ICANN Ad Hoc Group Posted: October 21, 1999

Background

At the August '99 ICANN meeting in Santiago a Resolution was adopted to establish an ad hoc group to be charged with developing the objectives and proposing structures for future policies in the area of numbering, especially as required to meet global market needs and taking into account the convergence of information technology services and networks. Under the Resolution, the group will include representatives of businesses, including telecom operators and Internet service providers and trade organizations, the ASO Council, the ICANN Board, and other legitimately interested parties. The group will present an interim report before the second ICANN public meeting in 2000. A final report from the ad hoc group will be presented to the ICANN Board prior to the Annual Meeting in 2000.

ICANN actively encourages public comment on the draft charter language below. Comments should be submitted through the Public Comment Forum.

Proposed Charter for the Ad Hoc Group

The ad hoc group should identify the key technology, commercial and economic drivers that will affect addressing and numbering in the Internet. This assessment must include current trends in services and network convergence and globalisation, particularly those emerging from the telecommunications sector, as well as changes in the demands on traditional IP address space. Examples of technology forces to be considered include IMT 2000, 3GPP, and Bluetooth. The spread of these new technologies could require changes to the addressing structure and, potentially with it, how traffic is routed. The new technologies may also increase demand for addresses even with no changes in the structures, by virtue of being layered on top of IP.

The ad hoc group shall focus on the future demands and impacts these new technologies will have on IP address space and its administration. Particular attention must be given towards global policy formation and the identification of any requirements to Internet addressing in the future. The ad hoc group shall clearly identify technologies and evolution that can be implemented by layering them on top of IPv4/IPv6 and whether technology, rather than merely policy, changes are required.

Central to the success of the group will be the resolution of the requirements of new technologies with the Internet community. The resolution is needed to avoid any difficulties that could occur through the implementation of new addressing and numbering schemes.

Additional information

1. Proposed make up of the ad hoc group

The ad hoc group shall include representation from those specified within the Resolution passed at the ICANN meeting held in Santiago 8/99 and take due account of the need for a wide representation of interest and global diversity.

The following list of participants is proposed.

• Representatives chosen by each of the Regional Internet Registries
• Representative(s) chosen by the Internet Architecture Board
• Representatives chosen by ISP Trade Associations
• Representatives chosen by Industry (3GPP, Bluetooth, IMT2000)
• Representatives chosen by Telecommunications operators
• Representatives chosen by the ICANN Board

Such a structure is considered to embrace all key parties and comply with the above requirements

2. Working methods

In order to progress work within the challenging timescale set out in the ICANN Resolution the following approach is proposed:

1. An initial meeting of participants who attend the November ICANN meeting in LA to scope out work, assign tasks and set key milestones for each activity.
2. Work to be progressed by e-mail and conference call links as required. A mailing list will support the activities of the ad hoc group.
3. At each key milestone information shall be posted on the ICANN web site for open comment and further input which will then be considered by the ad hoc group.
4. All conclusions/recommendations shall be posted on the ICANN web site for public comment (dates for posting to be agreed and published at the LA meeting).

Preliminary Timetable (Draft)

	Draft Charter - Consideration by the ICANN Board (incl. initial participation) - ICANN meeting LA	1-4/11/99
	Agree tasks/ownership/workplan/milestones	26/11/99
	Posted on ICANN website for comment	29/11/99-10/12/99
	Completion of phase 1 tasks ¨ see note 1	14/1/2000
	Completion of phase 2 tasks ¨ see note 2	14/2/2000
	Completion of phase 3 tasks ¨ see note 3	14/5/2000
	Interim report to ICANN Board	Q2 2000
	Final report to ICANN Board	Q3 2000

Notes

Note 1: Phase 1 tasks include identification of key drivers that will affect addressing and numbering in the Internet, including the impact of convergence.

Note 2: Phase 2 tasks include assessment of technologies and evolution that can be implemented by layering them on top of IPv4/IPv6 and whether technology, rather than policy, changes are required, whether new technologies require changes to the addressing structure and, potentially with it, how traffic is routed, and whether new technologies increase demand for addresses even with no changes in the structures, by virtue of being layered on top of IP.

Note 3: Phase 3 tasks include identification of options to resolve the requirements of the new technologies with the Internet community and the impact on existing structures and policies.