IANA MoU: Memorandum of Understanding Concerning the Technical Work of the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority

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.

   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
   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.

   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.

   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.

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: brian@icair.org


   Fred Baker
   519 Lado Drive
   Santa Barbara, CA 93111
   USA

   EMail: fred@cisco.com


   Michael M. Roberts
   Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)
   4676 Admiralty Way, Suite 330
   Marina del Rey, CA 90292
   USA

   EMail: roberts@icann.org

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