INTERNET SOCIETY 2003 ANNUAL REPORT Strengthening the Internet Community through Education, Policy, Standards, and Member Activities 1775 Wiehle Avenue, Suite 102 Reston, VA 20190 U.S.A. Tel +1 703 326 9880 Fax +1 703 326 9881 4, Rue Des Falaises Ch–1205 Geneva Switzerland Tel +41 22 807 1444 Fax +41 22 807 1445 Copyright © Internet Society 2004. All rights reserved. TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword by Fred Baker, Chair, Internet Society Board of Trustees Foreword by Lynn St. Amour, President and CEO ISOC in 2003: A Year in Review Plans for the Future What Is the Internet Society? ISOC Pillar: Internet Standards ISOC Pillar: Education ISOC Pillar: Internet Policy Worldwide Members and Chapters Keep ISOC—and the Internet—Going Strong Financial Report Notes on Financial Information For More Information Foreword by Fred Baker, Chair, Internet Society Board of Trustees This year the Internet Society (ISOC) enters a new phase in its existence. The organisation was founded to achieve two fundamental purposes: To provide corporate support for the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and to promote the responsible and effective use of the Internet through education, discussion, and contributions to public policy. In the 1990s, we effectively prosecuted those goals. Much of the Internet access and use that now exists in developing countries can be traced to our collective efforts in conferences, training programmes, and the activities of ISOC chapters. However, during the past five years, we have experienced major restructuring and endured great limitations due to financial constraints both from within the organisation and throughout the industry. With our establishment of the Public Interest Registry, the Internet Society has a new and welcome source of funds to support initiatives in the public interest. We plan to use the additional funds in our various efforts to promote the effective and responsible use of the Internet. One of ISOC’s key relationships is with the IETF, a group that is critically important to the functionality and future directions of Internet technology. Today, the Internet Society and the IETF are engaged in a mutually beneficial and symbiotic relationship. ISOC provides major funding for the RFC (Request for Comments) editor and covers other IETF costs, and the IETF provides personnel and expertise critical to ISOC activities. With the IETF engaged in an administrative restructuring, one could characterise its current state as maturing and taking responsibility for itself—a job that has in the past been borne by individuals such as Vint Cerf, Bob Kahn, Jon Postel, and Bob Braden as well as by corporate entities, including the Corporation for National Research Initiatives, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, the Internet Society, and the University of Southern California’s Institute for Information Sciences, to name a few. The restructuring brings the contractual relationships with the various supports for the IETF—including the RFC editor, the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority’s IETF activities, and the secretariat functions—under a common administrative umbrella. That structure will enable the IETF leadership to manage its relationships, activities, and tools in a more comprehensive and more business-like manner. It also makes it possible for the IETF’s financial activities to become far more transparent and fungible—and therefore manageable and accountable. The improvements benefit ISOC’s organisational members—many of which employ IETF members—by making the IETF processes more predictable and the ISOC education and market development activities easier to carry out. ISOC has 82 active chapters in 64 countries throughout the world as well as a large number of chapters in formation. It also has individual members in roughly 180 countries. The activities of chapters and individual members have been significant in content development, in education, and in guiding policy development. One of the former trustees, Tarek Kamel, was named minister of communications in Egypt, which is a credit both to him and to Egypt. For chapters, which in the past have largely been on their own, the improvements put ISOC in a position to offer more services. Initially, chapters will benefit from an improved ISOC member-management system. Over time, we expect to provide even more educational materials for local chapter activities. I am pleased to report that ISOC is enhancing its individual member model with a programme of professional membership. While our initial expectations are modest—a professional member joins ISOC and pays a fee as a show of support for the organisation while benefiting from some additional visibility—once enough such members join, they will be able to elect a percentage of trustees for the ISOC board. The result of the improvements, supported by better funding, will be improved development of technical standards and enhanced efforts toward responsible and effective use of the Internet through education, discussion, and contributions to public policy. That, in the end, is why ISOC is here. Foreword by Lynn St. Amour, President and CEO, Internet Society Welcome to the first annual report of the Internet Society (ISOC). With more than 10 years behind us and a fast-growing global economy before us, we remain as committed as ever to our mission of ensuring and maintaining an open and unencumbered Internet for the benefit of all. In 2003 we experienced great success in growing the organisation and extending its influence. Like most organisations, we measure our success in terms of growth and influence. In both areas, we’ve experienced success. As of October 2004, ISOC’s individual membership had increased to more than 16,000 individuals, organisation members now number 89, and there are 82 chapters, with many more being formed. In 2003 ISOC dedicated itself to four key objectives. I am happy to report significant progress and successes in each of them. The goals were: • Improve ISOC’s financial position • Increase activities in Internet policy • Expand the number and range of ISOC activities and partnerships regarding standards, education, and Internet policy • Strengthen ISOC’s value to organisation members, individual members, and chapters IMPROVE ISOC’S FINANCIAL POSITION The key to ISOC’s long-term financial health lies in its organisation members. The difficult economy of the past few years created a number of challenges for many ISOC members. This put pressure on ISOC’s financial position, inspiring us to seek alternative means to fund critical programs. One alternative is detailed later. In addition, we have invested in new systems and additional resources and are making progress in expanding our organisation member base. We are confident in our future success and expect to welcome many new members in the years to come. In 2002, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) awarded