RFC 1083 (rfc1083) - Page 2 of 12
IAB official protocol standards
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
RFC 1083 IAB Standards December 1988
consisting of interested parties from the working group and members
of the IAB itself, with the purpose of recommending some explicit
action to the IAB.
It is possible to proceed with widespread implementation of a
standard without the approval of the IAB. For example, some vendor
standards have become very important to the Internet community even
though they have not been proposed or reviewed by the IAB. However,
the IAB strongly recommends that the IAB standards process be used in
the evolution of the protocol suite to maximize interoperability (and
to prevent incompatible protocol requirements from arising). The IAB
reserves the use of the term "standard" in any RFC to only those
protocols which the IAB has approved.
2. The Standardization Process
Anyone can invent a protocol, document it, implement it, test it, and
so on. The IAB believes that it is very useful to document a
protocol at an early stage to promote suggestions from others
interested in the functionality the of protocol and from those
interested in protocol design. Once a protocol is implemented and
tested it is useful to report the results. The RFC document series
is the preferred place for publishing these protocol documents and
testing results.
The IAB encourages the documenting of every protocol developed in the
Internet (that is, the publication of the protocol specification as
an RFC), even if it is never intended that the protocol become an
Internet standard. A protocol that is not intended to become a
standard is called "experimental".
Protocols that are intended to become standards are first designated
as "proposed" protocols. It is expected that while in this state the
protocol will be implemented and tested by several groups. It is
likely that an improved version of the protocol will result from this
activity.
Once a proposed protocol has become stable and has a sponsor (an
individual willing to speak for the protocol to the IAB) it may
advance to the "draft standard" state. In this state, it should be
reviewed by the entire Internet community. This draft standard state
is essentially a warning to the community that unless an objection is
raised or a flaw is found this protocol will become a "standard".
Once a protocol has been a draft standard for a sufficient time
(usually 6 months) without serious objections the IAB may act to
declare the protocol an official Internet standard.
Internet Activities Board