Hi. The following is a draft proposal for a new charter and scope for the group, as we discussed at the October meeting. If we can agree on something like this, let's post it to the wider lists (QED, etc.). I do not think this group ("NA-NOG") and the large group proposed to be the IOTF are mutually exclusive. Mark ---- Proposal for a North American Network Operators Group Mark Knopper Elise Gerich November 25, 1993 Introduction As has been discussed recently on a number of lists and in several group meetings, there is an increasing need to provide a forum for coordination among transit network service providers. There are a number of groups doing this already, with varying charters and agendas and with varying membership, and we've seen a few proposals for new groups on these lists over the last week or so. However, we are concerned about a specific set of topics and discussions that need to be carried out in an ongoing fashion among providers: the technical and routing interactions and coordination required to actually make the Internet work on a day-to-day basis. The Regional-techs group could evolve into the group that will accomplish these goals in an effective fashion, without excessive administrative overhead. Objectives of the Group The goals of this group (we propose the new name of NA-NOG) are as follows. It will also be important to enumerate what is explicitly NOT part of the set of objectives. 1. NA-NOG will host regular meetings of network service providers. The intial proposal is to have 3 meetings per year. 2. Establish a forum for the exchange of technical information. 3. Discuss specific implementation issues which require cooperation and coordination among network service providers to ensure the stability of overall service to the network users. 4. Serve as a focal point for other common activities of the participants (such as coordination of routing registry information). 6. Promote and coordinate interconnection of networks within North America and to other continents. The following are NOT objectives: -1. Make bilateral or multilateral agreements about policies and service features. -2. Make agreements about pricing or billing. -3. Coordinate purchases. -4. Create protocol standards. -5. Hold tutorials, workshops or professional society meetings. -6. Report to any specific governing body such as ISOC or FNC. Membership and Hosting The group should have membership that broadly includes network providers. These may include private, public, federal, commercial or other networks that consider themselves providers of Internet services. However the representatives attending this group should be prepared to engage in technical discussions. Membership should not be limited to North American participants though the general focus of the discussion should be from the NA networking point of view. Meetings should be hosted by participating network providers who volunteer to provide facilities The Regional-Techs group agreed to meet in January in an as-yet-unspecified location (San Diego was suggested), and will continue the discussion of its future and broadening its scope to include the objectives proposed here. We propose that the discussion of network coordination issues for North America be held within this group.