Network Working Group B. Carpenter
Request for Comments: 2860 IAB
Category: Informational F. Baker
IETF
M. Roberts
ICANN
June 2000
Memorandum of Understanding Concerning the Technical
Work of the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority
Status of this Memo
This memo provides information for the Internet community. It does
not specify an Internet standard of any kind. Distribution of this
memo is unlimited.
Copyright Notice
Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2000). All Rights Reserved.
Abstract
This document places on record the text of the Memorandum of
Understanding concerning the technical work of the IANA that was
signed on March 1, 2000 between the IETF and ICANN, and ratified by
the ICANN Board on March 10, 2000.
MoU text as signed
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING CONCERNING THE TECHNICAL WORK OF THE
INTERNET ASSIGNED NUMBERS AUTHORITY
1. This Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") defines an agreement
between the Internet Engineering Task Force and the Internet
Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. Its intent is exclusively
to define the technical work to be carried out by the Internet
Assigned Numbers Authority on behalf of the Internet Engineering Task
Force and the Internet Research Task Force. It is recognized that
ICANN may, through the IANA, provide similar services to other
organisations with respect to protocols not within IETF's scope (i.e.
registries not created by IETF or IRTF action); nothing in this MOU
limits ICANN's ability to do so.
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2. This MOU will remain in effect until either modified or cancelled
by mutual consent of the Internet Engineering Task Force and the
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, or cancelled by
either party with at least six (6) months notice.
3. Definition of terms and abbreviations used in this document.
ICANN - Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, a
California non-profit corporation.
IANA - Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (a traditional name, used
here to refer to the technical team making and publishing the
assignments of Internet protocol technical parameters). The IANA
technical team is now part of ICANN.
IETF - the Internet Engineering Task Force, the unincorporated
association operating under such name that creates Internet Standards
and related documents.
IAB - the Internet Architecture Board, an oversight committee of the
IETF. The IAB is chartered to designate the IANA on behalf of the
IETF.
IESG - the Internet Engineering Steering Group, a management
committee of the IETF.
IRTF - the Internet Research Task Force, an unincorporated
association also overseen by the IAB.
IRSG - the Internet Research Steering group, a management committee
of the IRTF.
RFC - "Request For Comments", the archival document series of the
IETF, also used by the IRTF and by third parties.
ISOC - the Internet Society, a not-for-profit corporation that
supports the IETF.
4. Agreed technical work items. ICANN agrees that during the term of
this MOU it shall cause IANA to comply, for protocols within IETF's
scope, with the following requirements, which ICANN and IETF
acknowledge reflect the existing arrangements under which the IANA is
operated:
4.1. The IANA will assign and register Internet protocol parameters
only as directed by the criteria and procedures specified in RFCs,
including Proposed, Draft and full Internet Standards and Best
Current Practice documents, and any other RFC that calls for IANA
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assignment. If they are not so specified, or in case of ambiguity,
IANA will continue to assign and register Internet protocol
parameters that have traditionally been registered by IANA, following
past and current practice for such assignments, unless otherwise
directed by the IESG.
If in doubt or in case of a technical dispute, IANA will seek and
follow technical guidance exclusively from the IESG. Where
appropriate the IESG will appoint an expert to advise IANA.
The IANA will work with the IETF to develop any missing criteria and
procedures over time, which the IANA will adopt when so instructed by
the IESG.
4.2. In the event of technical dispute between the IANA and the IESG,
both will seek guidance from the IAB whose decision shall be final.
4.3. Two particular assigned spaces present policy issues in addition
to the technical considerations specified by the IETF: the assignment
of domain names, and the assignment of IP address blocks. These
policy issues are outside the scope of this MOU.
Note that (a) assignments of domain names for technical uses (such as
domain names for inverse DNS lookup), (b) assignments of specialised
address blocks (such as multicast or anycast blocks), and (c)
experimental assignments are not considered to be policy issues, and
shall remain subject to the provisions of this Section 4. (For
purposes of this MOU, the term "assignments" includes allocations.)
In the event ICANN adopts a policy that prevents it from complying
with the provisions of this Section 4 with respect to the assignments
described in (a) - (c) above, ICANN will notify the IETF, which may
then exercise its ability to cancel this MOU under Section 2 above.
