Re: [arch-d] The IAB Liaison Oversight program

Deborah,

As a former IAB member back when we took liaisons more seriously, a
bit +100!

Cheers,
Andy

On Tue, Feb 23, 2021 at 5:05 PM BRUNGARD, DEBORAH A <db3546@att.com> wrote:

> Hi,
>
> [no-hats]
>
> While the IAB can open/close programs per their discretion without
> community input, I want the community to know that, as incoming IAB member,
> I had raised concerns on closing this program. IETF's liaison relationships
> to other SDOs has always been an important issue to me, as a working group
> chair of groups working with ITU, Routing AD, and MPLS liaison.
>
> Basically, I didn't understand why the approach on this program was to
> close it without first considering rechartering. The rationale for closing
> this program, i.e., no need for "recycling a dormant program", is identical
> to the IANA program ("sleepy program"), though for that program the
> conclusion was to update the charter and ask the community for feedback.
>
> And so my bigger concern - the IAB says it is "unclear" on the need for a
> liaison oversight program. For those of us involved in other SDOs, IETF's
> current "whac-a-mole[*]" process of involving experts on "as-needed basis"
> is very concerning.  This program was formed to "provide strategic
> direction" so as to relieve our liaison managers of being in conflict with
> RFC4691:
>
> https://www.iab.org/documents/correspondence-reports-documents/2011-2/iab-response-to-some-iesg-thoughts-on-liaisons/
>
> One of the four questions on the 2021 IAB Questionnaire was "how can the
> value of the IETF to internal and broader technical community be improved".
> To me, that question from the community, was affirming the importance to be
> [more] proactive in our liaison strategy to SDOs/forums/open source
> efforts. Not to close the responsible program with no new proposal.
>
> Sigh, as new IAB member, I'll tackle drafting a "clear charter" with
> "purposeful membership" program on liaison oversight, and hopefully be able
> to convince my IAB colleagues. Hopefully SOON [**] in the IAB decision
> timeline.
>
> 2nd (longer) Sigh,
> Deborah
> (countdown - 2 weeks!)
> [*] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whac-A-Mole
> [**] https://www.ietf.org/archive/id/draft-farrel-soon-06.txt
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Architecture-discuss <architecture-discuss-bounces@ietf.org> On
> Behalf Of Mirja Kuehlewind
> Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2021 11:54 AM
> To: architecture-discuss@iab.org
> Cc: IAB IAB <iab@iab.org>
> Subject: [arch-d] The IAB Liaison Oversight program
>
> Hi all,
>
> As per our charter, '[t]he IAB acts as representative of the interests of
> the IETF and the Internet Society in technical liaison relationships with
> other organizations concerned with standards and other technical and
> organizational issues relevant to the world-wide Internet'[1]. That
> representation is carried out by liaison managers, who are selected from
> the community by the IAB. Liaison managers are overseen by individual
> members of the IAB who act as shepherds (see also [2]).
>
> Firstly, I would like to note that this message is not intended to propose
> any changes to the liaison manager/shepherd system at this time, as the IAB
> believes that this representation works well.
>
> In parallel to the liaison manager/shepherd system, the IAB is operating
> the Liaison Oversight program (see [3]). This program has been dormant for
> several years, and does not have a clear role to play in liaison management
> as of today. The program supported the IAB in developing the framework for
> liaison relationships and setting the requirements for the related IT
> systems but these activities were completed some time ago.
>
> As part of the IAB effort to restructure its programs, the IAB is in the
> process of reviewing all open programs. Given the currently unclear
> function and role of the IAB Oversight program, the IAB has decided to
> conclude the program. Again, this will not impact the liaison management as
> performed today.
>
> The IAB sees liaison management as an important part of its role and has
> taken on responsibilities like periodically reviewing liaison relationships
> itself, rather than delegating that responsibility to a program. Further,
> the IAB serves as a contact point to the community and frequently reaches
> out to members of the community in order to request support for the IAB and
> the IETF community in its liaison activities on an as-needed basis,
> depending on the liaison relationship and technology in question. This
> process has been working well and the IAB is working on further improving
> it to make it more clear and transparent to the community as well as
> improving continuity of knowledge and knowledge transfer between the IAB
> and a broad range of community experts.
>
> If during the on-going review of the liaison management process the IAB
> may find it necessary to have one or more programs for liaison management,
> e.g. to support maintenance of very active liaison relationships or to
> improve a specific parts of the liaison management process, the new IAB
> program structure has been set up to make to easy and uncomplicated to open
> and close programs/support groups as needed. Inline with that, the IAB
> believes it is the better option to create new groups with clear charters
> and purposeful membership, rather than potentially recycling a dormant
> program.
>
> We thank the program members for their service.
>
> Regards,
>
> Mirja
> On behalf on the IAB
>
>
> [1] RFC2850 s 2(f)
> [2]
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.ietf.org/about/liaisons/__;!!BhdT!zvZhVZdKjTglhGiKkGwKaQOHI2hnkIzAee1ZtSK_SjFw_VMFpb4eIq9xnFihmAQ$
> [3]
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.iab.org/activities/programs/iab-liaison-coordination-program/__;!!BhdT!zvZhVZdKjTglhGiKkGwKaQOHI2hnkIzAee1ZtSK_SjFw_VMFpb4eIq9xK0bE_LM$
>
>
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Re: [arch-d] The IAB Liaison Oversight program - feedback on closing