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Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG)

What is the Internet Engineering Steering Group?


Role and Mandate

The Internet Engineering Steering Group manages the technical work of the IETF and oversees the Internet Standards Process. It reviews Internet-Drafts at Last Call, approves publication of Standards Track and BCP RFCs, and creates or closes working groups to keep the Internet architecture coherent.

Composition and Operations of the Internet Engineering Steering Group

The IESG consists of the IETF Area Directors and the IETF Chair, who also chairs the IESG. The headcount follows the number of IETF areas and is typically around a dozen members. The group took shape as the IETF matured and has existed in essentially its current form since the early 1990s.

Members are globally distributed. Most work is conducted online and at IETF meetings, with formal ballots, documented reviews, and clear procedures for conflict resolution.

Relationships with other Official Internet Organisms

The IESG operates within the IETF, coordinates closely with working group chairs, and interfaces with the RFC Editor and IANA. It follows architectural guidance from the Internet Architecture Board and is subject to that body’s appeals process.

Contact Info for IESG

ietf.org/about/groups/iesg/

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