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The Internet Architecture Board (IAB) is an Internet governance body that provides architectural and standards-process oversight for the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). It does not develop Internet standards day to day: the Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG) is responsible for that process, while IETF working groups do much of the technical standards development.
What is the Internet Architecture Board?
The IAB is both a committee of the IETF and an advisory body of the Internet Society (ISOC), as described in its charter, RFC 2850. It considers the Internet’s architecture and the procedures and protocols used across it, with a long-range perspective that spans IETF activity.
RFC 2850 states: “The IAB provides oversight of the architecture for the protocols and procedures used by the Internet.” A later IETF account, RFC 9281, describes the IAB as providing “oversight of the architecture of the Internet and its protocols.”
What does the IAB do?
- Provides architectural oversight: It considers significant long-term Internet issues and helps direct them to the groups positioned to address them.
- Oversees the standards process: It monitors the process and serves as an appeal board for complaints alleging that the process was improperly executed.
- Reviews working-group charters: It reviews proposed IETF working-group charters.
- Approves IESG candidates: It approves candidates for the IESG nominated by the IETF nominating committee (NomCom).
- Advises and coordinates: It provides technical, architectural, procedural, and policy advice, and has responsibilities for advice to ISOC and external technical liaison.
These responsibilities are described in the IAB charter and the later process account in RFC 9281.
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How is the IAB different from the IESG and IETF working groups?
| Body | Primary role | Relationship to standards |
|---|---|---|
| IAB | Architectural and standards-process oversight, advice, and appeals | Oversees the process; it is not the body responsible for carrying out standards development and approval day to day. |
| IESG | Responsible for developing, reviewing, and approving Internet Standards through the IETF process | Manages the standards process. |
| IETF working groups | Technical work on specific Internet topics | Do much of the technical standards development. |
In short, the IAB provides oversight and handles procedural appeals; the IESG is responsible for the standards process, and working groups undertake much of its technical work.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which IAB charter should readers use?
The IAB’s charter and descriptions of its role have changed over time. RFC 1358, published in August 1992, described the IAB as a technical advisory group of ISOC. RFC 1601 documented composition and responsibilities in March 1994. RFC 2850, published in May 2000, replaced RFC 1601 as the charter. For a current overview, use RFC 2850 as the charter and RFC 9281, published in July 2022, for a later account of the IAB’s place in the IETF standards process. RFC 1358 is historical, not the current charter.
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