ISOC the contract to manage the .ORG top-level domain over 10 other competitive proposals. ISOC’s bid was successful based on our strong roots in technology as well as our well-known leadership in responsible Internet citizenship. Later that year, ISOC formed the Public Interest Registry (PIR) for the purpose of administering the .ORG domain. By year-end 2003, PIR had grown the .ORG registry from 2.5 million to 3 million domain names, generating additional funds to enable ISOC to better pursue its public-spirited goals and programs. I am happy to report that the .ORG initiative has been an exceptional financial success and has been extremely well received both by the public and by ISOC members. The stability of our financial position and our long-term financial health still depends on building a much stronger and sizable organisation member base. The recent appointment o f David McAuley, ISOC’s director of membership, has already begun to strengthen our member programs—for organisations, individual members, and chapters—and we look forward to significant growth in the future. INCREASE ACTIVITIES IN INTERNET POLICY ISOC added its voice to the debate over Internet governance. We actively participated in World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) events and in the WSIS preparatory meetings, including many associated regional, United Nations, and international forums. WSIS’s action plan implies, among other things, the need for new, heavyweight intergovernmental organisations to manage the Internet. It is ISOC’s position that such changes are unnecessary. Today’s structures and processes are effective, international, completely open, and inclusive and are the best vehicles for continued improvement. Changes such as those proposed will bring little if any benefit to people in the developing world (the most pressing requirement); neither will they advance the Internet itself. They could even lead to significant disruption. Significant benefit will come from increased access to the Internet, not centralised government control. The centralised approach is not compatible with the dynamics of the Internet and is antithetical to what has made the Internet such a success to date. ISOC and other organisations such as the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and the Internet Architecture Board (IAB) were key participants in the Global Forum on Internet Governance held at the United Nations in New York in early 2004. We actively encouraged WSIS to moderate its stance and change the focus to include more attention to issues of connectivity and education. We’ve already achieved some success, yet much more remains to be done. This remains an area of real concern to us, and we expect to participate fully in the ongoing debate. INCREASE ISOC’S ACTIVITIES AND PARTNERSHIPS We are pleased to announce increased cooperation with other organisations, including the Regional Internet Registries, La Fundación Escuela Latinoamericana de Redes (the Latin American Networking School Foundation, EsLaRed), the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the Network Startup Resource Centre (NSRC), and the Internetworking Research Laboratory at the Asian Institute of Technology, to name but a few. We supported critical efforts across the world, sponsoring events such as the Internet Workshop for Latin America and the Caribbean (WALC), Africa Network Operators’ Group (AfNOG) educational workshops, the Network and Distributed System Security symposium, a multicast workshop held in Thailand, and numerous other events across the world. STRENGTHEN ISOC’S VALUE TO ALL MEMBERS: ORGANISATIONS, INDIVIDUALS, AND CHAPTERS ISOC’s efforts focus on three areas we call pillars: standards, education, and policy. Our efforts focus on adding significant value to the Internet community around the world as well as to our organisation, individual, and chapter members. We do this primarily through education and information dissemination as well as through participation in and support of the development of Internet policy and standards. ISOC offers all members and chapters unparalleled access to global resources in Internet education, policy, and standards while working actively to increase access to key decision-making processes. This enables members to be proactive on key matters pertaining to future Internet development. In 2003 our unique position and the strength of our members and our partnerships allowed us to address critical new pressures on the Internet such as the governance issue raised by WSIS. But we still have much to do, particularly regarding: • Internet policy: for areas such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and spam • Connectivity: increasing access to the Internet for least-developed countries (LDCs) • Education initiatives: to ensure that everyone can enjoy the benefits the Internet can bring, with a strong focus on LDCs • Support for the IETF: in the development of Internet technical standards • Internet governance: as the great debate continues INSIDE ISOC This past year, several senior leaders joined ISOC’s efforts. Michael Nelson, ISOC’s new vice president of Internet policy, took the first steps to enunciate broad policy goals that will ensure the Internet’s continued responsible development. Peter Godwin, Mirjam Kuehne, and Nelson Sanchez are our new senior programme managers. All three are assigned to the Internet Society’s Europe, Middle East, and Africa office in Geneva to take full advantage of their international background. In 2004 plans call for ISOC to continue: • Providing support for the IETF and related initiatives such as the IETF administrative restructuring • Providing educational programmes and support for regional Internet training workshops, particularly for LDCs • Raising awareness about new Internet technologies and standards in such areas as VoIP, security, IPv6, privacy issues, and others to ensure the health, stability, and continued responsible expansion of the Internet • Working in countries around the world to develop new mechanisms for informing policy debates and key decision makers • Supporting national chapters and individual members worldwide in influencing key policy matters in their own countries • Working with partners to ensure that all people will be able to enjoy the benefits of the Internet, e-business, e-government, and other uses of the Internet Many of the aforementioned activities are supported by our Platinum Sponsorship Programme, which offers organisations the opportunity to designate their support to specific ISOC pillars or initiatives. Information on the Platinum Programme and membership levels is available at www.isoc.org/orgs or by contacting org-membership@isoc.org. MEMBERSHIP SUPPORT ISOC Standards Pillar Sponsorship In 2003 Platinum sponsors—including APNIC, ARIN, RIPE, and Microsoft—provided much of the funding for ISOC’s standards programmes. Their