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Network Working Group                                          J. PostelRequest for Comments: 902                                    J. Reynolds                                                                     ISI                                                               July 1984ARPA-Internet Protocol PolicyStatus of this Memo   This memo is a policy statement on how protocols become official   standards for the ARPA-Internet and the DARPA research community.   This is an official policy statement of the ICCB and the DARPA.   Distribution of this memo is unlimited.Introduction   The purpose of this memo is to explain how protocol standards are   adopted for the ARPA-Internet and the DARPA research community.   There are three important aspects to be discussed:  the process, the   authority, and the complex relationship between the DARPA community   and the DDN community.  To do this some background must be given and   some of the players described.      DARPA = Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency      DDN   = Defense Data NetworkThe DARPA World   The DARPA world is headed up by the DARPA office.  DARPA sponsors   research on many subjects with a number of contractors.  This set of   contractors is called the "DARPA research community".  DARPA   typically casts its research efforts into "programs" that involve   work by several contractors.  One program is the "Internet Program",   which is researching computer communications issues and constructing   experimental communication systems.  When the experiments are   successful, the results are often put into use to support further   work in the Internet Program and other DARPA research programs.  In   this way, DARPA developed the ARPANET, SATNET, Packet Radio Networks,   and the Internet.   In 1981 DARPA established the Internet Configuration Control Board   (ICCB) to help manage the DARPA Internet Program.Postel & Reynolds                                               [Page 1]

RFC 902                                                        July 1984DARPA Internet Protocol PolicyThe ICCB   The concerns of the ICCB fall into two categories:      Short Term Issues:         Keeping the Internet operating as an on-going resource, i.e.,         dealing with problems that arise due to the growth in the size         of the system and the level of use of the system.  Sometimes         this suggests research on new procedures and algorithms, or         suggests changes to the existing protocols and procedures.         Sometimes the results of long range research become available         and their introduction into the current system becomes a short         term concern.      Long Term Issues:         The ICCB also considers communication problems related to the         Internet more abstractly.  The ICCB suggests to DARPA possible         research topics and experiments.  The ICCB may act as a         sounding board for ideas suggested by others.   DARPA has delegated some aspects of the management of the Internet   Program and operation of the (experimental) ARPA-Internet for the   DARPA research community to the ICCB.   The members of ICCB were chosen to represent a spectrum of interests   and viewpoints.  The ICCB members are from different organizations,   their individual backgrounds specialize in different operating   systems and their viewpoints on computer communication issues are   diverse.   The chairman of the ICCB is also the "Internet Architect", and the   assistant chairman is the "Deputy Internet Architect".  The ICCB   currently has 12 members. The Internet Architect is Dave Clark of   MIT, and the Deputy Internet Architect is Jon Postel of ISI.The DDN World   The DDN is a communication system for DoD operational use.  It   integrates many networks and communication systems now used and   planned within the DoD.  One part of the DDN system is networks that   are also part of the Internet, specifically MILNET and the networks   connected to it.   The DDN is managed by the DDN Program Management Office (DDN-PMO).   The DDN-PMO sets policy for the use of DDN facilities and enforces   protocol standards established for use in the DDN networks.Postel & Reynolds                                               [Page 2]

