Internet Official Protocol Standards
RFC 2500

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Network Working Group                    Internet Engineering Task Force
Request for Comments: 2500                                   J. Reynolds
Obsoletes: 2400, 2300, 2200, 2000, 1920, 1880,                 R. Braden
1800, 1780, 1720, 1610, 1600, 1540, 1500, 1410,                  Editors
1360, 1280, 1250, 1200, 1140, 1130, 1100, 1083                 June 1999
STD: 1
Category: Standards Track

                  Internet Official Protocol Standards

Status of this Memo

   This memo describes the state of standardization of protocols used in
   the Internet as determined by the Internet Engineering Task Force
   (IETF).  This memo is an Internet Standard.  Distribution of this
   memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (1999).  All Rights Reserved.

Table of Contents

   1.  Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
   2.  Current Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
   2.1.  Standard Protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5
   2.2.  Network-Specific Standard Protocols  . . . . . . . . . .   6
   2.3.  Draft Standard Protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7
   2.4.  Proposed Standard Protocols  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9
   2.5.  Experimental Protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  18
   3.  Current Applicability Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . .  21
   4.  Non-Standard Protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  22
   4.1.  Informational Protocol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  22
   4.2.  Historic Protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  24
   5.  Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  25
   5.1.  IAB, IETF, and IRTF Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  25
   5.2.  Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) Contact . . .  25
   5.3.  Request for Comments Editor Contact  . . . . . . . . . .  26
   5.4.  Requests for Comments Distribution Contact . . . . . . .  26
   5.5.  Sources for Requests for Comments  . . . . . . . . . . .  26
   6.  Security Considerations  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  26
   7.  Editors' Addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  27
   Full Copyright Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  28

IETF                        Standards Track                     [Page 1]
RFC 2500                   Internet Standards                  June 1999

1. Introduction

   This memo summarizes the status of Internet protocols and
   specifications.  It is published by the RFC Editor in accordance with
   Section 2.1 of "The Internet Standards Process -- Revision 3", RFC
   2026, which specifies the rules and procedures by which all Internet
   stnadards are set.  This memo is prepared by the RFC Editor for the
   IESG and IAB.  It is a member of a series of summary memos that are
   published approximately every one hundred RFCs; please see
   www.rfc-editor.org.

   This memo lists the level and status of the archival documents known
   as RFCs (Request for Comments) within the Internet standards process.
   The reader is urged to review RFC 2026 for essential context for
   interpreting this memo.

   The following introductory text is quoted directly from RFC 2026:

      "The Internet, a loosely-organized international collaboration of
      autonomous, interconnected networks, supports host-to-host
      communication through voluntary adherence to open protocols and
      procedures defined by Internet Standards.  There are also many
      isolated interconnected networks, which are not connected to the
      global Internet but use the Internet Standards.

      The Internet Standards Process described in this document is
      concerned with all protocols, procedures, and conventions that are
      used in or by the Internet, whether or not they are part of the
      TCP/IP protocol suite.  In the case of protocols developed and/or
      standardized by non-Internet organizations, however, the Internet
      Standards Process normally applies to the application of the
      protocol or procedure in the Internet context, not to the
      specification of the protocol itself.

      In general, an Internet Standard is a specification that is stable
      and well-understood, is technically competent, has multiple,
      independent, and interoperable implementations with substantial
      operational experience, enjoys significant public support, and is
      recognizably useful in some or all parts of the Internet.

      Each distinct version of an Internet standards-related
      specification is published as part of the "Request for Comments"
      (RFC) document series.  This archival series is the official
      publication channel for Internet standards documents and other
      publications of the IESG, IAB, and Internet community.  RFCs can
      be obtained from a number of Internet hosts using anonymous FTP,
      gopher, World Wide Web, and other Internet document-retrieval
      systems.

IETF                        Standards Track                     [Page 2]