RFC 3356 (rfc3356) - Page 2 of 12

Internet Engineering Task Force and International Telecommunication Union - Telecommunications Standardization Sector Collaboration Guidelines

RFC 3356        IETF and ITU-T Collaboration Guidelines      August 2002


   7.  Changes since RFC 2436.........................................10
   8.  Author's addresses.............................................11
   9.  Full Copyright Statement.......................................12

1. Scope

   This document provides guidance to aid in the understanding of
   collaboration on standards development between the ITU-T and the
   Internet Society (ISOC) / Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).

   In the IETF, work is done in Working Groups (WG), mostly through
   open, public mailing lists rather than face-to-face meetings.  WGs
   are organized into Areas, each Area being managed by two co-Area
   Directors.  Collectively, the Area Directors comprise the Internet
   Engineering Steering Group (IESG).

   In the ITU-T, work is defined by study Questions which are worked on
   mostly through meetings led by Rapporteurs.  Questions are generally
   grouped within Working Parties (WPs) led by a WP Chairman.  Working
   Parties report to a parent Study Group led by a SG Chairman.

2. Introduction

   The telecommunication industry is faced with an explosion in growth
   of the Internet and other IP (Internet Protocol) based networks.
   Operators, manufacturers and software/application providers alike are
   reconsidering their business directions and Standards Development
   Organizations and Forums and Consortia are facing an immense
   challenge to address this situation.

   These challenges were considered by TSAG in September 1998 and IETF
   shortly thereafter, when it was initially recognized that the ITU-T
   and ISOC/IETF were already collaborating in a number of areas, and
   that this collaboration must be strengthened within the context of
   changes in work emphasis and direction within the ITU-T on studies
   related to IP based networks.

   For example, many Study Groups already address aspects of IP based
   networks.  There are many topics of interest to ITU-T Study Groups in
   the IP area that should be investigated (e.g., signaling, routing,
   security, numbering & addressing, integrated management, performance,
   IP - telecom interworking, access).  Since many of these topics are
   also being investigated by the IETF, there is a requirement for close
   collaboration.







Fishman                      Informational