RFC 902                                                        July 1984DARPA Internet Protocol Policy   Within the DoD, there are three protocol committees: the Protocol   Standard Steering Group (PSSG), the Protocol Standard Technical Panel   (PSTP), and the Protocol Configuration Control Board (PCCB).  These   committees have members that represent most elements of the DoD.   Generally, they develop and recommend guidelines for protocol   standardization and usage to the DDN-PMO, and to all of the DoD.  The   PSSG is a policy setting committee for all of DoD on matters of   protocols standards.The Relationship between the DARPA World and the DDN World   There is cooperation between DDN-PMO and DARPA about the Internet.  A   few people serve on both the DoD committees (PSSG, PSTP, or PCCB) and   the DARPA committee (ICCB).  There are good working relationships   between the key people in the DARPA office and the DDN-PMO, and   between the technical people in both worlds at lower levels.   For example, the ICCB may decide that a certain protocol is to be   used in the ARPA-Internet, and develop an implementation plan and   schedule.  The DDN-PMO would separately consider the issue.  It may   decide to require that protocol to be implemented in DDN on the same   schedule, or it may decide to wait for some results from the DARPA   experiment with that protocol before committing to a schedule, or it   may decide that that protocol is not required in the DDN.   There are two documents that specify TCP.RFC-793 is the official   specification of the DARPA research community.  Military Standard   1778 is the official specification of the DDN community.  The two   documents specify the same protocol.   Organizations that are connected to the Internet through authority   derived from DARPA follow the rules set by the ICCB and DARPA.   Organizations that are connected to the Internet through authority   derived from DDN-PMO follow the rules set by the DDN-PMO.DARPA Official Protocol Designation   Official protocols for the ARPA-Internet and DARPA research community   are specified in RFCs and should have that designation indicated in   the first few paragraphs of the defining RFC.  That is, the RFC   defining an official protocol should have a policy statement that   says,      "This RFC specifies a standard for the DARPA community.  Hosts on      the ARPA-Internet are expected to adopt and implement this      standard.",Postel & Reynolds                                               [Page 3]

RFC 902                                                        July 1984DARPA Internet Protocol Policy   or something quite similar.   Also, there is a memo titled "Official Protocols".  This document is   issued occasionally as an RFC that describes all the official   protocols of the ARPA-Internet.  This document provides information   on each protocol; its status (experimental, required, etc.),   specification, additional comments, other references, dependencies,   and the person to contact.  The most recent issue isRFC-901.   RFCs are coordinated by the RFC Editor and distributed by the Network   Information Center (NIC).  The RFC documents are stored as online   files in the NIC's computer.  Announcements of new RFCs are sent to a   mailing list of interested people.  The RFC Editor is Jon Postel.The Normal Development of an DARPA Protocol Standard   There probably never has been a "normal" case.  In most instances   some exception or another has been made to the following procedure.   The Typical Chain of Events      The development of a protocol starts with some discussion with      random people in messages and meetings over an idea of a new      protocol and the form it ought to take.      Someone writes a draft and proposes this draft to a group of      people who are interested in the problem.  They suggest revisions      and iterate the discussion.  Eventually, they may decide that they      have a reasonable definition of the new protocol and then pass      this definition on to the RFC Editor.      The next step is that the RFC Editor sends a draft to other people      who might also be interested in the problem.  These people can      number just a few, or be part of a large mailing list.  Depending      upon the results from this selected informal group, the draft can      be revised and rewritten several times.      When this process stabilizes, the protocol draft is sent out as an      RFC, identified as a draft proposal of a protocol that may become      an official protocol.  The RFC is sent to the ARPA-Internet world      at large.      After a certain amount of time, if only a few comments are sent      back, some people may try to implement the draft protocol.      Test implementation of a protocol is a difficult management issue.Postel & Reynolds                                               [Page 4]

RFC 902                                                        July 1984DARPA Internet Protocol Policy      Experiments must be done with a small number of participants due      to the difficulty in changing many implementations at the same      time if changes in the protocol are necessary.         In cases where the ICCB deems it necessary, a set of test         implementations will be done.  A few participants are picked         (typically 5 or fewer) for such experiments.  This may lead to         revision of the protocol before further implementations are         encouraged or before the protocol is made official.      If no problems arise, a new RFC is issued containing the complete      definition of the protocol, and that the protocol is an official      protocol of the ARPA-Internet and DARPA research community.   In general, lower level protocols are more critically judged than   higher level protocols (for example, a protocol like TCP would be   subject to more careful study than an application like the DAYTIME   protocol).The Bottom Line   For the ARPA-Internet and the DARPA research community, DARPA is in   charge.  DARPA delegates the authority for protocol standards to the   ICCB.  The ICCB delegates the actual administration of the protocol   standards to the Deputy Internet Architect.   For the DoD in general, the PSSG is in charge.  The PSSG delegates   the authority for the day to day management of protocol standards in   the DDN to the DDN-PMO.Postel & Reynolds                                               [Page 5]