Regarding Internet Connectivity for the proposed IETF Meeting in China

David Morris <dwm@xpasc.com> Thu, 24 September 2009 21:33 UTC

Date: Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:34:19 -0700
From: David Morris <dwm@xpasc.com>
To: ietf@ietf.org
Subject: Regarding Internet Connectivity for the proposed IETF Meeting in China
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.64.0909241423170.14448@egate.xpasc.com>
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There has been much discussion of what the folks at the meeting might or 
might not do which might result in some official action to terminate the 
meeting early. I tend to side with the folks who believe it would take a 
really egregious action to actually activate the clause because I'm 
personally aware of how much non-conformance to official rules is 
tolerated when officials perceive it in China's interest AND when it isn't 
flaunted.

That aside though, I've not seen a description of the part of the 
contract provisions and/or venue plans which deal with the 'great 
firewall' potential impact on the many ways IETF participants expect to 
use the Internet during meetings. Both from a perspective of attendees as 
well as those of us unlikely to be present but desiring traditional audio, 
video, chat, etc. real time access.

Does the IETF plan to install a giant VPN back to a 'safe haven' for the 
IETF venue LAN, or does the Chinese government have provisions for 
selectivly unblocking the meeting internet venue?

If not, then it seems to me that the show stopper isn't the potential for 
dissruptive perveived to be political content, it is the fact the basic 
working conditions for the whole IETF aren't provided.

In this context there is also the potential perceived rules violation from 
IETF mailing list content originating outside of China.

David Morris

Regarding Internet Connectivity for the proposed … David Morris
Re: Regarding Internet Connectivity for the propo… Scott Brim
Re: Regarding Internet Connectivity for the propo… Simon Josefsson