IPv6 Essentials, 3rd Edition

Appendix A. RFCs

If you want to learn more about IPv6 or any other standardized protocol, you need to read RFCs. They are the most accurate source of information—but yes, I do agree, not always fun reading (except if you read the ones published on April 1). This appendix provides a short overview of the standards and the RFC process. It also includes a list of IPv6-relevant RFCs mentioned throughout this book.

General RFC Information

The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and the Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG) are the organizations that define the official specification documents of the Internet Protocol suite. These documents are recorded and published as standards track Request for Comment (RFC). If you want to understand the role of the IETF and the standardization process, if you need a list of all the organizations involved in the process and a description of what they do, or if you wish to attend an IETF meeting, there is an interesting and humorous RFC that describes the background, processes, and rules: RFC 4677, titled “The Tao of IETF—A Novice’s Guide to the Internet Engineering Task Force.”

RFCs are written reports describing most of the information regarding TCP/IP and the architecture, protocols, and history of the Internet. There are many sites on the Internet where RFCs are electronically accessible. The sites are very different, but most of them support some form of search mechanism. Find the site that best suits your preferences.

A good starting point ...