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Making new connections at IETF 115
6 Dec 2022
Last month, I had the opportunity to attend my first IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) meeting, IETF 115, which was held in London. It was a great experience and I was able to learn a lot from the many network specialists in attendance.
I became interested in the IETF when QUIC became an RFC. I realized that interoperability is very important for the Internet, and that protocols are developed through discussions among people. Before this first in-person participation, I read RFCs and Internet-Drafts. I also watched old IETF videos or read the meeting notes on areas of interest to me. In addition, I also subscribed to the mailing lists from QUIC, v6ops, WebTransport, and others. While the volume of discussions on the mailing lists can be overwhelming at times, I did my best to keep up with the discussions and read through the emails occasionally.
In October, I submitted my first Internet-Draft, "IPv6 only iterative resolvers utilizing NAT64", and had some discussions on the mailing list before the meetings began. At the IETF meeting, I was able to talk to experts in a variety of areas, including HTTP, QUIC, and IPv6. I was able to learn about the latest developments in these fields and discuss some of the challenges and opportunities they present.
The most memorable part of the event was being able to present at the v6ops working group on my Internet-Draft "IPv6 only iterative resolvers utilizing NAT64". It was very nice to meet people who had read my draft and we had some great discussions about it. The presentation was well-received and I received a lot of valuable feedback both in person and on the mailing list. I am planning to incorporate all the feedback I received so I can submit a second version of the draft.
During the meetings, I sometimes tried to help take notes. However, taking notes was difficult because I don't have a lot of knowledge about the protocols.
One of the great things about attending the IETF was the many opportunities to talk to people and make connections. For example, on Sunday night there was the Welcome Reception and on Monday morning, there was a Systers Networking Event where I had the opportunity to meet a lot of female participants. In the evening, there was the New Participants' Dinner where I was able to connect with other newcomers to the IETF. I especially got close to other new participants who were close to my age and we spent the rest of the week attending meetings and events together.
On Wednesday, there was the Social Event at the Victoria and Albert Museum, which was a great opportunity to meet even more people, including some of the experts and leaders in the field that I had always wanted to meet. I want to give a special thank you to the people who were very kind to me at the IETF and who provided me with valuable tips and information. It was greatly appreciated and helped make my experience even more enjoyable.
Overall, attending the IETF was a great experience and I'm already looking forward to the next meeting, IETF 116, which will be held in March 2023 in Yokohama, Japan. Since I live in Tokyo, I will definitely be there in person again. In the future, I want to be more involved in the IETF and continue to learn and contribute to the development of the Internet. I plan to read more drafts and provide feedback to others to help improve their work.
