Should they call it ICANN'T?
New ‘Net overseers run into another obstacle.

By Sandra Gittlen
Network World, 12/11/98

Orlando - The IETF doesn't like its new partner.

At an IETF meeting last week, members lashed out at leaders of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) for stepping into the standards body's territory.

ICANN, a nonprofit corporation, last month received the go-ahead from the government to take over administration of IP addresses, names and protocols a job that belonged to Jon Postel and his team, before Postel passed away in October. But IETF members say the red tape ICANN brings will slow down the standards process.

After listening to a presentation from ICANN CEO Mike Roberts and IETF leader Scott Bradner that outlined a supporting organization for ICANN, IETF members said they didn't see the need for the complex bureaucracy that ICANN has planned for the protocol process.

In fact, more than a dozen meeting attendees lined up at the microphone to air their concerns about the proposal, which calls for the IETF to join with other standards bodies to advise ICANN. "This proposal gives ICANN control over the IETF and that's not good," said Keith Moore, an IETF area director.

Another attendee said such complexity would considerably bog down the standards process, since protocols might have to be approved by two committees, the IETF board and the ICANN board.

One participant said he was concerned that ICANN's time would be taken up with the ever-present domain name issues such as trademark disputes. He also said he resented the "reptilian forces" that ICANN is allowing at the Internet governance table - lawyers.

But Vint Cerf said in an interview after the meeting that it's time for the IETF to let the Internet grow up. "The fact that a constellation is being built to do what one or two people did is astonishing," said Cerf, senior vice president of MCI WorldCom. "But then again, when the Internet started, it wasn't of commercial value. Now it is and it has attracted all parties, including the lawyers. That means it's valuable and that's good."

"Oversight of the Internet has become a legalistic business," Roberts said. "We have to deal with lawyers and bankers…and unfortunately we have to do it in a way that makes some of you uncomfortable." Meeting attendees were also upset by the idea of having to be grouped in with the World Wide Web Consortium and the International Telecommunication Union as the advisory protocol group to the ICANN board.

"It would be simpler if we could say the IETF was the only standards organization, but other organizations do have a viable interest," Cerf said. "It's wise for ICANN to accommodate them."

ICANN Chairwoman Esther Dyson said the issues raised by IETF members can and will be resolved. She also said ICANN, which has had its share of criticism and setbacks, is right on track. "Things are going amazingly well considering the pitfalls we've encountered."

Clarification: Keith Moore's comments in this story were in reference to a proposal for a supporting organization for ICANN, not the ICANN proposal itself.