4.4. The IANA shall make available to the public, on-line and free of
charge, information about each current assignment, including contact
details for the assignee. Assignments published in RFCs by the RFC
Editor and available publicly will be deemed to meet the requirements
of this Section 4.4.
4.5. The IANA shall provide on-line facilities for the public to
request Internet protocol parameter assignments and shall either
execute such assignments, or deny them for non- conformance with
applicable technical requirements, in a timely manner. There shall be
no charge for assignments without the consent of the IAB. Requests
shall only be denied on legitimate technical grounds.
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For protocols within the IETF scope (i.e., registries created by IETF
action), appeals against such denials may be made to the IESG and
subsequently to the IAB as provided in 4.2 above.
4.6. The IANA shall have non-voting liaison seats on appropriate IETF
committees as determined by the IETF, and may participate in all IETF
discussions concerning technical requirements for protocol parameter
assignment through such liaisons.
4.7. The IANA shall review all documents in IETF Last Call to
identify any issues of concern to the IANA, and shall raise these
issues with the IESG.
5. Application to IRTF/IRSG. The parties understand that certain of
the protocol parameters to be assigned by IANA will be relevant to
IRTF, rather than IETF. With respect to these protocol parameters,
IANA will comply with the procedures set forth in Section 4, with the
understanding that IRTF and IRSG shall be substituted for IETF and
IESG, respectively, in such procedures. In the event of any question
as to whether a particular protocol parameter relates principally to
IETF or IRTF, the IAB shall have the authority to answer such
question in its discretion.
6. General. This MOU does not constitute any of the parties as a
partner, joint venturer, agent, principal or franchisee of any other
party. The waiver of any provision of this MOU on any occasion shall
not constitute a waiver for purposes of any other occasion. No party
may transfer or assign any interest, right or obligation arising
under this MOU without the prior written consent of each other party
to this MOU.
7. Effectiveness of MOU. This Agreement requires the approval or
ratification of the ICANN Board of Directors. The signatory for
ICANN shall use his best efforts to secure and deliver to IETF such
approval or ratification within two months of signing.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Memorandum of Understanding is executed as
of this first day of March 2000 by the undersigned, acting through
their duly authorized representatives:
INTERNET ENGINEERING TASK FORCE
By: __________________________ Fred Baker, IETF Chair
Approved by:
INTERNET ARCHITECTURE BOARD
By: __________________________ Brian Carpenter, IAB Chair
INTERNET CORPORATION FOR ASSIGNED NAMES AND NUMBERS
By:___________________________ Mike Roberts, President
Security considerations
This document does not directly impact the security of the Internet.
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Acknowledgements
The technical heart of this document was discussed in the IETF
POISSON working group in 1998 and 1999 and reviewed by the IESG and
IAB. Jorge Contreras, Joyce K. Reynolds, and Louis Touton assisted in
its finalisation.
Authors' Addresses
Brian E. Carpenter
iCAIR
Suite 150
1890 Maple Avenue
Evanston IL 60201
USA
EMail: [email protected]
Fred Baker
519 Lado Drive
Santa Barbara, CA 93111
USA
EMail: [email protected]
Michael M. Roberts
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)
4676 Admiralty Way, Suite 330
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
USA
EMail: [email protected]
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RFC 2860 MoU Between IETF and ICANN concerning IANA June 2000
Full Copyright Statement
Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2000). All Rights Reserved.
This document and translations of it may be copied and furnished to
others, and derivative works that comment on or otherwise explain it
or assist in its implementation may be prepared, copied, published
and distributed, in whole or in part, without restriction of any
kind, provided that the above copyright notice and this paragraph are
included on all such copies and derivative works. However, this
document itself may not be modified in any way, such as by removing
the copyright notice or references to the Internet Society or other
Internet organizations, except as needed for the purpose of
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English.
The limited permissions granted above are perpetual and will not be
revoked by the Internet Society or its successors or assigns.
This document and the information contained herein is provided on an
"AS IS" basis and THE INTERNET SOCIETY AND THE INTERNET ENGINEERING
TASK FORCE DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING
BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTY THAT THE USE OF THE INFORMATION
HEREIN WILL NOT INFRINGE ANY RIGHTS OR ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
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Acknowledgement
Funding for the RFC Editor function is currently provided by the
Internet Society.
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