Internet Official Protocol Standards
RFC 1720

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Network Working Group                        Internet Architecture Board
Request for Comments: 1720                             J. Postel, Editor
Obsoletes: RFCs 1610, 1600, 1540, 1500,                    November 1994
1410, 1360, 1280, 1250, 1100, 1083,
1130, 1140, 1200
STD: 1
Category: Standards Track

                  INTERNET OFFICIAL PROTOCOL STANDARDS

Status of this Memo

   This memo describes the state of standardization of protocols used in
   the Internet as determined by the Internet Architecture Board (IAB).
   This memo is an Internet Standard.  Distribution of this memo is
   unlimited.

Table of Contents

   Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
   1.  The Standardization Process  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
   2.  The Request for Comments Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
   3.  Other Reference Documents  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
   3.1.  Assigned Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
   3.2.  Gateway Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
   3.3.  Host Requirements  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
   3.4.  The MIL-STD Documents  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
   4.  Explanation of Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
   4.1.  Definitions of Protocol State (Maturity Level) . . . . . . 8
   4.1.1.  Standard Protocol  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
   4.1.2.  Draft Standard Protocol  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
   4.1.3.  Proposed Standard Protocol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
   4.1.4.  Experimental Protocol  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
   4.1.5.  Informational Protocol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
   4.1.6.  Historic Protocol  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
   4.2.  Definitions of Protocol Status (Requirement Level) . . .   9
   4.2.1.  Required Protocol  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  10
   4.2.2.  Recommended Protocol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  10
   4.2.3.  Elective Protocol  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  10
   4.2.4.  Limited Use Protocol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  10
   4.2.5.  Not Recommended Protocol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  10
   5.  The Standards Track  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  10
   5.1.  The RFC Processing Decision Table  . . . . . . . . . . .  10
   5.2.  The Standards Track Diagram  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  12
   6.  The Protocols  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  14
   6.1.  Recent Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  14

Internet Architecture Board                                     [Page 1]
RFC 1720                   Internet Standards              November 1994

   6.1.1.  New RFCs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  14
   6.1.2.  Other Changes  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  23
   6.2.  Standard Protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  24
   6.3.  Network-Specific Standard Protocols  . . . . . . . . . .  26
   6.4.  Draft Standard Protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  27
   6.5.  Proposed Standard Protocols  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  28
   6.6.  Telnet Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  31
   6.7.  Experimental Protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  32
   6.8.  Informational Protocols  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  33
   6.9.  Historic Protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  34
   6.10  Obsolete Protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  36
   7.  Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  37
   7.1.  IAB, IETF, and IRTF Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  37
   7.1.1.  Internet Architecture Board (IAB) Contact  . . . . . .  37
   7.1.2.  Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Contact . . . .  38
   7.1.3.  Internet Research Task Force (IRTF) Contact  . . . . .  39
   7.2.  Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) Contact . . .  39
   7.3.  Request for Comments Editor Contact  . . . . . . . . . .  40
   7.4.  Network Information Center Contact . . . . . . . . . . .  40
   7.5.  Sources for Requests for Comments  . . . . . . . . . . .  41
   8.  Security Considerations  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  41
   9.  Author's Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  41

Introduction

   A discussion of the standardization process and the RFC document
   series is presented first, followed by an explanation of the terms.
   Sections 6.2 - 6.10 contain the lists of protocols in each stage of
   standardization.  Finally are pointers to references and contacts for
   further information.

   This memo is intended to be issued approximately quarterly; please be
   sure the copy you are reading is current.  Current copies may be
   obtained from the Network Information Center (INTERNIC) or from the
   Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) (see the contact
   information at the end of this memo).  Do not use this edition after
   1-Mar-95.

   See Section 6.1 for a description of recent changes.  In the official
   lists in sections 6.2 - 6.10, an asterisk (*) next to a protocol