Markdown Version | Session Recording

Session Date/Time: 20 Mar 2022 11:30

Tutorial: Newcomers - IETF 113 Overview

Summary

This tutorial provided an essential overview for newcomers to IETF 113, the first hybrid meeting combining in-person and remote participation. The session covered the fundamental structure of the IETF, its unique consensus-driven processes, the types of activities occurring during the meeting week, available resources, and practical advice for effective participation. Key topics included the IETF's mission, its various organizational bodies (IESG, IRTF, IAB, LLC), the concept of "rough consensus," and practical etiquette for both in-person and remote attendees.

Key Discussion Points

• Meeting Logistics and Attendance:

  • IETF 113 is the first hybrid meeting, accommodating both in-person and remote participants.
  • Attendees are requested to log in via the QR code or MeetEcho client to be included on the attendance sheet (virtual blue sheet).
  • The "Note Well" policy, covering IETF policies on patents, behavior, and conduct, applies to all participants.

• IETF Structure and Mission:

  • Mission: To "make the Internet work better by producing high quality, relevant technical documents that influence the way people design, use, and manage the Internet."
  • Participant Model: Self-selected individual participants; no formal membership or voting. Participation via mailing lists constitutes involvement.
  • Driving Factors: Market-based adoption and deployment of protocols. Focus on Internet technologies.
  • Unique Aspects: Bottom-up approach, no formal voting (rough consensus), no formal government role, no sales activities.

• Key IETF Bodies:

  • IESG (Internet Engineering Steering Group): Leadership for standardization, approves standards, ensures IETF-wide consensus. Composed of Area Directors.
  • IRTF (Internet Research Task Force): Research wing, separate from IETF, more academic. Governed by the IRSG (IRTF Steering Group).
  • IAB (Internet Architecture Board): Provides architectural oversight to the IETF, handles appointments and liaisons, but no formal standardization approval role.
  • IETF LLC (Limited Liability Corporation): Corporate home, provides fiscal and administrative support, no role in standardization.
  • RFC Editor and IANA: Separate entities contracted for publication and registry services, respectively.

• IETF Areas:

  • Applications and Real-time, Transport, Routing, Internet, Operations and Management, Security, and General (overseen by the IETF Chair). Each area is led by Area Directors.

• Consensus in the IETF:

  • Rough Consensus: Achieved when all outstanding issues have been addressed (not necessarily accommodated), and dissenting opinions have been heard. Not a vote.
  • "Humming": An old tradition for informal straw polls to gauge the room's sentiment, not a formal vote.
  • Decision Authority: Session chairs (for Working Groups) and Area Directors (for broader questions) judge consensus.
  • Mailing List Finality: Decisions made in-person must be confirmed on the working group mailing list to ensure consensus across all participants.
  • RFC 7282: An informational document providing a broad discussion on IETF consensus.

• Meeting Week Activities:

  • Working Group (WG) Sessions: The core of the meeting. Work primarily happens on mailing lists; in-person sessions focus on resolving contentious or unresolved issues. Sessions are streamed and recorded. New work items must fit within a WG's charter.
  • Birds of a Feather (BoF) Sessions: Precede WG formation, discuss potential new work, and draft charters. Generally short-lived.
  • IRTF Sessions: Focus on research issues, open to all, provide insight into potential future engineering topics.
  • Area-Wide Sessions: Discuss general issues pertinent to an IETF area, new work, or cross-area topics.
  • Plenary Session: Opportunity to meet IAB/IESG leadership, ask questions, and hear updates from the LLC.
  • Hackathon & Code Sprint: Collaborative events (free, open to all) usually held the weekend before the IETF. Hackathon focuses on experimental protocol implementations; Code Sprint on IETF tool development.
  • Social Events: Newcomers Quick Connections, Hot RFC Lightning Talks, Newcomers Dinner. Public side meetings (wiki-driven) for informal discussions.

