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<\/a><\/p>\nFor some, “Internet development” is about building out more networks in under-served parts of the world. For others, myself included, it has always included a component of evolving the technology itself, finding answers to age-old or just-discovered limitations and improving the state of the art of the functioning, deployed Internet.\u00a0 In either case, development means getting beyond the status quo.\u00a0 And, for the Internet, the status quo means stagnation, and stagnation means death.<\/p>\n
Twenty-odd years ago, when I first got involved in Internet technology development, it was clear that the technology was evolving dynamically.\u00a0 Engineers got together regularly to work out next steps large and small — incremental improvements were important, but people were not afraid to think of and tackle the larger questions of the Internet’s future.\u00a0 And the engineers who got together were the ones that would go home to their respective companies and implement the agreed on changes within their products and networks.<\/p>\n
Time passes, things change.\u00a0 As an important underlay to the world’s day to day activities, a common perspective of the best “future Internet” is — hopefully as good as today’s, but maybe faster.\u00a0\u00a0 And, many of the engineers have gone on to better things, or management positions.\u00a0 Companies are typically larger, shareholders a little more keen on stability, and engineers are less able to go home to their companies and just implement new things.<\/p>\n
If we want something other than “current course and speed” for the Internet’s development, I believe we need to put some thoughtful, active effort into rebuilding that sense of collaborative empowerment for the exploration of solutions to old problems and development of new directions — but taking into account and working with the business drivers of today’s Internet.<\/p>\n
Clearly, it can be done, at least for specific issue — I give you World IPv6 Launch<\/a>.<\/p>\n Apart from that, what kinds of issues need tackling?\u00a0 Well, near term issues include routing security as well as fostering measurements and analysis of the currently deployed network.\u00a0 Longer term issues can include things like dealing with rights — in handling personal information (privacy) as well as created content.<\/p>\n I don’t think it requires magic.\u00a0\u00a0 It might involve more than one plan — since there never is a single right answer or one size that fits all for the Internet.\u00a0 But, mostly, I think it involves careful fostering, technical leadership, and general facilitation of collaboration and cooperation on real live Internet-touching activities.<\/p>\n I’m not just waving my hands around and writing pretty words in a blog post.\u00a0 Earlier this year, I invited a number of operators to come talk about an Unwedging Routing Security Activity<\/em>, and in April, we had a meeting to discuss possibilities and particulars.\u00a0 You can out more about the activity, including a report from the meeting here.<\/a><\/p>\n