Lab - Research Networking Standards

Objectives
 Research Networking Standards Organizations
 Reflect on Internet and Computer Networking Experiences

Background / Scenario
Using web search engines like Google, research the non-profit organizations that are responsible for
establishing international standards for the internet and the development of internet technologies.

Required Resources
Device with internet access

Instructions

Step 1: Research Networking Standards Organizations

In this step, you will identify some of the major standards organizations and important characteristics, such as
the number of years in existence, the size of their membership, the important historical figures, some of the
responsibilities and duties, organizational oversight role, and the location of the organization’s headquarters.
Use a web browser or websites for various organizations to research information about the following
organizations and the people who have been instrumental in maintaining them.
You can find answers to the questions below by searching the following organizational acronyms and terms:
ISO, ITU, ICANN, IANA, IEEE, EIA, TIA, ISOC, IAB, IETF, W3C, RFC, and Wi-Fi Alliance.

1. Who is Jonathan B. Postel and what is he known for?

Jonathan B. Postel was a computer scientist who managed the Internet Assigned Numbers
Authority (IANA), playing a crucial part in the creation and administration of the Internet.

2. Which two related organizations are responsible for managing the top-level domain name
space and the root Domain Name System (DNS) name servers on the internet?

Both ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) and IANA (Internet
Assigned NumbersAuthority) are in charge of maintaining top-level domains and root DNS
servers.

3. Vinton Cerf has been called one of main fathers of the internet. What internet
organizations did he chair or help found? What internet technologies did he help to
develop?

Vinton Cerf co-founded Internet Society (ISOC) with Bob Kahn in 1992, helped with the
creation of ICANN, and served as the chair of Internet Architecture Board (IAB) from
1989 – 1991.

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4. What organization is responsible for publishing Request for Comments (RFC)?

RFCs are administered by the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force). A large part of the
standards used online are published in RFCs.

5. What do RFC 349 and RFC 1700 have in common?

What do RFC 349 and RFC 1700 have in common? Both RFC 349 and RFC 1700 have an
assigned number and both have wide standard functions. They also offer applications that
offer link, socket, port, and protocol.

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Lab - Research Networking Standards

6. What RFC number is the ARPAWOCKY? What is it?

RFC 527. The first humorous RFC which then led to IETF launching April fool’s day RFC in
1989.

7. Who founded the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)?

Founded by Tim Berners-Lee at MIT

8. Name 10 World Wide Web (WWW) standards that the W3C develops and maintains?

1. XML

2. XHTML

3. SKOS

4. SISR

5. RDF Schema

6. CGI

7. Canonical XML

8. CDF

9. CSS

10. DOM

9. Where is the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) headquarters

located and what is the significance of its logo?

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is headquartered in New York City,
New York, United States. The IEEE logo is a diamond-shaped design which illustrates the
right hand grip rule embedded in Benjamin Franklin’s kite.

10. What is the IEEE standard for the Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) security protocol?

WPA2 is based on IEEE 802.11i standard. It is commonly used on Wi-Fi wireless network.

11. Is the Wi-Fi Alliance a non-profit standards organization? What is their goal?

Yes, Wi-Fi Alliance is a non-profit trade association, and its goals are to ensure
interoperability and backward compatibility and provide innovation support.

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Lab - Research Networking Standards
12. Who is Hamadoun Touré?

Hamadoun Touré of Mali is the Secretary General of the International Telecommunication

Union (ITU).

13. What is the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and where is it headquartered?

ITU is an agency of the United Nations dedicated to the information and communication
technologies. ITU’s headquarters are located in Geneva, Switzerland.

14. Name the three ITU sectors.

The three ITU sectors are: Radio communication, Standardization and Development.

15. What does the RS in RS-232 stand for and which organization introduced it?

RS stands for Recommended Standard. RS-232 was introduced by the Radio Section of
Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA).

16. What is SpaceWire?

SpaceWire is a standard for high-speed links and networks for use onboard spacecraft.

17. What is the mission of the ISOC and where are its headquarters located?

The Internet Society (ISOC) headquarters are located in Reston, Virginia and Geneva,
Switzerland. Its mission is “to assure the open development, evolution and use of the
internet for the benefit of all people throughout the world”.

18. What organizations does the IAB oversee?

IAB oversees Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and Internet Research Task Force
(IRTF).

19. What organization oversees the IAB?

ISOC oversees IAB.

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Lab - Research Networking Standards

20. When was the ISO founded and where are its headquarters located?

International Organization for Standardization (ISO) was founded in 1947 and its
headquarters are located in Geneva, Switzerland.

Step 2: Reflect on Internet and Computer Networking Experiences

Take a moment to think about the internet today in relation to the organizations and
technologies you have just researched. Then answer the following questions.
1. How do the internet standards allow for greater commerce? What potential problems
could we have if we did not have the IEEE?

Each company would development its own protocols and products which may not work with
equipment from other companies.

2. What potential problems could we have if we did not have the W3C?

We would not have a “common” language on the internet to display information and
communicate with each other.

3. What can we learn from the example of the Wi-Fi Alliance with regard to the
necessity of networking standards?

If equipment manufacturers follow the same standards/rules, it allows for

interoperability and backward compatibility. This encourages competition, allows
for consumer choices and encourages the manufacturers to create better products.

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