Thread Links Date Links
Thread Prev Thread Next Thread Index Date Prev Date Next Date Index

FW: [802SEC] Request for assistance on ISO/IEC JTC1 project



802.21 Members,

fyi

Best Regards
-Vivek

-----Original Message-----
From: ***** IEEE 802 Executive Committee List *****
[mailto:STDS-802-SEC@ieee.org] On Behalf Of Paul Nikolich
Sent: Monday, August 21, 2006 3:57 AM
To: STDS-802-SEC@listserv.ieee.org
Subject: [802SEC] Request for assistance on ISO/IEC JTC1 project

Dear EC members,

Please see the below message from Andrew Myles who is leading the
802-wide effort on responding to the ISO/IEC/JTC1 project.  Please
forward in request for input to your WG members and have them reply
directly to Andrew at andrew.myles@cisco.com.

Regards,

--Paul Nikolich

------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------


Dear IEEE 802.x WG members

The quick story  (with details below) is:

  a.. Potential problems related the approval of WAPI as an amendment to
ISO/IEC 8802-11 were recently avoided 
  b.. The WAPI/802.11i debate highlighted important questions regarding
the relationship between IEEE 802 and ISO/IEC 
  c.. ISO/IEC JTC1/SC6 has now started a process to review the
cooperation agreement with IEEE 802
  d.. IEEE 802 LMSC is planning to make a submission to the cooperation
agreement review
  e.. Comments are requested from IEEE 802 members with a particular
focus on identified major issues

Note responses are due by CoB on Monday 28 August 2006 to Andrew Myles
(andrew.myles@cisco.com). Also note that this request is applicable to
any IEEE 802 WG that may want to standardise internationally through
ISO/IEC.

Andrew Myles



------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------


Potential problems related the approval of WAPI as an amendment to
ISO/IEC 8802-11 were recently avoided 

In 2005, both WAPI (proposed by SAC, the Chinese National Body) and IEEE
802.11i (proposed by the UK National Body on behalf of the IEEE 802.11
WG) were submitted to ISO/IEC JTC1 for international standardisation as
amendments to ISO/IEC 8802-11 (plus various amendments) using the JTC1
Fast Track ballot procedure. ISO/IEC 8802-11 is effectively the same as
the IEEE 802.11 standard.

Approval by ISO/IEC JTC1 of both amendments as international standards
would have been problematic because the two amendments contained
contradictory editing instructions. Approval of only the WAPI amendment
would have also been problematic because this would have made it almost
impossible for any further IEEE 802.11 amendments to be submitted to
ISO/IEC for international standardisation given the significant
differences that would have existed between IEEE 802.11 (using 802.11i)
and ISO/IEC 8802-11 (using WAPI).

Fortunately, these potential problems do not need to be addressed
because in June 2006 the Fast Track ballot on WAPI failed and the Fast
Track ballot on IEEE 802.11i passed. IEEE 802.11i has now been published
as an ISO/IEC international standard.



------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------


The WAPI/802.11i debate highlighted important questions regarding the
relationship between IEEE 802 and ISO/IEC 

During the 802.11i/WAPI debate, the existing cooperation agreement
between IEEE 802 and ISO/IEC JTC1/SC6/WG1 was quoted on multiple
occasions to support various positions related to whether or not IEEE
802.11i and/or WAPI should be approved as international standards.

The existing cooperation agreement is documented in "ISO/IEC TR
8802-1:2001: Overview of Local Area Network Standards" (attached). This
document mostly contains a general (and somewhat dated) introduction to
IEEE 802 standards for wired and wireless LANs. However, clause 4
defines a detailed process for cooperation between IEEE 802 and ISO/IEC
JTC1/SC6/WG1 that enables almost automatic international standardisation
of IEEE 802 standards. This agreement was based on earlier ISO/IEC
JTC1/SC6 documents and resolutions, including "ISO/IEC JTC1/SC6 6N11917:
Procedures for ISO/IEC JTC1 SC6 WG1 and IEEE 802 LMSC Cooperative
Working" (attached).

Interestingly, it appears that the detailed cooperation process defined
in ISO/IEC TR 8802-1:2001 has never been used in full because the annex
that is supposed to catalogue standards approved using the process is
empty. In many cases, IEEE 802 standards have not been submitted to
ISO/IEC for international standardisation. Where IEEE 802 standards have
been submitted to ISO/IEC, they have always (?) been approved using the
JTC1 Fast Track ballot procedure. An attempt to allow ISO/IEC JTC1/SC6
NBs to comment on the IEEE 802.11ma draft according to the defined
process recently failed because the ISO/IEC JTC1/SC6 Secretariat failed
to pass on liaisons from the IEEE 802.11 WG to the NBs. The lack of use
of the cooperation agreement over a five year period immediately calls
into question its effectiveness and usefulness.

In ISO/IEC JTC1/SC6 N13128 (attached), the Chinese NB states the current
cooperation agreement between IEEE 802 and ISO/IEC JTC1/SC6 needs
"review, clarification and improvement". They highlight particular
concerns relating to copyright ownership and potential competition from
the IEEE as a developer of international/global standards. They also
raise the question of whether the ISO/IEC 8802-11 standard can be
modified within ISO/IEC JTC1/SC6/WG1 without approval from the IEEE
802.11 WG.

Many IEEE 802 members are also concerned about the contents and
effectiveness of this cooperation agreement, if only because the current
agreement did not protect members from having to put a huge amount of
effort and resources into the 802.11i/WAPI issue over a three period,
with no useful gain.



