Re: I-D Action: draft-hardie-iaoc-iab-update-00.txt

[Andrew Sullivan <[e-mail]>]

Hi,

This is speaking as myself, coloured with my experiences.  Before I
start, I'll echo what Ted said: this is a draft in the early stages,
and we appreciate the review.


On Tue, Feb 02, 2016 at 01:02:33PM -0800, Bob Hinden wrote:
 
> I think it’s been very important that IAB chair is directly involved
>in how the IAOC responds to IETF and Internet community issues. Not
>having the IAB Chair directly involved has downsides that are not
>described in the document.

I think it is super-important that someone on the IAB is following
those matters closely.  What is not clear to me is why it needs to be
the _chair_.

The idea that it must be the chair suggests that the IAB chair has
some special status that the rest of the IAB does not.  Speaking for
myself, but with the experience of just under a year, I do not
conceive of the chair that way.

I think the chair is a service job.  The chair is there to do a few
formal things.  Also, because other organizations seem to believe in
hierarchies, it's useful to have someone you can wheel out as "the
chair".  But at least on the IABs where I've been appointed, the IAB
works really hard to find consensus.  For my part, I have been
extremely keen to ensure that when I speak with the chair hat on, it's
in line with such understanding as I've already tried to get from the
IAB.  I would trust any of my colleagues to do the same.

I think that the way the chair is appointed is in line with this.  The
IAB chair can be removed by the IAB at any time.  There is no
independent power in it, and I don't think we need for there to be.

I believe that the IETF in general, and the IAB in its mode as an IETF
activity, are better off when more state is distributed.  Certainly,
we sometimes need people who, when it is time to make a decision, are
empowered to make that decision and able to rely on the body that
asked them to make such decisions.  But that doesn't need to be the
IAB chair in every case, and this is one where I think we might get a
benefit if we didn't require the chair.
 
> Further, it seems to me that the next phase of the IANA transition
> where the implementation starts is going to see a bigger load on the
> IAOC and IETF Trust.  A lot of decisions will have to be made and
> having the IAB Chair at the table is going to be important.

It's important to note that the document doesn't say, "Not the chair."
It just says, "Needn't be."

Best regards,

A



-- 
Andrew Sullivan
[e-mail]