(no subject)

[Brian E Carpenter]

David,

Can you be specific? Which sort of IETF output do you mean,
and which sort of IEEE output do you mean? Not every vendor
has the same range of interests. I can't judge whether your
case is an outlier.

In my experience, btw, the interesting IETF standards are usually
implemented long before they become RFCs.

   Brian

> Hi,
> =

>  =

> =

> I am the standards czar for Enterasys, and I coordinate resource alloca=
tion for both our IEEE
> and IETF participation.
> =

>  =

> =

> The IETF has been shifting into directions that make me question how re=
levant the IETF will be
> to Enterasys in the near future, and for that matter how relevant it is=
 to Enterasys now. =

> =

>  =

> =

> I recently needed to prepare a graphic of upcoming standards milestones=
, so we could plan our
> implementation strategy. The point I found interesting was that the IEE=
E standards were often
> implemented pre-standard and then adjusted as the standard finalized, b=
ecause customers demand
> support for the IEEE standards. The IETF =93standards=94 sit around for=
 months or years after being
> put on the standards track, waiting to see if it actually becomes a use=
ful technology that we
> should consider implementing, and whether any customer demand ever deve=
lops.
> =

>  =

> =

> The IEEE obviously produces many standards that are economically viable=
 out of the gate, while
> the IETF does a lot of research, and produces standards that may or may=
 not become economically
> viable. In hard economic times, it=92s pretty hard to get excited over =
many of the IETF-produced
> standards because they do not bring any real benefit to vendors=92custo=
mers.
> =

>  =

> =

> David Harrington
> =

> Architect, Office of the CTO
> =

> Enterasys Networks