support is vital in helping maintain the RFC editor function, which is a key component of the IETF open Internet standards process. ISOC Policy Pillar Sponsorship Much of the sponsorship of ISOC’s Internet policy programmes is provided by Platinum sponsor Afilias Ltd. In the past year, Afilias’s sponsorship has enabled ISOC to develop and promote programmes and educational activities in support of an open Internet. Our Member Briefings and Bulletins are but two examples. ISOC has actively worked to influence Internet policy formation by participating in major events such as Telecom World 2003 and WSIS. ISOC Education Pillar Sponsorship Sponsors Qualys and Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) have supported such initiatives as the ISOC Workshop Resource Centre and training workshops organised by AfNOG. Through AfNOG, we are helping strengthen the technical expertise of African operators who need to design and manage larger networks as the demand for connectivity in Africa increases. Workshops such as these have helped transfer both technology and knowledge to developing regions and helped make them self-sufficient in supporting local Internet infrastructure. ISOC recognises the support given by all of its members in 2003. It is only with their continued support that we are able to pursue this critical work. I would also like to acknowledge the efforts of the staff of the Public Interest Registry in making the .ORG registry a success, so that ISOC might expand its critical work in Internet policy and education. The Internet is at a critical moment in its evolution. ISOC plays a central role in ensuring the Internet’s continued successful development and expanded deployment. In 2004 we renew our commitment to fostering open standards, inclusive consensus-based processes in support of innovation, continued expansion worldwide, and vitality of the Internet. ISOC in 2003: A Year in Review In 2003 the Internet Society (ISOC) achieved a number of critical benchmarks, reflecting a strengthened global focus. ISOC WINS BID FOR .ORG REGISTRY In 2002 the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) awarded the Internet Society a contract to manage the .ORG top-level domain over 10 competitive proposals (www.pir.org). ISOC’s bid was successful based on its strong technical roots and its reputation for responsible Internet citizenship. In October 2002 ISOC incorporated the Public Interest Registry (PIR) to manage the .ORG top-level domain. In January 2003 PIR turned over 2.5 million domain names from VeriSign. The conversion was completed with no outages for .ORG registrants. PIR’s mission is to manage the .ORG domain in an exemplary manner: “Serving the Public Interest.” The organisation, which has a partnership with Ireland-based Afilias Ltd. to perform all back-end technical services, is charged with overall responsibility for the .ORG registry and focuses particularly on the establishment of policies that support the .ORG community and help the domain name space evolve responsibly and in the public’s best interest. During its first full year of operation, PIR exceeded all performance objectives. By end-of-year 2003, the registry had grown the .ORG registry from 2.5 million to 3 million domain names. The organisation exceeded revenue targets by 16 percent and net asset objectives by 23 percent. All earnings after operating expenses and reserves go to ISOC to be used for programme development and outreach in line with commitments made during the bid process. Other PIR accomplishments in 2003 include: • Announcement of a redemption grace period, which allows registrants to redeem for up to 30 days after deletion a name that has been deleted by a registrar. This is a major benefit to registrants who may have inadvertently lost their domain name. • Implementation of a change that enabled .ORG domain names to resolve through Web browsers worldwide within 5 minutes of domain registration or modification. The change enhances the speed of registration/modification-to-resolution of .ORG names from a previous average of 12 to 24 hours. • Successful implementation of a global advisory council consisting of 21 international Internet and noncommercial community leaders from 16 countries and every continent. The council provides advice and recommendations in the areas of policy and outreach as well as services on behalf of the worldwide Internet noncommercial community. PIR’s overall performance during 2003 established a new benchmark for registry operations. In 2004, PIR envisions positioning .ORG as a valued global brand and is committed to defining a new standard of customer satisfaction and registry operations while providing resources that will empower and educate the noncommercial Internet community. ISOC has imparted its noncommercial heritage, global awareness, and Internet knowledge to PIR, and that—coupled with Afilias’s significant technical expertise—enables PIR to deliver greater value and better performance to registrars and registrants. ISOC PUTS FOCUS ON INTERNET DEVELOPMENT In December 2003, at the conclusion of the WSIS, an action plan was released that implied the need for new, intergovernmental organisations to manage the Internet (www.isoc.org/isoc/conferences/wsis). In particular, several government delegations suggested replacing ICANN with an intergovernmental body. ISOC’s position, which it stated clearly at WSIS 2003, is that this is solving the wrong problem. The unprecedented growth and innovation that we see in the Internet sector have been due to the system of cooperation among the organisations responsible for coordinating and developing Internet resources and standards, to the nature and development of the Internet itself, and to innovative and successful models of private/public cooperation. The area that should be addressed is one of maximising equal access to the Internet and the benefits that it can provide for LDCs. This includes the ability to participate actively in the Internet’s future development. We strongly believe this is where the real opportunity lies and where we intend to do as much as possible to ensure this becomes a reality. Through participation in WSIS 2003, ISOC added its voice to the growing debate over Internet governance and worked to increase widespread understanding of what has made the Internet successful and what is important to ensure the Internet’s continued development and its open nature and to further develop its global reach. ISOC is committed to working with governments, industry, and Internet users around the world as a way of ensuring that the Internet develops so that the Internet is for everyone. Our continued education initiatives, particularly in developing countries, help enable people everywhere to both get access to and play a role in the evolution of the Internet. INFLUENCE OF ISOC CHAPTERS AND EDUCATION INITIATIVES IS FELT WORLDWIDE Since the inception of chapters as a mechanism