New Administrative Structure for World's Leading Internet Standards Group
Reston, VA - 24th January 2005 - The Internet Engineering Task Force
(IETF) is well advanced in the process of making a significant change
to the administrative structure that supports the world's leading
Internet standards development group. The creation of an IETF
Administrative Support Activity (IASA) is an important move designed
to help the IETF maintain and expand the unique open processes that
have enabled the development of Internet standards since 1986.
The new structure will allow the IETF to take full responsibility for
managing the resources required to accomplish its work - giving the
IETF a solid foundation on which future operations will be based.
This is the first time that all the IETF's administrative and support
functions will be managed directly by the IETF as one fully integrated
entity. Until now, administration of the IETF has been carried out
exclusively by helper organisations and volunteers. The new IASA will
be formally structured as an activity within the Internet Society
(ISOC) -- the organizational home of the IETF -- and an IASA
Administrative Director (IAD) will be appointed to provide central
management of IETF administration.
The decision to move forward with the new structure was taken after
extensive consultations with the Internet community. A number of key
prerequisites for efficient administrative operations were identified,
including the need for the IETF to have budgetary autonomy. The IETF
is currently supported by funding from multiple sources, including
meeting fees, donations from interested corporate and non-corporate
entities, and donations in kind of equipment or manpower. The IASA
will allow the IETF to be able to consider all sources of income, and
all expenses involved in running the IETF, as pieces of one budget.
The IASA will also be responsible for defining clear contractual
relationships with other organisations that will continue to provide
basic services, including meeting organisation, secretarial services,
IT services, etc. The new structure also gives the IETF flexibility in
how it chooses to fund and develop any additional services that may be
required.
The IETF is a large open international community of network designers,
operators, vendors, and researchers concerned with the evolution of
the Internet architecture and the smooth operation of the Internet. It
is open to any interested individual.
The Internet Society (ISOC) is a non-governmental international
organisation for global cooperation and coordination for the Internet
and its internetworking technologies and applications. Members
comprise commercial companies, governmental agencies, foundations, and
individuals. ISOC has 82 Chapters in over 60 countries around the
world.
The job posting for the newly-created position of IETF Administrative
Director is available here:
http://www.isoc.org/isoc/general/career/
FOR FURTHER DETAILS:
Internet Society: www.isoc.org
Peter Godwin
Communications Manager
E-mail: godwin@isoc.org
Internet Society
4, rue des Falaises
1205 Geneva
Switzerland
Internet Society (press-owner@isoc.org)