Network Working Group E. Lear
Internet-Draft Cisco Systems GmbH
Intended status: BCP P. Eggert
Expires: November 20, 2011 UCLA
May 19, 2011
IANA Procedures for Maintaining the Timezone Database
draft-lear-iana-timezone-database-04
Abstract
Timezone information serves as a basic protocol element in protocols,
such as the calendaring suite and DHCP. The Timezone (TZ) Database
specifies the indices used in various protocols, as well as their
semantic meanings, for all localities throughout the world. This
database has been meticulously maintained and distributed free of
charge by a group of volunteers, coordinated by a single volunteer
who is now planning to retire. This memo specifies IANA procedures
involved with maintenance of the TZ database and associated code,
including how to submit proposed updates, how decisions for inclusion
of those updates are made, and the selection of a designated expert
BY AND FOR the timezone community. The intent of this memo is, to
the extent possible, document existing practice and provide a means
to ease succession.
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 November 20, 2011.
Copyright Notice
Copyright (c) 2011 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
document authors. All rights reserved.
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This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal
Provisions Relating to IETF Documents
(http://trustee.ietf.org/license-info) in effect on the date of
publication of this document. Please review these documents
carefully, as they describe your rights and restrictions with respect
to this document. Code Components extracted from this document must
include Simplified BSD License text as described in Section 4.e of
the Trust Legal Provisions and are provided without warranty as
described in the Simplified BSD License.
1. Introduction
The IETF has specified several standards that make use of timezone
information. Timezone names are used in DHCP to configure devices
with correct local time [RFC4833]. Timezone names can appear in the
TZID field of VEVENTs [RFC5545]. The normative reference for these
values is the TZ Database [TZDB]. Since the early 1980s, that
database, which has been in use on nearly all UNIX systems, Java
systems, and other sorts of systems has been hosted at the National
Institutes of Health. The database consists of both historic and
current entries for geographies throughout the world. Associated
with the database is a reference implementation of ISO/IEC 9899 C and
IEEE 1003.1 POSIX time functions that can be used to convert time
values.
The database has been maintained by volunteers who participate in a
mailing list [1] that is also hosted at the NIH. The database itself
is updated approximately twenty times per year, depending on the
year, based on information these experts provide to the maintainer.
Arthur David Olson has maintained the database, coordinated the
mailing list, and provided a release platform since the database's
inception. With his retirement now approaching it is necessary to
provide a means for this good work to continue.
The IANA provides registry services to the Internet community. Those
registries are coordinated by technical experts who are designated by
the Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG). The IANA is also
well suited as a distribution platform for the TZ Database itself.
The IANA has for quite some time had the capability to maintain
designated expert mailing lists. The TZ mailing list would fit
nicely as just such a list.
1.1. Terminology
The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT",
"SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this
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document are to be interpreted as described in RFC 2119 [RFC2119].
TZ Database: The TimeZone Database, sometimes referred to as the
Olson Database. This database consists of information about
offsets from UTC for different localities, including daylight
saving time (DST) transition information.
TZ Coordinator: The person or people who maintain and manage release
of the TZ Database. The TZ Coordinator also has responsibility
for managing the TZ mailing list. The TZ Coordinator is an IANA
Designated Expert, as defined in Section 3.2 of [RFC5226], except
as regards to appeals, as discussed in Section 5. Roughly
speaking, this means that the IESG will choose one or more experts
to manage the TZ database, code, and mailing list. The TZ
Coordinator will also work with the IANA to develop appropriate
service metrics. There SHALL be a single lead individual and at
least one backup individual for this function.
TZ mailing list: The forum where matters relating to the TZ database
and supporting code are discussed.
The rest of this document specifies the following:
1. Transferring and maintenance of the TZ mailing list;
2. Procedures for selecting a technical expert who will play the
role of TZ Coordinator and release manager for the TZ database;
3. Procedures for updating the TZ database;
4. Maintenance and ownership of reference code; and
5. Ownership of the database.
2. The TZ Mailing List
For many years the TZ mailing list at the National Institutes of
Health (NIH) has been the forum where discussion of changes to the TZ
database and support files would take place. In addition, the TZ
mailing list is used to announce releases of the database. Currently
the TZ mailing list is administered by the TZ Coordinator.
