Gordon,
This is identical to the previous, except that sec. 4
dealing with the protocol council has been changed to
reflect its functions. The language is taken directly
from the ICANN Bylaws. The idea is to use the consensus
forming learning curve hammered out in the domain name
arena. Call it protocol re-use. It also meets the
Gaetano "lightweight" criterion.
As to the IETF's level of dominance in this template,
it would get a third of the Council seats, protocol developers
(likely mainly IETF participants) would get another third,
and all other standards organizations together (W3C, IMC,
etc, would get a third). That seems like a reasonable balance,
but other people may want to strike it differently. That
should be the subject of further dialogue.
I don't disagree with Karl about the lack of a need for
a PSO, but if you're going to have one, it should
be following principles similar to those below.
--tony
===============================================================
IETF Rev. 1
Internet Draft
March 1999
[TEMPLATE]
Protocol Supporting Organization Formation Concepts
Status of this Memo
[cant]
Copyright Notice
This document is placed in the public domain for all to use.
Abstract
This memo describes the procedures by which a Protocol
Supporting Organization related to the Internet Corporation
for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is formed. It is
to be used by the ICANN staff in preparation of draft Bylaw
provisions detailing the structure and mechanisms of the
Protocol Supporting Organization.
1. The Role of the PSO
The Protocol Supporting Organization ("PSO") should be
a consensus-based policy advisory body within ICANN.
2. General Participation in the PSO
The PSO structure should include a General Assembly open
to any individual or entity willing to contribute effort
to the work of the PSO.
3. Constituency Groups Within the PSO
The PSO structure should include self-organized constituency
groups of organizations and/or individuals with interest and
expertise in PSO matters. The initial PSO constituency groups
should be (in alphabetical order):
o IETF
o Other Internet-related standards organizations
o Developers of protocol products and services
Individuals should be able to participate in constituencies
for which they qualify.
There should be no limitation on the number of constituency
groups in which an entity may participate, as participants
may have interests that align with multiple constituency groups.
However, given the consensus that the PSO should represent a
broad and diverse range of interests, no more than one employee
of any one organization should be permitted to serve on the
Protocol Council at one time.
Self-organized groups other than the initial groups set forth
above may be recognized by the ICANN Board as PSO constituency
groups upon a proper showing pursuant to criteria to be determined.
The ICANN Board should periodically review the status of the
constituency groups to determine whether all PSO interests are
adequately represented.
4. The Protocol Council
The Protocol Council should act as a steering committee for the
PSO and should be responsible for managing consensus and making
recommendations to the ICANN Board regarding the operation,
assignment and management of protocol parameters, such as port
numbers, enterprise numbers, other technical parameters and
related subjects.
The Protocol Council should be elected by the PSO constituency
groups, each of which will elect three Protocol Council members.
5. Development of Substantive Recommendations
The Protocol Council recommendations should be developed through
a bottom-up process in which participants in the General Assembly
take part.
Recommendations approved by a majority of the Protocol Council
shall be forwarded to the ICANN Board, accompanied by expressions
of minority views (including explanations of the potential impact
of a recommendation on a specific constituency or constituencies).
6. Selection of ICANN Directors
The PSO Protocol Council should seek nominations from the General
Assembly for individuals to serve on the ICANN Board. The Protocol
Council shall vote from among those nominees to select directors
to be submitted to the ICANN Board of Directors for election
under Article IV, Section 9(b) of the ICANN Bylaws.
7. Open Processes
The PSO should be governed by provisions for open and transparent
non-discriminatory processes that are at least comparable with
those that apply to the ICANN Board. Further provisions may be
established to ensure that the full record of the formation of
each recommendation is available.
8. Funding
Administrative and operational costs of the PSO should be funded
by PSO participants in a manner to be determined.
[remaining cant omitted]
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