MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
CONCERNING THE TECHNICAL
WORK OF THE INTERNET ASSIGNED NUMBERS AUTHORITY
1. This Memorandum of Understanding
("MOU") defines an agreement between the Internet Engineering
Task Force and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and
Numbers. Its intent is exclusively to define the technical work
to be carried out by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority
on behalf of the Internet Engineering Task Force and the Internet
Research Task Force. It is recognized that ICANN may, through
the IANA, provide similar services to other organisations with
respect to protocols not within IETF's scope (i.e. registries
not created by IETF or IRTF action); nothing in this MOU limits
ICANN's ability to do so.
2. This MOU will remain
in effect until either modified or cancelled by mutual consent
of the Internet Engineering Task Force and the Internet Corporation
for Assigned Names and Numbers, or cancelled by either party
with at least six (6) months notice.
3. Definition of terms
and abbreviations used in this document.
ICANN- Internet Corporation for Assigned
Names and Numbers, a California non-profit corporation.
IANA - Internet Assigned Numbers Authority
(a traditional name, used here to refer to the technical team
making and publishing the assignments of Internet protocol technical
parameters). The IANA technical team is now part of ICANN.
IETF - the Internet Engineering Task Force,
the unincorporated association operating under such name that
creates Internet Standards and related documents.
IAB - the Internet Architecture Board,
an oversight committee of the IETF. The IAB is chartered to designate
the IANA on behalf of the IETF.
IESG - the Internet Engineering Steering
Group, a management committee of the IETF.
IRTF - the Internet Research Task Force,
an unincorporated association also overseen by the IAB.
IRSG - the Internet Research Steering group,
a management committee of the IRTF.
RFC - "Request For Comments",
the archival document series of the IETF, also used by the IRTF
and by third parties.
ISOC - the Internet Society, a not-for-profit
corporation that supports the IETF.
4. Agreed technical
work items. ICANN agrees that during the term of this MOU
it shall cause IANA to comply, for protocols within IETF's scope,
with the following requirements, which ICANN and IETF acknowledge
reflect the existing arrangements under which the IANA is operated:
4.1.The IANA will assign
and register Internet protocol parameters only as directed by
the criteria and procedures specified in RFCs, including Proposed,
Draft and full Internet Standards and Best Current Practice documents,
and any other RFC that calls for IANA assignment. If they are
not so specified, or in case of ambiguity, IANA will continue
to assign and register Internet protocol parameters that have
traditionally been registered by IANA, following past and current
practice for such assignments, unless otherwise directed by the
IESG.
If in doubt or in case of a technical dispute,
IANA will seek and follow technical guidance exclusively from
the IESG. Where appropriate the IESG will appoint an expert to
advise IANA.
The IANA will work with the IETF to develop
any missing criteria and procedures over time, which the IANA
will adopt when so instructed by the IESG.
4.2. In the event of
technical dispute between the IANA and the IESG, both will seek
guidance from the IAB whose decision shall be final.
4.3. Two particular assigned
spaces present policy issues in addition to the technical considerations
specified by the IETF: the assignment of domain names, and the
assignment of IP address blocks. These policy issues are outside
the scope of this MOU.
Note that (a) assignments of domain names
for technical uses (such as domain names for inverse DNS lookup),
(b) assignments of specialised address blocks (such as multicast
or anycast blocks), and (c) experimental assignments are not
considered to be policy issues, and shall remain subject to the
provisions of this Section 4. (For purposes of this MOU, the
term "assignments" includes allocations.) In the event
ICANN adopts a policy that prevents it from complying with the
provisions of this Section 4 with respect to the assignments
described in (a) - (c) above, ICANN will notify the IETF, which
may then exercise its ability to cancel this MOU under Section
2 above.
4.4. The IANA shall make
available to the public, on-line and free of charge, information
about each current assignment, including contact details for
the assignee. Assignments published in RFCs by the RFC Editor
and available publicly will be deemed to meet the requirements
of this Section 4.4.
4.5. The IANA shall provide
on-line facilities for the public to request Internet protocol
parameter assignments and shall either execute such assignments,
or deny them for non-conformance with applicable technical requirements,
in a timely manner. There shall be no charge for assignments
without the consent of the IAB. Requests shall only be denied
on legitimate technical grounds.
For protocols within the IETF scope (i.e.,
registries created by IETF action), appeals against such denials
may be made to the IESG and subsequently to the IAB as provided
in 4.2 above.
4.6. The IANA shall have
non-voting liaison seats on appropriate IETF committees as determined
by the IETF, and may participate in all IETF discussions concerning
technical requirements for protocol parameter assignment through
such liaisons.
4.7. The IANA shall review
all documents in IETF Last Call to identify any issues of concern
to the IANA, and shall raise these issues with the IESG.
5. Application to IRTF/IRSG.
The parties understand that certain of the protocol parameters
to be assigned by IANA will be relevant to IRTF, rather than
IETF. With respect to these protocol parameters, IANA will comply
with the procedures set forth in Section 4, with the understanding
that IRTF and IRSG shall be substituted for IETF and IESG, respectively,
in such procedures. In the event of any question as to whether
a particular protocol parameter relates principally to IETF or
IRTF, the IAB shall have the authority to answer such question
in its discretion.
6. General. This
MOU does not constitute any of the parties as a partner, joint
venturer, agent, principal or franchisee of any other party.
The waiver of any provision of this MOU on any occasion shall
not constitute a waiver for purposes of any other occasion. No
party may transfer or assign any interest, right or obligation
arising under this MOU without the prior written consent of each
other party to this MOU.
7. Effectiveness of
MOU. This Agreement requires the approval or ratification
of the ICANN Board of Directors. The signatory for ICANN shall
use his best efforts to secure and deliver to IETF such approval
or ratification within two months of signing.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Memorandum of
Understanding is executed as of this first day of March 2000
by the undersigned, acting through their duly authorized representatives:
INTERNET ENGINEERING TASK FORCE
By: /s/_______________________
Fred Baker, IETF Chair
Approved by:
INTERNET ARCHITECTURE BOARD
By: /s/_______________________
Brian Carpenter, IAB Chair
INTERNET CORPORATION FOR ASSIGNED NAMES
AND NUMBERS
By: /s/_______________________
Mike Roberts, President