This list membership will be transitioned to the IANA mail server.
The TZ Coordinator will continue to manage the list. While the TZ
Coordinator may establish other rules of governance for the list,
members of that list will be informed that a condition of
participating on the list is that all contributions to the list are
released to the public domain, and that by placing their contribution
in the public domain, contributors waive forever any intellectual
property claims.
The list will be used just as it has been: to learn of, discuss, and
confirm TZ definition changes, as well as to serve as an announcement
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list for new versions of the database.
3. Making Updates to the TZ Database
Updates to the TZ database are made by the TZ Coordinator in
consultation with the TZ mailing list. TZ Coordinator is empowered
to decide, as the designated expert, appropriate changes, but SHOULD
take into account views expressed on the mailing list.
The TZ Coordinator will also decide the timing of database releases.
The release itself today consists of several archive files that are
downloaded from a well known location.
Moving forward, the TZ database, supporting code, and any appropriate
supporting information SHOULD be signed prior to release using well
known public keys, along with any appropriate supporting information
and distributed from a well known location that is advertised by IANA
in a manner of its choosing.
The criteria for updates to the database include the following:
1. New TZ names (e.g. locations) are only to be created when the
scope of the region a name was envisioned to cover is no longer
accurate.
2. In order to correct historical inaccuracies, a new TZ name MAY be
added when it is necessary to indicate what was the consensus
view at a given time and location. Such TZ names are usually not
added when the inaccuracy was prior to 1970.
3. Changes to existing entries SHALL reflect the consensus on the
ground in the region covered by that entry.
To be clear, the TZ Coordinator SHALL NOT set timezone policy for a
region but use judgment and whatever available sources exist to
assess what the average person on street would think the time
actually is, or in case of historical corrections, was.
4. Selecting or Replacing a TZ Coordinator
From time to time it will be necessary to appoint a new TZ
Coordinator. This could occur for a number of reasons:
o The TZ Coordinator is retiring (as Arthur Olson is) or has
announced that he or she will be unable to continue to perform the
function;
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o The TZ Coordinator is missing, has become incapacitated, or has
died; or
o The TZ Coordinator is not performing the function in accordance
with community wishes.
In any of these cases, members of the community should raise the
issue on the TZ mailing list and attempt to reach consensus on a new
candidate to fulfill the role of TZ Coordinator. If rough consensus
cannot be reached easily, the Area Directors of the IETF Applications
Area should attempt to guide the members of the community to rough
consensus. The candidate that is agreed upon by the community
through rough consensus shall be presented to the IESG for
confirmation. If rough consensus cannot be reached even with
guidance from the Applications Area Directors, the IESG shall use
whatever means it has at its disposal to choose a candidate who in
its best judgment will be able to fulfill the role of TZ Coordinator.
5. Appealing Database Decisions
The TZ Coordinator makes decisions based on expertise, as well as
with guidance from the TZ mailing list. If a member of the community
has a concern with an individual decision made by the TZ Coordinator
with regard to the TZ database, the individual shall proceed as
follows:
1. Attempt to resolve the concern directly with the TZ Coordinator.
2. If a resolution cannot be reached directly with the TZ
Coordinator, express the concern to the community and attempt to
achieve rough consensus regarding a resolution on the TZ mailing
list. The Area Directors of the IETF Applications Area may at
their discretion attempt to guide the members of the community to
rough consensus.
3. As a last resort if a resolution cannot be reached on the TZ
mailing list, appeal to the IESG for a resolution. The appellant
must show that the decision made by the TZ Coordinator (a) was
materially in error and (b) has caused material harm. In its
deliberations regarding an appeal, the IESG shall weigh all the
evidence presented to it and use its best judgment in determining
a resolution.
