governance (see Figure 2-13). Figure 2-12 Original structure of the IAB. [...] Different task forces under the IAB Figure 2-13 Standardization bodies. Chapter 2 The IETF The Internet standard process [RFC 2026] has always been evolving. Today, Internet standards are developed in the IETF-an open community of peo- ple concerned with protecting the performance of the Internet and related technologies. The IETF is divided into working groups (currently, more than 125 working groups) wherein the actual technical work is conducted. IETF working groups are usually short lived; conversely, research groups in the IRTF are usually long lived. A working group focuses on a technology area that is defined when the group is created; it dissolves when the group has answered the specific questions posed by its charter to the satisfaction of the IESG (or when stalemated). Examples of working groups that we'll consult in this book are Multiparty Multimedia Session Control (MMUSIC), IP Telephony (IPTEL), and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). Working groups fall within the following nine different areas in the IETF. The IETF structure is illustrated in Figure 2-14. Applications General Internet Operations and management Routing Security Figure 2-14 IIETF structure. Applications General Internet Operations Routing Security Transport UserServices Sub-IP [...] [...] [...] management [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] SIP [...] IPTEL MMUSIC Packet Switching, IP, and the IETF Transport User services Sub-IP The IESG The IESG, composed of area directors and the IETF chair, reviews the doc- uments produced in working groups and approves them, where warranted, as standards. In other words, the IESG is the technical management of the IETF. The IESG also charters new working groups. If an area director consid- ers that the IETF has enough interest and willing bodies to work on the issues proposed, a charter is written to specify working group deliverables and the tasks it's empowered to work on. A charter also includes the time frame for the outc