H.323 Annex O

[Glen Freundlich]

While it is true that work is progressed through written contributions to study
group and rapporteurs' meetings, those written contributions can be created
jointly via email, conference calls, over a plate of bull fries at Bruce's Bar,
etc. Note that joint creation of a contribution does not guarantee its approval
(although probability of approval certainly increases when a larger group of
people are involved in the creation of a proposal).

In the case of a jointly created contribution, it seems reasonable that someone
from that group would be able to present the contribution at a meeting. If
someone has a contribution they would like to present at a meeting, but is unable
to attend, it's certainly possible to ask someone who plans to attend the meeting
to present the material.

As for the SIP-H.323 interworking annex, check the meeting report:

"Call signaling could be captured in an appendix to H.246. This appendix would
first address simple audio interworking, covering topics such as mapping messages
between H.323 and SIP. This is work that is currently in progress in the IETF
(not an official work item at this time, but an unofficial task in the SIP
working group). This appendix would define the “preferred interworking mode” of
H.323; we’d expect the SIP experts to define the preferred interworking mode of
SIP. We need to capture the essence of each of the functional entities.
Contributions are requested."

SIP-H.323 interworking would be described in an appendix to H.246 (not H.323
Annex O). This would describe the "preferred interworking mode", which would
specify, for example, the use of H.323 fast start. It might describe the
relationship between the functional entities (e.g., is the SIP-H.323 interworking
function in a gateway or gatekeeper for the H.323 side, and in a SIP proxy for
the SIP side?). It would describe message mapping (e.g., the H.323 Setup message
maps to a SIP Invite message, and the called party number IE is mapped to the To
header).

Glen


Chip Sharp wrote:

> At 09:59 AM 5/30/00 -0400, Roy, Radhika R, ALARC wrote:
> ...snip...
> >There are also no mechanisms in the ITU-T SG16 to accept the contributions
> >for the companies that can afford to communicate via emails only. I guess
> >that the best way is to have the RFC from the IETF that will have all inputs
> >from all companies that invented the interworking solution. The SG16 can
> >then have the RFC for their use to make a formal standard (with more
> >additions if needed).
>
> It is true that SG16 still operates mainly on the basis of written
> contributions to meetings and not on mail lists like IETF WG.  It is also
> true that non-ITU members have a hard time participating in ITU SG
> work.  Even if a company is an ITU member, attending all the meetings
> around the world is a travel burden on small companies (even big
> companies). However, an IETF WG can submit a written contribution to SG16
> via existing mechanisms. Usually, this is initiated via consensus of the WG
> and/or by WG chair via the ISOC VP - Standards.  Of course, it requires
> someone to represent that contribution at the SG16 meetings.  The SG16
> Rapporteurs have been very open in the past to inviting non-ITU member
> experts to Rapporteur Meetings to further the work.  The SG16 mail list has
> been one of the more active SG mail lists in actually discussing technical
> issues.  And SG16's working documents are available for review as well (at
> least from Rapporteur's Meetings).  It will be nice if ITU could codify
> some of these examples at WTSA.
>
> I understand the desire to do the work in one place.  It is also true that
> SG16 can reference an IETF RFC in its recommendations.  However, if it is
> an informational RFC, it can't be a normative reference in ITU.
> ...snip...
> >If you think that any improvements need to be done in the solutions proposed
> >in the contributions of the IETF (please see the references provided in my
> >email), please submit the proposal in the IETF. We can then use the
> >Informational RFC as an input for a formal standard in the SG16. In this
> >way, we can get the best the both worlds having a "single common standard
> >for SIP-H.323 Interworking".
>
> Remember an ITU Recommendation cannot make a normative reference to an
> Informational RFC.
> If there is no new protocol work being done, the H.323-SIP interworking
> could conceivably become a BCP (Best Current Practice) some day.
>
> >The key is that the SG16 cannot use the interworking solution that has been
> >"invented" by the other companies or institutions without their consent and
> >participation. I personally feel very strongly that the SG16 cannot not
> >"invent" a NEW interworking solution of its own that will NOT include the
> >solutions proposed by others in the IETF.
>
> The ITU can incorporate by (normative or non-normative) reference to any
> RFC.  The IETF has an IPR policy that isn't too different from ITU (I don't
> think).  Current A.5 procedures require that IETF provide a written
> agreement to allow normative references to an RFC (I don't remember ever
> seeing one of these, but there may be a blanket agreement).  There are
> proposals to drop this requirement in the next version of A.5.
>
> Any IPR contained in IETF RFCs are covered by IETF IPR policy.  It is true
> that a company that has declared IPR in an IETF RFC may not know it is
> being referenced in ITU and therefore may not submit an IPR statement to
> ITU.  Therefore the IPR would only be covered by the IETF IPR statement
> (this brings up interesting legal questions, but I'll leave that up to the
> lawyers.).  This should only be a real problem if the invention were
> included in the ITU Recommendation by some means other than reference.
>
> So the bottom line is that there are mechanisms to share work in ITU and
> IETF even without all the formal mechanisms worked out between Megaco and
> Q.14.  However, if the work is going to be cooperative, such an agreement
> is probably desirable.
>
> Good Luck!
> Chip
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------
> Chip Sharp                 CTO Consulting Engineering
> Cisco Systems
> Reality - Love it or Leave it.
> http://www.netaid.org
> -------------------------------------------------------------------
>
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--
Glen Freundlich                       ggf at lucent.com
Lucent Technologies                   office: +1 303 538 2899
11900 N. Pecos                        fax: +1 303 538 3907
Westminster, Colorado 80234  USA

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