for creating a local presence for the organisation, ISOC chapters have demonstrated the capacity to influence and drive Internet technology development worldwide. In fact, in 2003 ISOC Nigeria took a leadership role in the establishment of four information technology centres, all of which were implemented through the efforts of the chapter and paid for entirely through sponsorships raised locally by the chapter. ISOC wishes to extend its gratitude to Jim Galvin, ISOC’s vice president of chapters, for the enormous contribution he has made in the development of ISOC chapters and in helping the organisation grow its membership base. A number of highly specialised Internet education and training initiatives—benefiting a wide range of professionals, from technical trainers to inter-national policy makers—were made possible in large part by ISOC’s local leaders (chapters and individuals) and their support. Noteworthy examples include the following. WALC 2003. Nearly suspended due to lack of funding, these training activities conducted by the Latin American Net-working School in Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Venezuela were reestablished as a result of financial support by ISOC and InfoDev of the World Bank (www.walc03.ula.ve). AfNOG 2003. Advanced training by the Africa Network Operators’ Group Workshop helped prepare 43 participants from 18 African countries to develop and maintain scalable services and routing networks in their countries. Funding was provided by Sida as well as ISOC (www.afnog.org). NDSS 2003. The Network and Distributed Systems Symposium (NDSS) is sponsored by the Internet Society and held annually in San Diego. It brings together innovative and forward-thinking members of the Internet community, including leading-edge security researchers and implementers, globally recognised security technology experts, and users from both the private and public sectors who design, develop, exploit, and deploy the technologies that define network and distributed-system security. More than 150 security specialists from government, academia, and the private sector throughout the world attended NDSS’03. Two hallmarks of the annual event are regular opportunities for extended question-and-answer sessions and hallway discussions, which promote exchanges in a relaxed and informal setting. Attendance is kept at a level that fosters this type of interaction (www.isoc.org/ndss03). ISOC Workshop Resource Centre launched. ISOC’s new Web-based portal is now online, providing education materials in an open-source model and supporting organisers of network technology workshops worldwide. ISOC wishes to recognise the efforts of Randy Bush and Zita Wenzel, who stepped down from their positions as joint vice presidents of education in 2003. Bush and Wenzel are widely recognised for their considerable contributions to bringing Internet connectivity to many of the world’s developing countries, and we were fortunate to have their support and expertise. For details on ISOC’s education initiatives, see page 21. ISOC ADVANCES INTERNET POLICY DIRECTIONS ISOC vice president of Internet policy Michael Nelson drafted a series of five policy goals intended to guide ISOC’s public policy efforts and provide focus into the future. The goals were developed to leverage ISOC’s strengths, including its reputation for being able to tap the brightest technical and social minds in the Internet community, its understanding of leading-edge Internet technologies, its involvement in the standards process both at the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and elsewhere, and its truly global perspective and outreach. ISOC is committed to working with government and industry leaders and Internet users around the world to ensure that the Internet develops in a manner that enables all users to harness its full power and potential. The key to ISOC’s policy strategy is the organisation’s work to ensure that all users enjoy the ability to connect, to speak, to innovate, to share, and to choose. For more information, see www.isoc.org/pubpolpillar. INTERNET POLICY ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED BY ISOC PLATINUM SPONSORS In January 2003 ISOC announced the receipt of a generous donation of US$100,000 from Qualys™, Inc., the leader in automated vulnerability assessment. With that donation, Qualys became a Platinum sponsor of ISOC, joining Afilias Ltd.; regional Internet registries APNIC, ARIN, and the RIPE NCC; Microsoft Corp.; and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. Funds from the Qualys donation were used to support and enhance ISOC’s educational activities. In particular, ISOC’s new Workshop Resource Centre was made possible thanks to support from Qualys. The donation also enabled ISOC to broaden its education and training efforts, which are fundamental to the mission of expanding the use of the Internet globally (www.isoc.org/news/9.shtml). ISOC LAUNCHES CYBER SURVEYS TO MONITOR MEMBER FEEDBACK In 2003 ISOC began asking its membership for regular feedback via monthly cyber referendums that are open to all members. These surveys provide ISOC with valuable input about members’ concerns and opinions. At the same time, they give members an opportunity to participate directly in the development of Internet policies and in ISOC activities. Survey topics range from specific technologies such as antispam technologies to policy-related issues, like those surrounding ISOC’s participation in the World Summit on the Information Society. Summaries of survey results are published in the monthly ISOC member newsletter. Detailed responses can be reviewed at www.isoc.org/members/surveys. ISOC’S PRESTIGIOUS POSTEL AWARD RECOGNISES PETER KIRSTEIN At the 57th meeting of the IETF in Vienna in July 2003, the Internet Society awarded Internet pioneer Peter Kirstein the prestigious Jonathan B. Postel Service Award. A founding member of the Internet Society, Professor Kirstein was directly involved with its development and evolution. This important award was given in recognition of his foresight, persistence, and innovation in navigating international technical and political complexities and thus helping facilitate global propagation of the Internet. The Jonathan B. Postel Service Award was established by the Internet Society to honour those who have made outstanding contributions in service to the data communications community. The award focuses on sustained and substantial technical contributions, service to the community, and leadership. The award is named after Jonathan B. Postel, who embodied all of those qualities during his extraordinary stewardship over the course of a 30-year career in networking. Postel served as editor of the request-for-comments series of notes from its inception in 1969 until 1998. He also served as ARPANET numbers tsar as well as the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority during the same period of time. He