RFC 8730 Independent Submission Editor Model February 2020
Brownlee & Hinden Informational [Page]
Stream:
Internet Architecture Board (IAB)
RFC:
8730
Obsoletes:
6548
Category:
Informational
Published:
ISSN:
2070-1721
Authors:
N. Brownlee, Ed.
The University of Auckland
R. Hinden, Ed.
Check Point Software

RFC 8730

Independent Submission Editor Model

Abstract

This document describes the function and responsibilities of the RFC Independent Submission Editor (ISE). The Independent Submission stream is one of the stream producers that create draft RFCs, with the ISE as its stream approver. The ISE is overall responsible for activities within the Independent Submission stream, working with draft editors and reviewers, and interacts with the RFC Production Center and Publisher, and the RFC Series Editor (RSE). The ISE is appointed by the IAB, and also interacts with the IETF Administration Limited Liability Company (LLC).

This version obsoletes RFC 6548 to replace all references to the Internet Administrative Support Activity (IASA) and related structures with those defined by the IASA 2.0 structure.

Status of This Memo

This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is published for informational purposes.

This document is a product of the Internet Architecture Board (IAB) and represents information that the IAB has deemed valuable to provide for permanent record. It represents the consensus of the Internet Architecture Board (IAB). Documents approved for publication by the IAB are not candidates for any level of Internet Standard; see Section 2 of RFC 7841.

Information about the current status of this document, any errata, and how to provide feedback on it may be obtained at https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8730.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

The RFC Editor Model [RFC8728] defines a set of streams that produce draft RFCs, which are submitted for publication. This document defines the management function for the Independent Submission stream, specifically the role of Independent Submission Editor (ISE).

The previous version of this document [RFC6548] is a derivative of [RFC5620], Section 3.2, and was separated out from [RFC6635].

This document updates the Independent Submission Editor Model to align it with the IASA 2.0 structure [RFC8711] that creates the IETF Administration Limited Liability Company ("LLC") managed by a board of directors ("LLC Board"). This document obsoletes [RFC6548].

2. Independent Submission Editor

The ISE is an individual who is responsible for the Independent Submission stream of RFCs, as defined by [RFC8729]. The Independent Submission stream and the ISE are not under the authority or direction of the RSE or the RFC Series Oversight Committee (RSOC) (see [RFC8728]). As noted below, the ISE is appointed by and is responsible directly to the IAB.

2.1. Qualifications

The ISE is a senior position for which the following qualifications are desired:

  1. Technical competence, i.e., broad technical experience and perspective across a wide range of Internet technologies and applications, and also the ability to work effectively with portions of that spectrum in which they have no personal expertise.
  2. Thorough familiarity with the RFC series.
  3. An ability to define and constitute advisory and document review arrangements. If those arrangements include an Editorial Board similar to the current one or some equivalent arrangement, the ability to assess the technical competence of potential Editorial Board members (see Section 3).
  4. Good standing in the technical community, in and beyond the IETF.
  5. Demonstrated editorial skills, good command of the English language, and demonstrated history of being able to work effectively with technical documents and materials created by others.
  6. The ability to work effectively in a multi-actor environment with divided authority and responsibility similar to that described in [RFC6635].

2.2. Responsibilities

The ISE is an individual who may have assistants and who is responsible for:

  1. Maintaining technical quality of the Independent Submission stream.
  2. Reviewing, approving, and processing Independent Submissions.
  3. Forwarding draft RFCs in the Independent Submission stream to the RFC Production Center.
  4. Defining and developing the scope of the Independent Submission stream as a part of the overall RFC Editor function [RFC6635].
  5. Reviewing and approving RFC errata for Independent Submissions.
  6. Coordinating work and conforming to general RFC Series policies as specified by the IAB and RSE.
  7. Providing statistics and documentation as requested by the RSE and/or LLC.

The ISE may choose to select individuals to participate in an Advisory Board for assistance in special topics as the ISE deems appropriate. Such an Advisory Board exists at the pleasure of the ISE, and its members serve at the pleasure of the ISE.

The individual with the listed qualifications is selected by the IAB after input has been collected from the community.

While the ISE itself is considered a volunteer function, the IAB considers maintaining the Independent Submission stream part of the IAB's supported activities. Therefore, the LLC should include these costs in the IASA budget.

3. Independent Submission Editorial Board

The ISE is supported by an Editorial Board for the review of Independent Submission stream documents. This board is known as the Independent Submission Editorial Board. This volunteer Editorial Board exists at the pleasure of the ISE, and its members serve at the pleasure of the ISE. The existence of this board is simply noted within this model, and additional discussion of such is considered out of scope of this document.

4. Security Considerations

This document has no specific security implications, however the same security considerations as those in [RFC4846] and [RFC8729] apply.

5. References

5.1. Normative References

[RFC4846]
Klensin, J., Ed. and D. Thaler, Ed., "Independent Submissions to the RFC Editor", RFC 4846, DOI 10.17487/RFC4846, , <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc4846>.
[RFC6548]
Brownlee, N., Ed. and IAB, "Independent Submission Editor Model", RFC 6548, DOI 10.17487/RFC6548, , <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc6548>.
[RFC8711]
Haberman, B., Hall, J., and J. Livingood, "Structure of the IETF Administrative Support Activity, Version 2.0", BCP 101, RFC 8711, DOI 10.17487/RFC8711, , <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8711>.
[RFC8728]
Kolkman, O., Ed., Halpern, J., Ed., and R. Hinden, Ed., "RFC Editor Model (Version 2)", RFC 8728, DOI 10.17487/RFC8728, , <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8728>.
[RFC8729]
Housley, R., Ed. and L. Daigle, Ed., "The RFC Series and RFC Editor", RFC 8729, DOI 10.17487/RFC8729, , <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8729>.

5.2. Informative References

[RFC5620]
Kolkman, O., Ed. and IAB, "RFC Editor Model (Version 1)", RFC 5620, DOI 10.17487/RFC5620, , <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc5620>.
[RFC6635]
Kolkman, O., Ed., Halpern, J., Ed., and IAB, "RFC Editor Model (Version 2)", RFC 6635, DOI 10.17487/RFC6635, , <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc6635>.

IAB Members at the Time of Approval

The IAB members at the time of approval of [RFC6548] were: Bernard Aboba, Ross Callon, Alissa Cooper, Joel Halpern, Spencer Dawkins, Russ Housley, David Kessens, Olaf Kolkman, Danny McPherson, Jon Peterson, Andrei Robachevsky, Dave Thaler, and Hannes Tschofenig.

The IAB members at the time of approval of this document (RFC 8730) were: Jari Arkko, Alissa Cooper, Stephen Farrell, Wes Hardaker, Ted Hardie, Christian Huitema, Zhenbin Li, Erik Nordmark, Mark Nottingham, Melinda Shore, Jeff Tantsura, Martin Thomson, and Brian Trammell.

Acknowledgements

Generous thanks to Joel Halpern for all his help with this document, and for all his work on [RFC6635]. Thanks also to the IAB members, whose comments and suggestions were both welcome and useful.

Bob Hinden served as document editor for this RFC to align it with the IASA 2.0 structure.

Authors' Addresses

Nevil Brownlee (editor)
The University of Auckland
Robert M. Hinden (editor)
Check Point Software
959 Skyway Road
San Carlos, CA 94070
United States of America