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Internet Engineering Task Force
(IETF)
The IETF is the protocol engineering and development arm of the Internet.
Though it existed informally for some time,
the group was formally established by the IAB in 1986
with Phill Gross as the first Chair.
Internet Architecture Board
(IAB)
The IAB is responsible for defining the overall architecture of the
Internet, providing guidance and broad direction to the IETF. The IAB also
serves as the technology advisory group to the Internet Society, and oversees
a number of critical activities in support of the Internet.
The Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG)
The IESG is responsible for technical management of IETF activities and
the Internet standards process. As part of the ISOC, it administers the
process according to the rules and procedures which have been ratified
by the ISOC Trustees. The IESG is directly responsible for the actions
associated with entry into and movement along the Internet "standards
track," including final approval of specifications as Internet
Standards.
Internet Society (ISOC)
The Internet Society is a professional membership organization of Internet
experts that comments on policies and practices and oversees a number of
other boards and task forces dealing with network policy issues.
Internet Assigned Numbers Authority
(IANA)
Based at ICANN, IANA is in charge of all "unique parameters" on the Internet,
including IP (Internet Protocol) addresses. Each domain name is associated
with a unique IP address, a numerical name consisting of four blocks
of up to three digits each, e.g. 204.146.46.8, which systems use to
direct information through the network.