Proposed Standard

Proposed Standard is a formal maturity level within the Internet Engineering Task Force's standards track, denoting a specification that is considered stable, has resolved known design choices, and has received significant community review. It represents a crucial step toward becoming a full Internet Standard, indicating that the proposal has demonstrated utility and is deemed ready for widespread implementation and testing. This classification is documented in a Request for Comments and is governed by the processes outlined in BCP 9, which defines the Internet Standards Process.

Definition and Purpose

A Proposed Standard is defined by the Internet Architecture Board and the IETF as a specification that is sufficiently stable for implementation and deployment. Its primary purpose is to advance a technical proposal from the experimental or conceptual stage, as seen in Experimental RFCs, toward the status of a normative standard for the Internet protocol suite. The designation signals to developers, such as those at Cisco Systems or the Apache Software Foundation, and to organizations like the World Wide Web Consortium, that the specification has undergone scrutiny within a working group, such as the HTTP Working Group or the TCP Maintenance and Minor Extensions group. The goal is to gather operational experience and identify any necessary revisions before potentially advancing to the higher Draft Standard level, a process historically guided by documents like RFC 2026.

Development Process

The journey to becoming a Proposed Standard begins within an IETF working group, where an Internet-Draft is developed and reviewed. Key figures, such as the Area Director and the Working Group Chair, oversee this phase, which involves community consensus-building and addressing feedback from participants, including representatives from Juniper Networks, Google, and Mozilla Foundation. The draft must demonstrate interoperability, often tested at events like IETF Hackathon, and address security considerations reviewed by the Security Area Directorate. Following working group approval, the draft is submitted to the RFC Editor for publication as an RFC on the standards track. This entire process is managed under the auspices of the Internet Society and is detailed in procedural documents like BCP 78 and BCP 79.

Examples and Applications

Many foundational internet protocols began as Proposed Standards. Notable examples include early versions of the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, the initial specifications for the Network Time Protocol, and core elements of Internet Protocol version 6. The Hypertext Transfer Protocol used by the World Wide Web evolved through this stage, as did the Session Initiation Protocol for voice-over-IP. Specifications for Transport Layer Security and the Domain Name System security extensions also progressed from Proposed Standard status. Implementations by companies like Microsoft in Windows Server, IBM, and the open-source community in projects like BIND and OpenSSL have been critical in testing these proposals in real-world environments such as ARPANET's successor networks and modern cloud computing platforms.

Advantages and Criticisms

The primary advantage of the Proposed Standard stage is that it provides a stable reference for implementation while allowing for practical feedback and refinement before a specification is locked in as an Internet Standard. It fosters innovation and allows vendors like Apple, Huawei, and Ericsson to develop compatible products. However, criticisms include the potential for prolonged stagnation, where specifications remain at this level for many years without advancement, as seen with some RFCs. Some argue the process, influenced by corporate interests from entities like AT&T or Verizon Communications, can be slow, and the requirement for multiple independent implementations, as historically mandated for Draft Standard, can be a barrier. Debates over this process have been central to discussions at IETF meetings and in documents like RFC 6410.

Status and Adoption

A Proposed Standard is not a full Internet Standard but is considered a normative specification suitable for deployment in operational networks. Its adoption is widespread; for instance, protocols like the Border Gateway Protocol and Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol are implemented globally in infrastructure managed by Internet service providers and enterprises. The decision to advance a specification rests with the Internet Engineering Steering Group, based on demonstrated interoperability and significant deployment, often evidenced by use in major events like the Olympic Games or critical infrastructure. While some Proposed Standards eventually progress, others may be superseded, revised, or remain in this state indefinitely, their status cataloged by the RFC Editor and tracked by organizations like the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority.

Category:Internet standards Category:Internet Engineering Task Force Category:Request for Comments