Session Date/Time: 18 Feb 2025 16:00

NTP

Summary

The NTP Working Group convened to review the status of its various documents, with several drafts currently in the RFC Editor's queue or awaiting IESG processing. Key discussions included the need for a final review of the NTPv5 Requirements document, the ongoing development and feedback requirements for the NTPv5 Protocol Specification, and the decision to move the Rough Time document to a Working Group Last Call as an Experimental RFC. Updates were also provided on NTS for PTP and NTS for NTP Pools. The group discussed future meeting plans, including an upcoming session at IETF 119 in Bangkok and the desire for hackathon activities at IETF 120 in Madrid.

Key Discussion Points

Administrative:
- Chair noted a lull in activity and efforts to get work moving.
- Reminders for IETF policies, procedures, and code of conduct were given.
- Call for contributions to meeting notes in the chat.
- No agenda bashing or proposed changes.
Document Status (RFC Editor Queue/IESG):
- NTP Registries (draft-ietf-ntp-registries): In RFC Editor Queue. Needs experts for A Registries.
- Interleave Mode (draft-ietf-ntp-interleaved-modes): In RFC Editor Queue.
- Enterprise Profile (draft-ietf-tictoc-enterprise-profile): In RFC Editor Queue (under TICTOC WG). Publication will lead to TICTOC WG closure.
- NTP over PTP (draft-ietf-ntp-ntp-over-ptp): Agreement reached last year. Document expired; needs shepherd write-up to be handed off to IESG. Agreement with the 1588 community has been secured.
- All NTP documents have been successfully added to the NTP GitHub repo.
NTPv5 Requirements (draft-ietf-ntp-ntpv5-requirements):
- Had a previous Working Group Last Call, but concerns were raised that comments were not fully addressed, leading to a lack of finality.
- A final quick review is needed to resolve outstanding concerns before moving to the IESG.
NTPv5 Protocol Specification (draft-ietf-ntp-ntpv5):
- A new version was published with minor changes and introduction improvements.
- A key open issue is a lack of consensus on Reference IDs (sticking to NTPv4 mechanism vs. bloom filter).
- More feedback from the WG is generally needed.
- David indicated their implementation is getting ready to enable the draft specification by default, which should provide practical insights within the next month or two.
Rough Time (draft-ietf-ntp-rough-time):
- Authors and chairs discussed changing the document status from Informational to Experimental due to potential IESG pushback. This change was supported.
- The protocol is considered ready for a Working Group Last Call.
- Concerns were noted regarding low adoption of the latest draft version, leading to limited interoperability testing.
- No comments received on proposed formats for mile-fed reports.
NTS for PTP (draft-ietf-ntp-nts-for-ptp):
- The document has been updated, with some non-essential parts removed for simplification and new chapters added addressing replay and spoofing protection.
- It has been uploaded to the GitHub repo.
- Review and feedback from the working group are needed.
- The document will also be discussed in an upcoming 1588 security working group, emphasizing the need for alignment.
NTS for NTP Pools (draft-ietf-ntp-nts-for-ntp-pools):
- The document is currently dormant.
- Plans are underway to set up an experimental pool, with discussions ongoing with potential funders.
- The chair had previously marked it as a candidate for working group adoption to keep it on the radar and prevent automatic expiration, especially if tooling changes to prevent document expiration are implemented.
Future Meetings and Hackathons:
- IETF 119 Bangkok: A meeting slot has been assigned (Tuesday, 8:30 UTC), primarily aiming to accommodate European participants' time zones.
- Plans to hold more regular interim meetings to maintain momentum.
- Discussion regarding Harlan's participation; chairs will reach out with the AD.
- IETF 120 Madrid (July): Hope for active hackathon activity, focusing on NTPv5 and NTS, but open to any document or standard.
- IETF 121 Montreal (November): Opportunity for a hackathon aligned with other time-related activities, seeking input from the WG.

Decisions and Action Items

Decisions:

The NTP over PTP document has consensus and will proceed to IESG after a shepherd write-up.
The Rough Time document will proceed to a Working Group Last Call as an Experimental draft.
The NTP Working Group will hold a meeting at IETF 119 Bangkok on Tuesday, 8:30 UTC (March 18th).
The Working Group plans to hold more regular interim meetings going forward.

Action Items:

WG Chair: Identify experts for the A Registries document.
WG Chair: Complete the shepherd write-up for NTP over PTP to submit it to the IESG.
Working Group: Conduct one more quick review of the NTPv5 Requirements document to address outstanding concerns.
Working Group: Review the new version of the NTPv5 Protocol Specification and provide feedback, particularly on the Reference IDs issue.
David (NTPv5 Protocol Spec author): Continue with implementation readiness and provide insights from practical testing.
Marcus (Rough Time author): Update the Rough Time draft to explicitly state its Experimental status before the Working Group Last Call is issued.
Working Group: Review the updated NTS for PTP document and provide feedback.
David (NTS for NTP Pools author): Ping the chair if a new version is needed to keep the draft active on the data tracker.
WG Participants: Register early as remote attendees for IETF 119 Bangkok; remote waivers are available if needed.
Chairs/Area Director: Address Harlan's concerns regarding participation.
WG Participants: Reach out to chairs with suggestions for time-related hackathon activities for IETF 121 Montreal.

Next Steps

Issue Working Group Last Call for Rough Time (as an Experimental RFC).
Continue reviewing and providing feedback for NTPv5 Requirements, NTPv5 Protocol Specification, and NTS for PTP.
Progress on establishing an experimental pool for NTS for NTP Pools.
Prepare for the IETF 119 Bangkok meeting.
Plan for an active hackathon at IETF 120 Madrid, focusing on NTPv5 and NTS.