IAB issues

[RJ Atkinson]

On Wednesday, Nov 6, 2002, at 03:48 America/Montreal, avri doria wrote:
> - Role of IAB.  In discussions about the IAB, what they don't,
> or shouldn't do, is discussed as much if not more that what
> they should do.  What should they do?  sometimes i think they
> have been become primarily a liaison body.  Is this the case
> and is it what is needed.

I am pretty sure the IAB would be interested in hearing directly
from folks who have concerns.  Harald and I might be the only
IAB folks on this list, not sure.  I've copied the IAB on this
note, so they will both see the above and have a chance to correct
anything I say below that is wrong.

IMPORTANT NOTE:	This is MY personal opinion, not the view of
				the IAB as a whole.  I *never* speak for the IAB.

Generally speaking, the IAB has no *power* at all relative to the IETF.
In specific, IAB has the very narrow role of hearing appeals of IESG
decisions, but not much more.  The IAB as a body does ensure (at least
during my time on IAB) that there is an IAB member present at each BOF.
Individual IAB members normally offer advice to the IESG about 
chartering WGs,
but the IESG can (and regularly does) act on some advice and ignore 
other
advice.  Note that this is not a "special power" of the IAB -- 
individual
IETF members have equal opportunity to comment on proposed WGs and any
WG charter revisions.

The IAB does think about architecture (which is its notional primary 
role)
and publishes I-Ds (and RFCs) on both broad architectural topics
(draft-iab-considerations-*) and specific issues (e.g. OPES) from time 
to time.
A list of recent IAB publications is online at http://www.iab.org.

We also organise IAB Workshops.  In June we held one on Network 
Managment,
for which an I-D is available online right now.  Last year, we held one 
on
Mobile Networks (really "cell phones & the Internet", IMHO).   The IETF
often, but not always, takes those workshop results into account in 
figuring
out where to go.  The IAB does coordinate liaisons and IAB members also 
try
to do a certain amount of damage prevention relative to several of those
liaisons.

A more comprehensive answer to "What does the IAB do ?" is on the IAB 
web page.

> In terms of speakers, I don't think it really matters.
> But if anything the IESG transparency issue should be
> presented by a member of the IESG who is eager to have
> the body made transparent.  Also, the role of the IAB
> should, perhaps, be discussed by someone who understands
> what they do and has a view of what they should do.

I'd suggest that we take that up, but that we do so in the IAB Plenary
rather than the IETF Plenary, just as a matter of sorting topics into
the right meeting slots.   Anyone with other IAB questions, comments,
or suggestions should feel free to send them to the IAB list:
		<iab@iab.org>

Regards,

Ran
rja@extremenetworks.com