Best Current Practices
Jonathan B. Postel, T. Li, Yakov Rekhter · 1995
This document specifies an Internet Best Current Practices for the Internet Community, and requests discussion and suggestions for improvements. Distribution of this memo is unlimited. This document describes a new series of documents which describe best current practices for the Internet community. Documents in this series carry the endorsement of the Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG). Discussion The current IETF process has two types of RFCs: standards track documents and other RFCs (e.g., informational, experimental, FYIs) [1]. The intent of the standards track documents is clear, and culminates in an official Internet Standard [2,3]. Informational RFCs can be published on a less formal basis, subject to the reasonable constraints of the RFC editor. Informational RFCs are not subject to peer review and carry no significance whatsoever within the IETF process [4]. The IETF currently has no other mechanism or means of publishing relevant technical information which it endorses. This document creates a new subseries of RFCs, entitled Best Current Practices BCPs). The BCP process is similar to that for proposed standards. The BCP is submitted to the IESG for review, and the existing review process applies, including a "last call " on the IETF announcement mailing list. However, once the IESG has approved the document, the process ends and the document is published. The resulting document is viewed as having the technical approval of the IETF, but it is not, and cannot become an official Internet Standard.