Date: 2009-10-21
From: IETF Internet Area Directors
To: 3GPP SA (hannu.hietalahti@nokia.com)
Cc: SA2, CT1, CT3, CT4
Response Contact: rdroms@cisco.com
Technical Contact: rdroms@cisco.com
Purpose: For information
Deadline: None

The IETF would like to thank 3GPP for suggesting this joint
workshop. The IETF and 3GPP have a long history in working
together in applying IPv6 to 3GPP networks. In the early
2000s this co-operation lead to joint meetings, the publication
of RFC 3314, 3GPP's IPv6 specifications, and many products
that support these today. The IETF would like to continue
this co-operation.

This co-operation should take many forms. It is important that
any requirements for specific parts of IETF technology be taken
to the relevant working groups. Current IETF work on IPv6
transition is well covered by existing meetings and working
groups. The IETF is responsible for all specification work
both on IPv6 itself and its transition tools, and we would
like to request that if there are specific requirements, those
be brought to the attention of the working groups.

But at the same time, a separate workshop makes it
easier to talk about the application of IPv6 in the 3GPP
network context, understand the 3GPP requirements better,
and to have more time to think about the best way to satisfy
these requirements. It is important to prepare such meetings
well, however, and there is plenty of time for these preparations
in this case. We would like to work together with the 3GPP
on defining the goals, inputs, and expected results for the
meeting. For instance, we expect that it would be important
to understand what, if anything, is wrong in the current
specifications and what types of scenarios and needs
the 3GPP operators have.

From the IETF perspective we see such a workshop as a joint
interim meeting. The normal IETF process is that the results of
such meetings be taken to the relevant mailing list(s) and
working group(s) as input or new work is proposed. In other
words, interim meetings do not have formal decision power.
Scheduling an interim meeting also requires prior notification
so that the participants can provide feedback about the
suggested meeting. We will open this discussion on the IETF
as soon as we have a description and goals for the meeting.

Best regards,

Jari Arkko and Ralph Droms
IETF Internet Area Directors