network Working Group                                      M. Kuehlewind
Internet-Draft                                                  Ericsson
Intended status: Best Current Practice                       S. Krishnan
Expires: September 10, 2020                                       Kaloom
                                                          March 09, 2020

           Definition of new tags for relations between RFCs
                     draft-kuehlewind-update-tag-02

Abstract

   An RFC can include a tag called "Updates" which can be used to link a
   new RFC to an existing RFC.  On publication of such an RFC, the
   existing RFC will include an additional metadata tag called "Updated
   by" which provides a link to the new RFC.  However, this tag pair is
   not well-defined and therefore it is currently used for multiple
   different purposes, which leads to confusion about the actual meaning
   of this tag and inconsistency in its use.

   This document recommends the discontinuation of the use of the
   updates/updated by tag pair, and instead proposes three new tag pairs
   that have well-defined meanings and use cases.

Status of This Memo

   This Internet-Draft is submitted in full conformance with the
   provisions of BCP 78 and BCP 79.

   Internet-Drafts are working documents of the Internet Engineering
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   This Internet-Draft will expire on September 10, 2020.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (c) 2020 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
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   This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal
   Provisions Relating to IETF Documents

Kuehlewind & Krishnan  Expires September 10, 2020               [Page 1]
Internet-Draft             New Tag Definitions                March 2020

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Table of Contents

   1.  Introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
   2.  Requirements Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
   3.  New Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
   4.  Additional Recommendations  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
     4.1.  Discontinuation of the Use of Updates/Updated by  . . . .   5
     4.2.  Amendments  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5
     4.3.  Indication of Linkage in the Abstract and Introduction  .   5
   5.  Future work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
   6.  Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
   7.  Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
   8.  References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
     8.1.  Normative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
     8.2.  Informative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7
   Authors' Addresses  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7

1.  Introduction

   An RFC can include a tag called "Updates" which can be used to link a
   new RFC to an existing RFC.  On publication of such an RFC, the
   existing RFC will include an additional metadata tag called "Updated
   by" which provides a link to the new RFC.  However, this tag pair is
   not well-defined and therefore it is currently used for multiple
   different purposes, which leads to confusion about the actual meaning
   of this tag and inconsistency in its use.

   The "Updates/Updates by" tag pair is currently used by different
   working groups and different areas, which tend to apply different
   meanings to it.  They also differ greatly about the obligations on
   the implementors of the Updated RFC.  While updating an RFC never
   makes the updated RFC invalid, updates can contain bug fixes or
   critical changes.  Some groups apply the update tag only to these
   kind of changes with the expectation that new implementors are also
   obliged to implement this new RFC.  Some other groups use the update
   tag to define optional extensions or use of extension points in the
   current protocol.  This disconnect leads to a situation where it is
   desirable to add a "mandatory-to-implement" indication to an existing