What Is Internet Architecture Board (IAB)?

The Internet Architecture Board (IAB) is a group of people who manage the engineering and technical development of the Internet. That sounds like an easy job. Still, we assure you it's not—this board has to deal with all kinds of things, including that they're constantly being asked for help by professional entities and standards agencies who need expert guidance on network issues. The IAB isn't just a reference for network expertise; it's also a reference for jokes. We've heard some pretty funny ones about them over the years, but we'll never tell you what they are because our lawyers told us not to talk about them. The IAB was formed initially in the early 1990s to help guide the Internet's development and advise the U.S. government on issues relating to the Internet. As the Internet matured and became influential, it became apparent that it needed a permanent body to advise and oversee Internet architecture to avoid fragmentation and provide a single voice for Internet policy issues. The IAB is managed by a consortium of non-profit and government institutions, collectively known as its members. The IAB has two types of members: governing members, who have voting rights, and non-governing members, who do not have voting rights. The Internet Architecture Board (IAB) is the body that manages several task forces, including the Internet Research Task Force (IRTF) and the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). The IAB was established as the Internet Configuration Control Board (ICCB) in 1979. Adopting several names afterward, it finally became the IAB in 1992. The U.S. government and Federal Research Internet Configuration Committee (FRICC) initially supported IAB. The board consists of several individuals who serve on committees and task forces to develop Internet standards and policies. These committees comprise volunteers who are members of their respective communities and are usually appointed by their respective organizations or companies.