In a birds of a feather or BOF session, IETF members will discuss a recently published document that seeks to define what the problems are. The problem statement is extremely frank and quite damning in its preliminary conclusions.

Among the issues highlighted by the Problem working group: the IETF has no clearly defined goals or mission, it is open to capture by special interests, it moves too slowly, it is overly influenced by a handful of old boys, and its mailing lists are poorly managed.

Many of the problems and symptoms appear to be fundamentally caused by the organization failing to adapt its management and processes to its new larger size, the problem discussion statement says.

The IETF did a good job between 1989 and 1999, when it was of a relatively manageable size, it says, but started floundering with the influx of new members during the boom, many of whom were not familiar with its goals and procedures.

According to the document, working groups are too perfectionist and fail to balance these high standards with realistic time-to-market considerations. Part of the problem is a lack of discipline and well-defined goals in working groups, it says.

That said, often market pressures cause problems in the standards development process, the document suggests. Unlike many standards groups, IETF members are ostensibly involved on an independent basis. This is a fiction, the document says.

The IETF is unwilling (unable?) to challenge an individual who is misusing the freedom of the IETF to push a company mandated position against the better interests of the community, the document says.

The document also reflects the opinion that too much power over the IETF and Internet Engineering Steering Group is held by a ruling class of big cheeses who hold too much power over the direction of the standards process.

The IETF is a self-perpetuating oligarchy, containing a small population of ‘big cheeses’ who have a disproportionate influence on the outcomes of the IETF, and who are so deified that newer participants are overawed by them, the document suggests.

The purpose of Friday’s session is to get a better understanding of the problem, with a view to developing a solution in future. The document was edited by Elwyn Davies of Nortel Networks Corp, compiled from views collected from an IETF mailing list.

Source: Computerwire