Internet Engineering Task Force

The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) is the most important standards committee for communications between host computers by means of data packet transmission networks. There is a large and increasing variety of Internet hosts ranging from sensors to interactive electricity metering equipment, personal computers, workstations, user platforms, large server farms, and supercomputer centres.

Founded in 1986, the historical roots of IETF trace back to the U.S. government–funded ARPANET, developed in the 1960s by the U.S. Defense Department’s Advanced Research Projects Agency. The IETF is associated with the Internet Society, an independent nonprofit organization. Membership in the IETF is open to all persons, with no registration fee. The working activities of the IETF are organized in a large number of working groups dedicated to specific areas. IETF ...