6. Maintenance and Distribution of Reference Code
Currently the maintainer of the TZ database also maintains reference
code, most of which is public domain. Several files from this
software are currently distributed under license. Where they exist,
licenses SHALL NOT be changed. IANA SHALL allow for the downloading
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of this reference code. The reference implementation shall be
distributed along with an associated cryptographic signature
verifiable by a public key that IANA will publish.
7. Database Ownership
The TZ database itself is not an IETF Contribution or an IETF
Document. Rather it is a pre-existing and regularly updated work
that is in the public domain, and is intended to remain in the public
domain. Therefore, BCP 78 and BCP 79 do not apply to the TZ Database
or contributions that individuals make to it. Should any claims be
made and substantiated against the database, the IANA will act in
accordance with all competent court orders. No ownership claims will
be made by IANA or the IETF Trust on the database or the code. Any
person making a contribution to the database or code waives all
rights to future claims.
8. IANA Considerations
If requested to do so, the IANA SHALL assist the IESG in selection of
the TZ Coordinator, based on the procedures set forth above. The
IANA SHALL act as a repository for the TZ database and associated
reference code. The TZ Coordinator SHALL be named by the IESG as
described above, and will act as the maintainer of the database and
code, as described above. The IANA SHALL provide the TZ Coordinator
with appropriate access to maintain the database, as well as
necessary tooling that may be required, so long as no direct software
costs are incurred. Both current and historical versions of the
database will be stored and distributed via HTTP/HTTPs. IANA will be
operationally responsible for the security of the system upon which
the database resides.
The IANA SHALL also securely maintain a cryptographic private key
that is used to sign the database, and that will survive a change of
TZ Coordinator.
9. Security Considerations
The distribution of the database is currently not secured. This memo
states that moving forward the TZ database SHOULD be distributed with
a valid cryptographic signature.
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10. Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the TZ mailing list for their
remarkable achievements over the many years. Thanks also to Marshall
Eubanks, S. Moonesamy, Peter Saint-Andre, Alexey Melenkov, Tony
Finch, Elwyn Davies, Alfred Hoenes, Ted Hardie, and Barry Leiba for
the improvements they made to this document. A special
acknowledgment should be given to Arthur David Olson for his
excellent stewardship.
11. Normative References
[RFC2119] Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate
Requirement Levels", BCP 14, RFC 2119, March 1997.
[RFC4833] Lear, E. and P. Eggert, "Timezone Options for DHCP",
RFC 4833, April 2007.
[RFC5226] Narten, T. and H. Alvestrand, "Guidelines for Writing an
IANA Considerations Section in RFCs", BCP 26, RFC 5226,
May 2008.
[RFC5545] Desruisseaux, B., "Internet Calendaring and Scheduling
Core Object Specification (iCalendar)", RFC 5545,
September 2009.
[TZDB] Eggert, P. and A. Olson, "Sources for Time Zone and
Daylight Saving Time Data",
<http://www.twinsun.com/tz/tz-link.htm>.
[1] <mailto:tz@elsie.nci.nih.gov>
Appendix A. Changes
RFC-EDITOR: Please remove this section prior to publication.
o 03: Reviewer comments. Take out ATTENTION: comment. Add backup
coordinator. editorial nits. Add discussion of metrics. Modify
both TZ Coordinator selection process and appeal process per
Adrian's comments. Clarify process rules per Russ' comments.
Clarify that the criteria are not an exhaustive list.
o 02: Separate out from RFC5226 a bit; Simplify language around
submissions; host list to IANA; spelling corrections; clarify here
and there.
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o 01: Proper reference to RFC5226, add acknowledgments, several
rewordings.
o Initial Revision
Authors' Addresses
Eliot Lear
Cisco Systems GmbH
Richtistrasse 7
Wallisellen, ZH CH-8304
Switzerland
Phone: +41 1 878 9200
Email: lear@cisco.com
Paul Eggert
UCLA
Computer Science Department
4532J Boelter Hall
Los Angeles, CA 90095
USA
Phone: +1 310 267 2254
Email: eggert@cs.ucla.edu
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