was a founding member of the Internet Architecture (née Activities) Board and the first individual member of ISOC, wherein he also served as a trustee. Previous recipients include Jon himself (posthumously), Scott Bradner, Daniel Karrenberg, and Stephen Wolff. The award consists of an engraved crystal globe and US$20,000 (www.isoc.org/isoc/media/releases/030716pr.shtml). ISOC WELCOMES NEW STAFF In 2003 ISOC continued to develop its leadership by hiring communications manager Peter Godwin and senior programme managers Mirjam Kuehne and Nelson Sanchez, all of whom bring to ISOC years of experience in global Internet development and programme oversight. In April 2004, David McAuley joined ISOC as membership director. McAuley has extensive experience in international technology and Internet enterprises as a marketer and management specialist (www.isoc.org/isoc/general/staff). ISOC COMMUNICATIONS KEEP MEMBERS AND STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED Bulletins In 2003 ISOC began producing regular bulletins on educational initiatives, Internet governance, topical technical developments, and more. ISOC news bulletins are produced in cooperation with the PIR and ISOC’s organisation members (www.isoc.org/pubs). An example of ISOC bulletins follows. Member Briefings, Articles of Interest, ISP Column An important part of ISOC’s communications with the Internet community is the number of informative and timely publications ISOC makes available to its members and affiliated organisations worldwide. The publications include: • ISP Column • Articles of Interest • ISOC Member Briefings • Invited Editors • The Internet Report by the IETF ISOC Discussion Groups In 2003 ISOC individual, chapter, and organisation members continued participating in online discussions covering topics ranging from strategic direction to membership growth initiatives, to ISOC’s value proposition. There are special interest discussion groups related to such topics as how ISOC and its chapters can promote Internet accessibility and the Interplanetary Network. Plans for the Future The Internet Society moves into the future with an aggressive agenda. CREATING INFLUENCE THROUGH PARTICIPATION In 2004 the Internet Society (ISOC) continues building on its participation in World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) activities by attending the International Telecommunication Union’s Workshop on Internet Governance and the Global Forum on Internet Governance, held in New York at the United Nations. The Global Forum brings together the leading actors and all relevant stakeholders—including Member States, civil society, and the private sector—interested in Internet governance issues. Organised under the auspices of the United Nations Information and Communication Technologies (UNICT) Task Force, the Global Forum is an important opportunity for ISOC and other organisations to engage in an open discussion on all aspects of Internet governance. ISOC will also participate actively in the consultations and activities of the UN Working Group on Internet Governance. BECOMING A KEY ENABLER OF INTERNET GOVERNANCE DEBATE Advocating for open, consensus-based processes as they relate to Internet issues remains a priority for ISOC. The organisation maintains that such strategies respect the changing needs of the Internet community while supporting a broader allocation of Internet resources and a more inclusive process for the development of Internet standards and protocols. These processes have not only led to the Internet’s becoming a critical part of the global communications infrastructure; they also support its continuing growth, global expansion, and smooth operation. The Internet Society remains dedicated to providing information and education about Internet structures and processes and how they have contributed to the Internet’s successful development. ISOC will continue to encourage and support broad participation in the activities of each of the organisations involved in Internet coordination. EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT CONTINUED AROUND THE WORLD ISOC plans to continue its support of education and training initiatives that target Internet technologists, trainers, policy leaders, and stakeholders throughout the world. Those initiatives include: WALC In 2004 ISOC continues to support the Internet Workshop for Latin America and the Caribbean (WALC), organised by the Latin American Networking School Foundation (EsLaRed), the Universidad de Los Andes (ULA) of Venezuela, the Latin American and the Caribbean Forum of Networks (ENRED), the National Centre on Information Technology in Venezuela (CNTI), and ISOC. The purpose of the workshop is to satisfy the requirements of the technological training of technicians and network professionals in Latin America and the Caribbean. Participants in the workshop are selected from those involved in Internet infrastructure planning and execution in their countries (www.walc2004.cepes.org.pe). AfNOG In 2004, ISOC will again provide support for the Africa Network Operators Group (AfNOG) Workshop. Similar to WALC, the workshop is designed to offer advanced training to operators of existing ISPs in Africa who are participants in the process of developing and enhancing a national Internet with regional and international connectivity (www.afnog.org). SilkNOG ISOC is pleased to announce plans to support the formation of the Network Operators Group for countries participating in the Virtual Silk Highway in the form of training support similar to that provided for AfNOG. The first SilkNOG activities are planned for 2004. Virtual Silk Highway is a NATO Science Programme project providing low-cost, high-bandwidth Internet connectivity for the three countries of the Southern Caucasus—Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia— and the five countries of Central Asia—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan—for research and education (www.silkproject.org). ISOC SUPPORTS REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES Grants Programmes in Asia Pacific and Latin American Regions ISOC is pleased to announce its support for the Pan Asia Networking and Pan Americas ICT R&D Grants Programmes. ISOC’s level of support in Asia gives it equal partnership status with the other partners of the programme: the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the United Nations Development Programme’s Asia Pacific Development Information Programme, and the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC). Launched in 1997 by IDRC, the objective of the Pan Asia Networking ICT R&D Grants Programme is to build institutional research capacity in the developing areas of the Asia Pacific region in the field of Internet networking. Through a competition format, grants are made available twice a year to proposals that successfully address innovative networking solutions to specific development issues (www.panasia.org.sg/grants). The Pan Americas programme (known as FRIDA, the Regional Fund for Digital Innovation in the Americas) is administered by the Latin American and Caribbean Internet Address Registry (LACNIC), with ISOC as a major sponsor (www.programafrida.net). What Is the Internet Society? Since 1992 the Internet Society (ISOC) has served as the international focal point for global cooperation and coordination in the development of the Internet. As a nonprofit, nongovernmental, international, professional membership organisation, ISOC realises its mission by providing global leadership in the area of Internet standards, education, and policy development. The work of ISOC is organised around three themes, referred to as the ISOC pillars: Internet standards, education, and policy. Internet Standards ISOC is the organisational home of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), the Internet Architecture Board (IAB), the Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG), and the Internet Research Task Force (IRTF). In that capacity, ISOC supports the request-for-comments-editor (RFC editor) function of the IETF and issues Internet standards advisories, publishes informational guides, and develops and conducts technical tutorials. In addition, ISOC acts as a channel to educate and promote standards internationally (www.isoc.org/standards). Internet Education Throughout its history, ISOC has pro-vided training for many key information technology leaders around the world. ISOC’s approach emphasises decentralised, distributed network education; education programmes for policy makers; and the widespread adoption of train-the-trainers programmes in situ worldwide. ISOC’s education and training initiatives are delivered by way of two large annual conferences each year plus an extensive series of smaller regional workshops. Many of the education and training initiatives—such as the Network Training Workshops (WALC, AfNOG, etc.) and Training Centres (Postel Nigerian Training Centres)—are organised by ISOC’s local chapters. ISOC also conducts tutorials, such as those on Internationalised Domain Names (IDN) and Voice over Internet Protocol (www.isoc.org/educpillar). Internet Policy ISOC is a leading voice worldwide in the discussion and debate about critical topics as they involve the Internet, including censorship and freedom of expression, privacy protection, spam, taxation, Internet governance, intellectual property, and societal issues. The organisation has created a public policy portal and resource centre, regularly publishes position statements, and conducts a number of policy workshops, polls, and surveys of the Internet community on key policy topics (www.isoc.org/pubpolpillar). ISOC MISSION In more than a decade, ISOC has pursued a single mission: to ensure the open development, evolution, and use of the Internet for the benefit of all people throughout the world. As the leading advocate for the open development of the standards, protocols, administration, and technical infrastructure of the Internet, ISOC: • Supports Internet education worldwide, with an emphasis on education and training in developing countries. • Promotes professional development and builds communities to foster participation and leadership in areas important to the evolution of the Internet. • Provides comprehensive and reliable technical information about the Internet. • Provides forums for discussion of the technical, commercial, and social issues and ideas that affect Internet evolution. • Fosters international cooperation, community, and a culture that facilitates successful self-governance of the Internet. • Serves as a focal point for cooperative efforts that promote the Internet as a positive tool to benefit all people throughout the world. • Provides management and coordination for strategy initiatives and humanitarian, educational, and societal outreach efforts. ISOC’s individual and organisation members are bound by those common interests. ISOC acts not only as a global clearinghouse for Internet information and education but also as a facilitator and coordinator of Internet-related initiatives around the world. Through its long-standing INET conference and other sponsored events, developing-country training workshops, tutorials, publications, public policy activities, regional and local chapters, standardisation activities and committees, as well as with offices in Switzerland and the United States, ISOC serves the needs of the growing global Internet community. From commerce to education, to social issues, ISOC’s goal is to enhance the availability and utility of the Internet on the widest possible scale. Members represent the very companies, government agencies, and foundations that have created the Internet and its technologies as well as innovative new entrepreneurial organisations that work to maintain that dynamic. ISOC encourages you to visit its home pages to see how Internet innovators are creatively using the network. THE INTERNET SOCIETY: WHERE THE HISTORY OF THE INTERNET LIVES ISOC was formed in the early 1990s, primarily as an institutional home in support of the Internet standards process. ISOC is proud that among its founders are a number of individuals with long-term involvement in the Internet. They include two of the Internet’s most esteemed pioneers—Vinton G. Cerf, senior vice president of Internet architecture and technology at MCI WorldCom, Inc., and Robert E. Kahn, chairman, president, and CEO of the Corporation for National Research Initiatives. ISOC’s charter member organisations were Educause, TERENA (RARE), and the Corporation for Research and Network Initiatives. The late Jon Postel was ISOC’s first individual member. In December 1997 President Bill Clinton presented the U.S. National Medal of Technology to Cerf and Kahn—who were responsible for development of the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)—for their work in founding and developing the Internet. STAFF–GENEVA, RESTON Lynn St. Amour, President/CEO David McAuley, Membership Director Lynn DuVal, Director of Finance and Administration Martin Kupres, Corporate and Institutional Development Manager Peter Godwin, Communications Manager Nelson Sanchez, Senior Programme Manager Mirjam Kühne, Senior Programme Manager Terry Weigler, Office Manager Anne Shroeder, Webmaster and System Administrator Majorie Addison, Accounting and Administrative Assistant MEMBERSHIP As of October 2004, ISOC’s membership extended to 89 organisations and businesses and 16,000 individuals in more than 180 nations, representing a veritable who’s who of the Internet community. Global Membership in ISOC enables individuals to advance their professional development through involvement in local chapters and a multitude of discussion groups. Such members benefit from networking with the most-respected and forward-thinking community of Internet technologists, developers, specialists, and enthusiasts