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Proposed WG Update to IANA Considerations (ianabis)

WG Name Update to IANA Considerations
Acronym ianabis
Area General Area (gen)
State Proposed
Charter charter-ietf-ianabis-00-04 External Review (Message to Community, Selected by Secretariat)
Document dependencies
Personnel Area Director Murray Kucherawy
Mailing list Address ianabis@ietf.org
To subscribe https://mailman3.ietf.org/mailman3/lists/ianabis.ietf.org/
Archive https://mailarchive.ietf.org/arch/browse/ianabis/
Chat Room address https://zulip.ietf.org/#narrow/stream/ianabis

Charter for proposed Working Group

RFC 8126/BCP 26, "Guidelines for Writing an IANA Considerations Section in RFCs", defines a framework to ensure that the IANA Considerations section in a document is clear and addresses the various issues that are likely in the operation of a registry.

This is a critical function in many protocol frameworks. The current version of BCP 26 was published in 2017 and is the third generation of this document. Given the evolving needs of the IETF community, it is due for an update.

The IANABIS working group will consider proposed revisions to BCP 26, given experience gained since the publication of RFC 8126, and ultimately produce a revision for that document. This is the only expected output for the working group.

Issues it will consider include:

  • Additional stipulations around what constitutes valid references for “Specification Required” registries;

  • Stronger requirements around advice to Designated Experts;

  • Requirements for the use of Expert Review mailing lists;

  • Standardizing terms like “registry group,” “registry,” “subregistry”, or updating existing definitions;

  • Process and restrictions specifications around early allocations;

  • Adjustments based on IANA’s experience with registries over the past seven years;

  • Additional registration policies that can allow more flexibility for encouraging and accepting registrations;

  • Combinations of registration policies with choices by WGs or registrants for specific cases;

  • A registration policy between "First Come First Served" and “Specification Required”, and

  • A process for using the Internet-Drafts system to create permanent references.

The primary goal of the IANABIS Working Group is to produce a revised Best Current Practice (BCP 26) that:

  • Reflects the current needs and practices of the IETF community;

  • Incorporates lessons learned and operational experiences since the publication of RFC 8126;

  • Provides clear, comprehensive guidance for authors and Working Groups in crafting IANA Considerations sections; and

  • Enhances the efficiency, clarity, and consistency of IANA registry management processes.

The working group will collaborate closely with IANA staff, designated experts, and of course the community at large.

By updating BCP 26, the IANABIS Working Group aims to strengthen the foundational guidelines that support the IETF's protocol development and registry management, ensuring they remain robust, clear, and aligned with the evolving landscape of Internet standards.

Proposed milestones

Date Milestone Associated documents
Nov 2025 Submit RFC 8126bis to the IESG as a BCP.
Feb 2025 Adopt an RFC 8126bis document.