Lab - Researching Networking Standards

Objectives
Part 1: Research Networking Standards Organizations

Gather information about the major networking standards organizations by going on a web surfing
treasure hunt.

Identify important characteristics of some of the organizations.

Part 2: Reflect on Internet and Computer Networking Experiences

Reflect on how the various networking standards organizations enhance our experience of the Internet
and computer networking.

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

Part 1: Research Networking Standards Organizations

In Part 1, 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 organizations 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?
He is an American Computer scientist. He is known for administering the Internet Assigned Numbers
Authority.

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?
ICANN and IANA.

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?
ICANN, Association for Computer Machinery, and CyberSecurity.

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

Internet Engineering Task Force.

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Lab - Researching Networking Standards

5. What do RFC 349 and RFC 1700 have in common?
They have an assignment number and both have wide standard functions
6. What RFC number is the ARPAWOCKY? What is it?

RFC 527. It's a parody of Lewis Carroll's poem "Jabberwocky".

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

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

are created following a consensus-based decision process;

consider aspects of accessibility, privacy, security, and internationalization;
reflect the views of diverse industries and global stakeholders;
9. Where
is speed,
the Institute
of Electrical
and Electronics
balance
fairness,
public accountability,
andEngineers
quality; (IEEE) headquarters located and what is the
significance
its logo? patent licensing commitments from participants;
benefit fromof
Royalty-Free
are stable (and W3C seeks to ensure their persistence at the published URI);
New
York
City,
New
York.from
It represents
the right
grip
rule embedded in Benjamin Franklin's kite.
benefit
from
wide
review
groups inside
and hand
outside
W3C;
are downloadable at no cost;
are maintained in a predictable fashion;
10. What
is the IEEE standard
for the Wi-Fi Protected
are strengthened
through interoperability
testing; Access 2 (WPA2) security protocol?
IEEE 802.11i

11. Is the Wi-Fi Alliance a non-profit standards organization? What is their goal?
The WIF Alliance is a trade organization, whose goal is it to establish a standard for wi-fi

12. Who is Hamadoun Tour?

Secretary General of the ITU, a devision dealing with communications of the UN

13. What is the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and where is it headquartered?
Specialized agency responsible for communications in the UN

14. Name the three ITU sectors?

RadioCommunication; Standardization; Develpment

15. What does the RS in RS-232 stand for and which organization introduced it?
The RADIO SECTOR of the EIA.

16. What is SpaceWire?

Spacecraft communication network developed by the IEEE

17. What is the mission of the ISOC and where are its headquarters located?
Nonprofit organization located in renston, virginia, what is trying to promote the open development, evolution
and use of the Internet for the benefit of all people throughout the world.

2013 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public.

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Lab - Researching Networking Standards

18. What organizations does the IAB oversee?
IETF, IRTF
19. What organization oversees the IAB?
ISOC

20. When was the ISO founded and where are its headquarters located?
Founded on 23 February 1947, in Geneva, Switzerland

Part 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?
Standards make communication easier and allow for people to use a common rule to go on the internet. If
we didn't have standards, people would be communicating differently on the network, and there wouldn't be
one uniform network as we know it today.
2. What potential problems could we have if we did not have the W3C?
We would have no communication which would mean no business or activity on the net. No communication
means no business, exchanging infromation or data equal zero.

3. What can we learn from the example of the Wi-Fi Alliance with regard to the necessity of networking
standards?
It extended Wi-Fi beyond wireless local area network applications so that all devices could connect because
of one single standard that would be in place.

2013 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public.

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