------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------


ISO/IEC JTC1/SC6 has now started a process to review the cooperation
agreement with IEEE 802

In June 2006, the ISO/IEC JTC1/SC6 plenary decided (see attached
document ISO/IEC JTC1/SC6 N13127) to request the SC6 NBs, IEEE SA, IEEE
802 LMSC, JTC1 and ITTF to review the various documents that define the
current cooperation agreement. The documents (all attached) are:

  a.. ISO/IEC JTC1/SC6 6N11917: Procedures for ISO/IEC JTC1 SC6 WG1 and
IEEE 802 LMSC Cooperative Working
  b.. ISO/IEC TR 8802-1:2001: Overview of Local Area Network Standards
  c.. Other relevant document, including motion 6.3.1 from ISO/IEC
JTC1/SC6 6N11240
The process requires input to the ISO/IEC 8802-1:2001 project editor by
27 September 2006.



------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------


IEEE 802 LMSC is planning to make a submission to the cooperation
agreement review

IEEE 802 LMSC has received a request from ISO/IEC JTC1/SC6 to
participate in the review of  the cooperation agreement ISO/IEC
JTC1/SC6/WG1 and IEEE 802.11 LMSC. Paul Nikolich (Chair of IEEE 802
LMSC) has requested Andrew Myles (andrew.myles@cisco.com) to facilitate
the development of an IEEE 802 LMSC position for approval by IEEE 802
LMSC and subsequent submission to the  ISO/IEC 8802-1:2001 project
editor.

Unfortunately, the time scales are relatively short. In an attempt to
satisfy the required timescales, the following timetable will be used:

  a.. 21 Aug: Paul Nikolich sends this request to IEEE 802 LMSC members
for forwarding to the various Working Groups .
  b.. 28 Aug: IEEE 802 members respond to Andrew Myles
(andrew.myles@cisco.com) with comments and possibly volunteer to assist
in following steps
  c.. 4 Sept: Volunteers complete draft proposed IEEE 802 LMSC position
document
  d.. 5 Sept: Paul Nikolich distributes draft proposed IEEE 802 LMSC
position document to IEEE 802 LMSC and other interested parties
  e.. 6 Sept: Andrew Myles hosts a teleconference to discuss position
with any interested parties
  f.. 15 Sept: Volunteers complete final proposed IEEE 802 LMSC position
document
  g.. 16 Sept: Paul Nikolich distributes draft proposed IEEE 802 LMSC
position document to IEEE 802 LMSC for 10 day e-mail ballot
  h.. 26 Sept: Paul Nikolich submits approved IEEE 802 LMSC position
document to ISO/IEC 8802-1:2001 project editor 


------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------


Comments are requested from IEEE 802 members with a particular focus on
identified major issues

ISO/IEC JTC1/SC6 are requesting comments on any of the documents related
to the cooperation agreement (including 6N11917, TR 8802-1:2001,
6N11240).

However, to assist the process of developing an IEEE 802 position, IEEE
802 members are requested to focus on the following issues:

  a.. Does the material in ISO/IEC 8802-1:2001 not directly related to
the cooperation process have any value?
    a.. Is there any need to keep or update this material, given it is
difficult to maintain?  
  b..  Should IEEE 802 submit any/some/all IEEE 802.x standards or
amendments to ISO/IEC for international standardisation? 
    a.. If so, why? For which IEEE 802 standards or amendments? 
    b.. If not, why not? For which IEEE 802 standards or amendments? 
  c.. How should ISO/IEC JTC1/SC6 /WG1 NBs make technical input into
IEEE 802.x standards or amendments as they are being developed?  
    a.. Note: the NBs could provide a valuable perspective based on
different assumption from those of typical 802.x members
    b.. How can the existing process be made to work better or is a new
process required? 
    c.. Could we use technology better to make the process smoother? 
    d.. Should NB's be given the opportunity to join the Sponsor Ballot
Pools? It this possible under current rules? 
    e.. Should NB's be given the opportunity to join the Work Group
Ballot Pools? It this possible under current rules? 
  d.. Should IEEE 802 have sole responsibility for all development and
maintenance of IEEE 802.x standards submitted to ISO/IEC for
international standardisation
    a.. Note: this was a fundamental issue in the 802.11i/WAPI debate
    b.. Note: giving IEEE 802 responsibility for development (with
ISO/IEC input) avoids any issues related to two organisations making
independent changes to the same document
  e..  Should IEEE 802 retain copyright on any IEEE 802.x standards
submitted to ISO/IEC JTC1/SC6 for international standardisation? 
    a.. Note: this appears to be the case in the current cooperation
agreement, except when an IEEE 802 standard is subjected to Fast Track
ballot 
    b.. Note: this also appears to be the current practice, based on
comments made by UK NB during recent Fast Track ballot on WAP
    c.. Note: ISO/IEC might not need copyright unless they wanted to
make changes independent of IEEE 802
  f..  On what basis should ISO/IEC JTC1/SC6 accept IEEE 802 standards
submitted for international standardisation? 
    a.. How many NBs would be required to veto automatic international
standardisation?
    b.. What is the alternate process if automatic standardisation is
vetoed?
Responses related to other issues or the detailed comments on the
documents are also invited.

All responses should be sent to Andrew Myles (andrew.myles@cisco.com) by
CoB on Monday 28 August 2006.

----------
This email is sent from the 802 Executive Committee email reflector.
This list is maintained by Listserv.

DocsForReview.zip