• Meeting Etiquette:

  • Preparation: Read agenda documents before sessions to understand open issues.
  • Respect: Be respectful and tolerant; engage with others, listen to opinions.
  • In-Person: Speak clearly and slowly into the microphone, state your name. Log in via QR code/MeetEcho for attendance.
  • Remote: Practice using MeetEcho, keep muted with video off when not speaking, use a headset, speak slowly and clearly. Utilize the MeetEcho/Jabber chat for discussion.

• Bringing New Work to the IETF:

  • Collaboration: Most effective when collaborating with others.
  • Internet Drafts: A primary way to publish ideas for discussion; anyone can post.
  • Informal Discussion: "Bar buffs" (informal chats), talking to Area Directors.
  • Dispatch Working Groups: Many areas have these to explore new topics and assess interest.
  • BoF Proposals: A more formal route to gauge interest and potentially form a new working group.

• Resources and People:

  • Participants: IETF members are passionate and vocal; don't be shy to engage. Technical excellence is key.
  • Leadership: Working Group Chairs, Area Directors, and the IETF Chair are approachable for questions.
  • Administrative Staff: IETF LLC Executive Director (Jay), Secretariat, RFC Editor, IANA staff provide support.
  • Ombuds Team: Confidential resource for addressing harassment or problematic behaviors.
  • Identification: Badge dots and ribbons indicate roles (e.g., blue for chairs, yellow for ADs, new attendee ribbons).
  • Online Resources: Newcomers webpage, The Tao of the IETF (guide), IETF Sisters list, issues page, links page.
  • Tools: Data Tracker (central hub for documents, agenda, mailing lists), MeetEcho (online meeting participation, chat, recordings), Gather (online networking/virtual hallway), IETF Network (secure Wi-Fi recommended), Jabber (chat, migration to new client planned).

• Q&A Highlights:

  • Patent Disclosure: Participants must disclose potential patent implications as soon as they are individually aware, especially if participating in related working group activities. Refer to BCP 79 for details.
  • RFCs and Patents: The IETF does not require patent holders to license patented material contained in RFCs. The decision to implement an RFC with patented material and any licensing terms are between the patent holder and the implementer.
  • Recommended Tooling On-site: Primarily MeetEcho for in-session chat (linked to Jabber) and participation. Gather is useful for online networking. A dedicated Jabber client is not strictly necessary for meeting participation but can be used for out-of-session communication.

Decisions and Action Items

• Decisions (IETF Policies/Operations Conveyed):

  • IETF meetings operate in a hybrid format, accommodating both in-person and remote participation.
  • Attendance at IETF sessions is recorded via virtual blue sheets (logging in with QR code or MeetEcho).
  • The IETF operates on a "rough consensus" model for decision-making, without formal voting.
  • Working Group decisions are not final until reviewed and confirmed on the respective mailing list.
  • Participants are obligated to disclose patent claims relevant to IETF work as soon as they become aware, in accordance with BCP 79.
  • The IETF does not mandate licensing terms for patented technology referenced in RFCs; this is a matter between patent holders and implementers.

• Action Items:

  • For Newcomers:
    • Log in to each session attended via the QR code or MeetEcho client for attendance.
    • Review relevant Internet Drafts and RFCs before attending Working Group sessions.
    • Engage with IETF participants, Working Group Chairs, and Area Directors to ask questions and foster collaboration.
    • Consider participating in future IETF Hackathons or Code Sprints.
    • Familiarize yourselves with the IETF Data Tracker, MeetEcho, and Gather tools.
    • Provide feedback on this tutorial via the survey.
  • For Presenter (Pete Resnick):
    • Update the network information slide to include the correct URL (meeting.ietf.org) for network details and support.

Next Steps

• Continue Participation: Attend other Newcomers activities throughout the week, including Q&A sessions, coffee breaks, the Newcomers Dinner, and Quick Connections.
• Explore Resources: Dive into the IETF Data Tracker, Newcomers webpage, and other listed resources to deepen understanding of the IETF processes and ongoing work.
• Networking: Utilize Gather (for online participants) and in-person opportunities to connect with other attendees and leaders.
• Stay Informed: Join relevant IETF mailing lists to follow discussions and contribute between meetings.