Collaboration between ISOC/IETF and ITU-T
RFC 2436

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Network Working Group                                          R. Brett
Request for Comments: 2436                              Nortel Networks
Category: Informational                                      S. Bradner
                                                     Harvard University
                                                             G. Parsons
                                                        Nortel Networks
                                                           October 1998

               Collaboration between ISOC/IETF and ITU-T

Status of this Memo

   This memo provides information for the Internet community.  It does
   not specify an Internet standard of any kind.  Distribution of this
   memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (1998).  All Rights Reserved.

Overview

   This document describes the collaboration process between the ITU-T
   and ISOC/IETF. The process was documented by ITU-T at its TSAG
   (Telecommunication Standardization Advisory Group) meeting in
   September 1998.  All participants of this meeting (including Study
   Group chairmen and the ISOC Vice President for Standards) assisted in
   the creation of this document.  Subsequently, it was sent to all
   ITU-T Study Groups and ISOC/IETF to ensure that everyone was aware of
   the process. Feedback is requested by the next meeting of TSAG in
   April 1999.  This document is identical to the document produced by
   TSAG.

   Please send any comments on this document to ISOC at poised@tis.com
   and for information to the ITU-T TSAG group at tsagco-op@itu.int

ISOC/IETF and ITU-T Collaboration

1 Scope

   This Liaison is sent to all ITU-T Study Groups to encourage and aid
   in the understanding of collaboration on standards development
   between the ITU-T and the Internet Society (ISOC) / Internet
   Engineering Task Force (IETF).  Feedback to TSAG is encouraged before
   its next meeting in April 1999.

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RFC 2436            ISOC/IETF - ITU-T Collaboration         October 1998

2 Introduction

   The telecommunication industry is faced with an explosion in growth
   of the Internet and other IP (Internet Protocol) based networks.
   Operators, manufacturers and software/application providers alike are
   reconsidering their business directions and Standards Development
   Organizations and Forums and Consortia are facing an immense
   challenge to address this situation.  These challenges were
   considered by TSAG at its meeting in Geneva, 7-11 September 1998,
   where it recognized that although the ITU-T and ISOC/IETF are already
   collaborating in a number of areas, this collaboration must be
   strengthened within the context of changes in work emphasis and
   direction within the ITU-T on studies related to IP based networks.

   For example, many Study Groups (e.g., 7, 8 & 16) already address
   several the aspects of IP based networks.  Further, new IP related
   work activities are starting in other Study Groups (e.g., 4, 11 &
   13).  There are many potential areas of interest to ITU-T Study
   Groups in the IP area that should be investigated (e.g., signaling,
   routing, security, numbering & addressing, integrated management,
   performance, IP - telecom interworking, access).  Since many of these
   areas are also being investigated by the IETF, there is a requirement
   for close collaboration.

   Recommendations A.4, A.5 and A.6 already document the process for
   working with other organizations and their documents.  Since there
   are no specific guidelines on the process of collaboration with the
   IETF, this liaison is meant to provide that information.  The current
   level of cooperation between the ITU-T and the IETF should be built
   upon to ensure that the competence and experience of each
   organization is brought to bear in the most effective manner and in
   collaboration with the other.

3 Guidance on Collaboration

   TSAG has been made aware of several instances of existing successful
   collaboration between the ITU-T and ISOC/IETF.  This section builds
   on this existing process and details some of the more important
   guidance points that Study Groups should be aware of in their
   collaboration with ISOC/IETF.

3.1  How to interact on ITU-T or IETF work items.

   Study Groups that have identified work topics that are Internet
   related should evaluate the relationship with topics defined in the
   IETF.  Current IETF Working Groups and their charters (IETF
   definition of the scope of work) are listed in the IETF archives (see

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RFC 2436            ISOC/IETF - ITU-T Collaboration         October 1998

   section 3.5).  A Study Group may decide that development of a
   Recommendation on a particular topic may benefit from collaboration
   with the IETF.

   The Study Group should identify this collaboration in its work plan