Internet Engineering Task Force facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Internet Engineering Task Force

Abbreviation	IETF
Formation	January 14, 1986; 39 years ago (1986-01-14)
Type	Non-profit Standards organization
Purpose	Creating voluntary standards to maintain and improve the usability and interoperability of the Internet
Parent organization	Internet Society

The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) is a group that creates the technical rules for how the Internet works. Think of them as the people who write the instruction manuals for all the different parts of the internet to talk to each other. They make sure everything runs smoothly and safely.

The IETF doesn't have official members. Instead, anyone who wants to help can join in. Most of the people who work with the IETF are volunteers. Their work is often supported by their employers or other groups.

The IETF started with help from the United States government. But since 1993, it has been supported by the Internet Society. This is a non-profit group that works to keep the internet open and available to everyone.

How the IETF Works

The IETF doesn't have a strict membership list. Anyone can take part by joining a discussion group online or by signing up for an IETF meeting.

Working Groups

The IETF gets things done through small teams called Working Groups. Each group focuses on a specific topic. They have a leader (or two) and a plan for what they need to achieve. These groups are open to anyone who wants to join. They talk about their ideas on online mailing lists or at IETF meetings.

The IETF makes decisions based on "rough consensus." This means they discuss things until most people agree. They don't usually vote. Once a Working Group finishes its task, it might close down. Sometimes, a group's plan is updated so it can work on new things.

Areas and Leadership

Working Groups are organized into different areas based on their topic. For example, there are areas for security, routing, and applications. Each area has one or two leaders called Area Directors (ADs). These ADs choose the leaders for the Working Groups.

The Area Directors and the main IETF Chair form a group called the Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG). This group helps run the IETF every day.

How the IETF is organized

The Internet Architecture Board (IAB) helps the IETF with its connections to other groups. It also helps plan for the internet's future. The IAB also works with the IETF to manage the Internet Research Task Force (IRTF), which focuses on long-term internet research.

A special group called the Nominating Committee (NomCom) chooses the leaders for the IESG and IAB. This committee is made up of ten volunteers who regularly attend meetings.

In 1993, the IETF became an independent group. It partnered with the Internet Society. The Internet Society helps the IETF with money and legal support. This is because the IETF itself isn't a formal organization with members. The IETF's activities are paid for by meeting fees, sponsors, and the Internet Society.

In 2005, the IETF Trust was created. This group manages all the important documents and materials that the IETF creates.

The Steering Group (IESG)

The Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG) is a key part of the IETF. It includes the IETF Chair and the Area Directors. The IESG gives the final approval for new internet standards. They also manage the IETF's daily work. If someone disagrees with a Working Group's decision, they can ask the IESG to review it.

The main IETF Chair also leads the IESG. The IESG includes two directors from each of these areas:

• Applications Area (for internet programs)
• Internet Area (for general internet topics)
• Operations & Network Management Area (for running and managing networks)
• Routing Area (for how data finds its way on the internet)
• Real-time Applications and Infrastructure Area (for things like video calls)
• Security Area (for keeping the internet safe)
• Transport and Services Area (for how data is moved across the internet)

Other important people also join the IESG discussions. These include the IETF Executive Director, the IAB Chair, and people who connect the IESG with groups like the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) and the Request for Comments (RFC) Editor.

History of the IETF

The IETF started from an earlier group called the Gateway Algorithms and Data Structures (GADS) Task Force. In January 1986, the Internet Activities Board (IAB) decided to split GADS into two groups. One group, the IETF, would focus on solving immediate engineering problems.

The first IETF meeting happened on January 16, 1986. Only 21 researchers from the U.S. government attended. By October 1986, people from other companies were invited to join. Since then, all IETF meetings have been open to everyone.

Mike Corrigan was the first IETF chair in 1986. Later, Phill Gross took over in 1987. In 1992, the Internet Society was formed. It took on the role of supporting the IETF financially and legally. This helped the IETF become more independent.

In 1995, an IETF document (RFC 2031) stated that the Internet Society's role was only administrative. It said the Internet Society had "no influence whatsoever" on the technical rules the IETF created.

IETF Meetings

At first, the IETF met four times a year. Since 1991, they have met three times a year. The early meetings were very small, with fewer than 35 people. By January 1989, about 120 people attended. The meetings grew a lot in the 1990s. In December 2000, a meeting in San Diego, California, had 2,810 attendees! Now, attendance is usually around 1,200 people.

IETF meetings happen in different places around the world. The goal is to hold meetings where most of the volunteers live. This usually means two meetings in North America, two in Europe, and one in Asia over a two-year period.

The IETF also holds hackathons during its meetings. These are events where people work together to write computer code. The goal is to test and improve the internet standards they are creating.

How Standards are Made

The way the IETF works has changed as it has grown. But the main process is still the same. First, they publish ideas for new internet rules. Then, people develop these ideas and test them. After review and testing, the ideas are published again as a revised proposal or a draft. Eventually, they can become an official Internet Standard.

Anyone interested can join in creating IETF standards. All IETF documents are free to access online. A key rule for an IETF idea to become a standard is that it must have several working examples. This means the idea has been built and tested by different groups, and it works well.

Sometimes, making new standards can be slow. This happens if there aren't enough volunteers, or if there are too many people with different ideas. It can also be slow if the volunteers don't have all the skills needed. For important rules like the SMTP (used for email), changes are usually only made if they don't break older systems.

The IETF works with other groups that create standards. These include the W3C and the ITU.

IETF Chairs

The IETF Chairperson is chosen by the Nominating Committee for a two-year term. They can be chosen again. Before 1993, the IAB chose the IETF Chair.

Here are some of the past and current Chairs of the IETF:

What the IETF Works On

The IETF works on many different technologies that help the internet grow and change.

Automated Network Management

This work aims to make managing computer networks easier and more efficient. As networks get bigger and more complex, the IETF helps create rules for networks to manage themselves.

Internet of Things (IoT)

The IoT is about everyday objects that can connect to the internet. These objects have sensors and software that let them share data. The IETF is creating rules for how these smart devices can talk to each other and to the internet.

New Ways to Send Data

The IETF develops new ways for internet applications to send data. There are already well-known ways like TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) and UDP (User Datagram Protocol). The IETF keeps improving these and creating new ones to meet the internet's needs.

Token Binding Protocol

In 2018, engineers from Microsoft and Google suggested creating the Token Binding Protocol. This helps stop certain types of online attacks, like "replay attacks," which try to trick websites using stolen information.

See also

In Spanish: Grupo de Trabajo de Ingeniería de Internet para niños

• Internet governance