Internet Architecture Board
IAB is the abbreviation for Internet Architecture Board; it is chartered as a committee for both, the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and is also the advisory body of the Internet Society (ISOC). [1]
History
The origin of the Internet Architecture Board lies in the Internet Configuration Control Board (ICCB) created by Vint Cerf, a former program manager at DARPA. He created IAB in the year 1979, to advise him on technical matters. After the formation of the Internet Society (ISOC), the IAB recommended the ISOC that all the activities of the IAB should be conducted under the observation of the ISOC.
In the second half of 1992, the relationship between IETF and IAB were scrutinized by the POISED working group, which presented its conclusions to the Internet Society Board of Trustees. These conclusions were then accepted and were considered as the working basis for the relationships among IESG, IETF, ISOC and IAB.[2]
Structure
The Board comprises of 13 members, out of which, 12 members are nominated by the IETF and approved by the Board of Trustees of Internet Society. The other one member is the IETF Chair who has the power to vote on all the official actions except approval of IESG appeals and Internet Engineering Steering Group members. The tenure of each IAB member lasts for two years but can remain in office for more than one term. One important thing to note about the members of the IAB is they don’t serve as representatives but serve as individuals of an agency, a company or other organization. [3]
Responsibilities
The Internet Architecture Board has the following responsibilities
IESG Confirmation: The IETF Nominating Committee provides nominations for the IETF Chair and IESG Area and the IAB confirms the IESG Area Directors and IETF Chair.
Architectural Oversight: The IAB provides the necessary commentary and oversight from time to time on the various aspects for the procedures and protocols used by the Internet.
Standards Process Oversight and Appeal: The IAB also provides oversight of the process required to maintain the Internet Standards. It serves as an appeal board for complaints in case there are any wrong implementations of the standards process by acting as an appeal body in terms of an IESG standards decision.
External Liaison: To act as a representative and represent the interests of IETF in liaison relationships with other organizations with respects to technical, organizational and standards issues related to the world-wide Internet.
RFC Series and IANA: It is also responsible for the publication and editorial management of the Request for Comments (RFC) document series and also administrates the assignments of values of IETF Protocol parameter by the IETF Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA).
IRTF Chair:
It is also responsible in selecting the chair of the Internet Research Task Force (IRTF) for time period of every two years.
Advice to ISOC: The IAB also serves as a source of advice and provides the necessary guidance to the Board of Trustees and Officers of the Internet Society that relating to the architectural, technical, and procedural and policy matters related to the Internet and enabling technologies. [4] IAB and ICANN The IAB had provided some recommendations to ICANN regarding the DNS Root System of increasing the volatility and size of the Root Zone. The IAB had also banked for the stability, security and resilience in the properties of the system and had also pressed for its regular monitoring. [5]
References