Internet Architecture Board
IAB is the abbreviation for Internet Architecture Board, a chartered committee for the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and the advisory body for the Internet Society (ISOC). [1]
History
The origin of the Internet Architecture Board lies in the Internet Configuration Control Board (ICCB), originally created by Vint Cerf, former program manager of DARPA. He created the IAB in 1979 to advise him on technical matters. After the formation of the Internet Society (ISOC), the IAB recommended to ISOC that all the activities of the IAB should be conducted under the observation of ISOC.
In the second half of 1992, the relationship between IETF and IAB was scrutinized by the POISED Working Group, which presented its conclusions to the ISOC 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, 12 of which are nominated by the IETF and approved by the ISOC Board of Trustees. The final member is the IETF Chair, who has the power to vote on all official actions except approvals of IESG appeals and Internet Engineering Steering Group members. The tenure of each IAB member lasts for two years, although they can hold multiple consecutive terms. IAB members do not serve as representatives but as individuals who are a part of an agency, a company or other organization.[3]
Responsibilities
The IAB has the following responsibilities:
IESG Confirmation: The IETF Nominating Committee provides nominations for the IETF Chair and IESG Area; the IAB confirms the IESG Area Directors and IETF Chair.
Architectural Oversight: The IAB provides the necessary commentary and oversight on various aspects of the procedures and protocols used by the Internet.
Standards Process Oversight and Appeal: The IAB also provides oversight of the processes required to maintain Internet Standards. It serves as an appeal body, in terms of an IESG standards decision, for complaints in the case of any wrong implementations of the standards process.
External Liaison: When in liaison with other organizations, to act as a representative for the interests of IETF, with respects to technical, organizational and standards issues related to the Internet.
RFC Series and IANA: It is also responsible for the publication and editorial management of the Request for Comments (RFC) document series. It administrates the assignment of values of IETF Protocol parameters by the IETF Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA).
IRTF Chair: The IAB is responsible for selecting the chair of the Internet Research Task Force (IRTF) every two years.
Advise ISOC: The IAB serves as a source of advice and provides the necessary guidance to the Board of Trustees and Officers of the Internet Society, about architectural, technical, 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, suggesting increasing the volatility and size of the Root Zone. The IAB also pushed for the stability, security and resilience of the system's properties and has also pressed for its regular monitoring.[5]