Charter of the Internet Architecture Board (IAB)
RFC 1601

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Network Working Group                                         C. Huitema
Request for Comments: 1601                   Internet Architecture Board
Obsoletes: 1358                                               March 1994
Category: Informational

            Charter of the Internet Architecture Board (IAB)

Status of this Memo

   This memo provides information for the Internet community.  This memo
   does not specify an Internet standard of any kind.  Distribution of
   this memo is unlimited.

Abstract

   This memo documents the composition, selection, roles, and
   organization of the Internet Architecture Board and its subsidiary
   organizations.

1.  IAB Membership

   The Internet Architecture Board (IAB) shall consist of 13 voting
   members, composed of the IETF chair and 12 full members.  The IETF
   chair, who is also the chair of the IESG, may vote on all official
   IAB actions except the approval of IESG members.  Ex-officio members
   and a liaison from the IESG may also attend IAB meetings but shall
   have no vote on official actions.

   Voting IAB members shall serve for a term of two years, but may serve
   any number of terms.

   Members of the IAB shall serve as individuals, and not as
   representatives of any company, agency, or other organization.

   1.1  Selection of voting IAB members

      Voting IAB members shall be nominated by the nominating committee
      of the IETF and appointed by an appropriate group.  The 12 full
      members shall be approved by vote of the Board of Trustees of the
      Internet Society (ISOC), while the IETF chair shall be approved by
      vote of the 12 full IAB members then sitting.  Normally, six new
      full members are nominated each year.

      The IETF nomination committee is formed every year and consists of
      a non-voting chair designated by the Internet Society and seven
      members picked at random from a pool of volunteers.  Any person
      who took part in two IETF meetings in the last two years may

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RFC 1601                      IAB Charter                     March 1994

      volunteer for this pool.  The nomination committee also includes
      four non-voting liaison members, one designated by each of the
      Board of Trustees of the Internet Society, the IAB, the IESG, and
      the IRSG.

      New IAB members shall be selected each year to replace those whose
      terms have expired or been vacated.  The nomination committee
      shall prepare a list containing at least one candidate for each
      open position, and present this list to the ISOC Board of
      Trustees.  The Board of Trustees will by a vote appoint IAB
      members from the list of nominees to fill the open positions.

      There is no limit to the number of terms that a member of the IAB
      may serve.  A member that wishes to be re-nominated at the end of
      a term simply notifies the nomination committee.  However, there
      is no obligation for renomination.

   1.2 Ex-Officio Members

      The IRSG chair and the RFC Editor shall be Ex-officio members of
      the IAB, with no vote in official actions.  An ex-officio position
      may be held by a voting member.

2.  The Role of the IAB:

   The IAB was chartered as a component of the Internet Society in June
   of 1992.  Its responsibilities under this charter include:

   (a) IESG Selection

      The IAB appoints a new IETF chair and all other IESG candidates,
      from a list provided by the IETF nominating committee.

   (b) Architectural Oversight

      The IAB provides oversight of the architecture for the protocols
      and procedures used by the Internet.

   (c) Standards Process Oversight and Appeal

      The IAB provides oversight of the process used to create Internet
      Standards.

      The IAB serves as an appeal board for complaints of improper
      execution of the standards process.

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RFC 1601                      IAB Charter                     March 1994

   (d) RFC Series and IANA

      The IAB is responsible for editorial management and publication of
      the Request for Comments (RFC) document series, and for
      administration of the various Internet assigned numbers.

   (e) External Liaison

      The IAB acts as representative of the interests of the Internet
      Society in liaison relationships with other organizations
      concerned with standards and other technical and organizational
      issues relevant to the world-wide Internet.

   (f) Advice to ISOC

      The IAB acts as a source of advice and guidance to the Board of
      Trustees and Officers of the Internet Society concerning
      technical, architectural, procedural, and (where appropriate)
      policy matters pertaining to the Internet and its enabling
      technologies.

   The following is an expanded discussion of these IAB functions.