worldwide: the individuals and organisations that help keep the Internet growing in a stable and secure manner. ISOC’s organisation members help ensure support for: • Internet standards development • Education and training in least-developed countries as well as developed countries • Internet industry self-governance • Internet policy activities • Publications, including summary reports of IETF activities and Internet Society Member Briefings • Legal defense: protecting the term Internet from private ownership As a nonprofit professional-membership organisation, ISOC relies on contributions for financial support. The following levels permit members to support ISOC and its activities in areas involving standards, education, and policy. The levels and their respective annual contributions are established to encourage organisations of all sizes to be active ISOC participants. Membership Levels and Annual Membership Fees* Platinum US$100,000 (min.) Sustaining Gold US$50,000 Silver US$25,000 Executive US$10,000 Professional US$5,000 Small Business US$2,500 *Note: Nonprofit organisations benefit from a 50 percent reduction in membership fees. ISOC gratefully acknowledges its members’ participation and the individual members and chapters around the world who donate their time, resources, and creativity to further the stable and successful evolution of this important medium. BOARD OF TRUSTEES The Board of Trustees of the Internet Society is the organisation’s governing body and is ultimately responsible for all of the affairs of the organisation worldwide. The board seeks cultural and geographic diversity among its individual members, as well as its business and organisation members. Trustees have a demonstrable involvement in the Internet, participating as technology developers, researchers, users, network operators, policy makers, and sponsors of research and development. The board generally consists of not more than 20 trustees, each holding office for a period of three years and for no more than two consecutive terms. Trustees are nominated, selected, and elected by ISOC organisation members, ISOC chapters and individual members, and the IETF standards organisation. As of December 2003, ISOC’s trustees, with their representative region, term of office, and officer title, were the following individuals. Fred Baker* U.S.A./Americas, 2002–2005, Chair Rosa M. Delgado Switzerland/Europe, 2000–2006 Lynn St. Amour* U.S.A./Americas, 2001–, President/CEO Alan Greenberg Canada/Americas, 2001–2004 Kees Neggers* Netherlands/Europe, 1998–2004 Don Heath U.S.A./Americas, 2001–2004 Latif Ladid* Morocco/Middle East/Africa, 2001–2004 Erik Huizer Netherlands/Europe, 2002–2004 Toshio Miki Japan/Asia, 2002–2005 Glenn Ricart U.S.A./Americas, 2002–2005, Treasurer, Elections Chair Osten Franberg Sweden/Europe, 2002–2004 Veni Markovski Bulgaria/Europe, 2002–2005 Pindar Wong* Hong Kong/Asia, 2003–2006 Steve Crocker* U.S.A./Americas, 2003–2006 Margaret Wasserman U.S.A./Americas, 2003–2006 George Sadowsky U.S.A./Americas, 2000–2004, Nominating Committee Chair Trustees Emeriti Brian E. Carpenter United Kingdom/Europe, 2000–2003 Wawa Ngenge Cameroon/Middle East/Africa, 2000–2003 Philippe Courtot France/Europe, 2002–2003 Officers Glenn Ricart U.S.A./Americas, 2003–2004, Treasurer Scott Bradner U.S.A./Americas, 2003–2004, Secretary Committees Glenn Ricart U.S.A./Americas 2003–2004 Elections Committee Chair George Sadowsky U.S.A./Americas 2003–2004 Nominating Committee Chair Glenn Ricart U.S.A./Americas 2003–2004 Audit Committee Chair *Denotes Executive Committee Member. ISOC Pillar: Internet Standards As the organisational home of the Internet’s premier Internet standards-making body—the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)—the Internet Society plays a crucial role in ensuring the smooth operations of this ever-expanding technology. In fact, without the technical achievements of the IETF and its participants, the Internet would never have become the success that it is today. The IETF Standards Process involves several organisations, including ISOC, the Internet Architecture Board (IAB), the Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG), the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), and the IETF itself. ISOC provides insurance coverage for many of the roles in the IETF process and acts as a channel to communicate and promote standards internationally. As a standardisation body, the IETF focuses on the development of protocols used on Internet protocol (IP)-based networks. Its unique process is based on rough consensus and running code. The IETF is different from most standardisation bodies in that it is a totally open community with no formal membership, and it is an international community of network designers, operators, vendors, and researchers concerned with the evolution of Internet architecture and smooth operation of the Internet. As an open forum, anyone can join the activity of the IETF (www.ietf.org). The IAB is chartered by the Internet Society Board of Trustees to provide oversight of the architecture of the Internet and its protocols. The IAB confirms the IETF chair and IESG candidates nominated by the IETF’s Nominations Committee. The IESG also administers the Internet standards process according to community-defined rules and procedures. IESG is responsible for the actions associated with the progression of technical specifications along the standards track, including the initial approval of new working groups and the final approval of specifications as Internet standards. IESG is composed of the IETF area directors and the IETF chair, who also serves as IESG chair. IANA is responsible for assigning Internet protocol parameters. Many protocol specifications include numbers, keywords, and other parameters that must be uniquely assigned. Examples include version numbers, protocol numbers, port numbers, and management information base numbers. IANA publishes tables of all currently assigned numbers and parameters in RFCs entitled Assigned Numbers. IANA functions as the “top of the pyramid” for DNS and Internet address assignment, establishing policies for these functions. The Request for Comments (RFC) editor is a key person responsible for the publication of RFCs—a series of formal documents of the Internet community. Those include but are not limited to Internet standards. ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE IETF consists of a number of working groups (WGs) classified into several areas. Currently, there are eight areas: Applications, General, Internet, Operations and Management, Routing, Security, Sub-IP, and Transport. Three IETF meetings are held annually. Active WGs may be allocated one or a few session slots for face-to-face meetings. In meetings or mailing list discussions, decisions are made based not on formal voting but on rough consensus. The Internet Engineering Steering Group considers standards. The specification documents of the Internet protocol suite, as defined by the IETF and the IESG, are published as RFCs. The RFC editor prepares and publishes the RFCs and is responsible for the final editorial review of the standards in their definitive form. FUNDING The Internet Society through its organisation members provides a major source of funding and support for the IETF and its processes. Notably, the Internet Society funds 100 percent of the RFC editor function. Funding for these efforts was provided by ISOC organisation members as well as ISOC’s Standards Pillar Platinum Sponsors: APNIC, ARIN, RIPE, and Microsoft. OTHER SUPPORT ISOC’s contributions also extend to the legal, insurance, policy, and public relations support we provide for the IETF. ISOC is the IETF’s sole source of financial support apart from IETF meeting fees. Support from companies, whose products and services so clearly depend on the standards developed by the IETF, is essential. INTERNET ENGINEERING STEERING GROUP (IESG) MEMBERS AS OF DECEMBER 2003 IETF Chair Harald Alvestrand, Cisco Systems Applications Area (app) Ted Hardie, Qualcomm Scott Hollenbeck, VeriSign Internet Area (int) Thomas Narten, IBM Margaret Wasserman, ThingMagic Operations & Management Area (ops) David Kessens, Nokia Bert Wijnen, Lucent Technologies Routing Area (rtg) Bill Fenner, AT&T Alex Zinin, Alcatel Security Area (sec) Steven Bellovin, AT&T Labs–Research Russ Housley, Vigil Security Transport Area (tsv) Allison Mankin, Bell Labs, Lucent Jon Peterson, NeuStar Temporary Sub-IP Area (sub) Alex Zinin, Alcatel Bert Wijnen, Lucent Technologies Liaison and Ex Officio Members Leslie Daigle, VeriSign (IAB Chair) Barbara Fuller, Foretec Seminars (IETF Executive Director) Michelle Cotton, Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA Liaison) Joyce Reynolds, USC/ISI (RFC Editor Liaison) Rob Austein, Internet Systems Consortium (IAB Liaison) INTERNET ARCHITECTURE BOARD (IAB) MEMBERS Leslie Daigle, VeriSign (IAB Chair) Bernard Aboba, Microsoft Harald Alvestrand, Cisco (IETF Chair) Rob Austein, Internet Systems Consortium Patrik Fältström, Cisco Sally Floyd, ICSI Mark Handley, University College London Bob Hinden, Nokia Geoff Huston, Telstra Jun-ichiro Itojun Hagino, IIJ Eric Rescorla, RTFM Pete Resnick, Qualcomm Jonathan Rosenberg, Dynamicsoft Ex Officio Vern Paxson, ICSI Center for Internet Research (IRTF Chair) Liaisons Joyce Reynolds, ISI (RFC Editor Liaison) Lynn St. Amour, ISOC (ISOC Liaison) Bert Wijnen, Lucent (IESG Liaison) What’s hot on the Internet now? According to Internet Society board chair Fred Baker, hot topics include Internet security and a host of new applications, such as voice, video, gaming, and peer-to-peer file sharing. Service providers are looking at ways of delivering stable service to converged networks carrying a variety of applications that are not now ubiquitous. “Especially in a few years,” said Baker, “when all of these applications are running encrypted, there are some interesting problems there.” NEW STANDARDS FACILITATE EXCITING NEW TECHNOLOGIES: ENUM, VOIP, AND SIP At its most basic, telephone number mapping—or ENUM—is the convergence of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and IP networks; it is the mapping of a telephone number from the PSTN to Internet functionalities. ENUM takes a complete, international telephone number and resolves it to a fully qualified domain name address. Just as ENUM facilitates convergence, it will also help facilitate many of the functions of SIP—the Session Initiation Protocol. SIP, in turn, enhances convergence by facilitating converged services. Some of the applications and services that SIP may facilitate are the traditional call-forwarding, follow-me, and do-not-disturb functions, but they also include new features that will merge Internet applications with video and voice communications. Using SIP-enabled applications, a person using a telephone connection with the computer could be prompted on that computer that another call is arriving. The person could make a selection on the computer to either end the dial-up session and answer the phone, or forward the call to another number, or send the caller to voice mail. In another example, a user could transfer a caller to a Web page instead of to another phone. In this case, the call would end, and the user’s Web browser would open the new page. The one-contact business card is merely the start of the advantages that ENUM will bring to customers. If an application exists on the Internet, it can potentially be mapped to a telephone number and reached via ENUM. ISOC Pillar: Education Since its inception, the Internet Society (ISOC) has played a leading role in transferring network technology through education. In fact, ISOC spearheaded one of the Internet’s principal training efforts and, through its education initiatives, has contributed significantly to the creation of national and regional networks around the world. Moreover, working in collaboration with numerous international partners and sponsors, ISOC’s education programmes have catalysed the deployment of computer networks throughout the developing world. ISOC’s train-the-trainer strategy—wherein students from previous workshops teach subsequent education programmes—helps foster sustainable regional training mechanisms and promotes a culture of collegiality among network operators and engineers. The resulting collaboration facilitates a human network of competent engineers and system administrators who cooperate technically, thereby helping us achieve our goal of developing stable international networks. Funding for these efforts was provided by ISOC organisation members as well as ISOC’s Education Platinum Sponsors: Qualys and the Swedish International Development Coordination Agency. ISOC-SUPPORTED ACTIVITIES AIT Multicast Workshop: Held by the Asian Institute of Technology in Pathumtani, Thailand (18–20 May 2003) ISOC provided funding for the Network Startup Resource Centre (NSRC) to pay costs associated with shipping routing equipment to a multicast workshop at the Internetworking Research Laboratory of the Asian Institute of Technology. Workshop participants were network engineers from education and research networks in the Asia-Pacific region. Students learned to engineer multicast into their networks and successfully facilitated multicast throughout the Thai research network. The curriculum was modeled on a multicast workshop taught at the University of Oregon for the Internet2 community in June 2002. African Network Operators Group (AfNOG) 2003: One-week technical workshop in Kampala, Uganda (9–13 June 2003) The Africa Network Operators’ Group (AfNOG) Workshop offers advanced training to operators of existing Internet service providers (ISPs) in Africa, who are successfully developing and enhancing a national Internet with regional and international connectivity. In 2003, 43 participants from 18 African countries attended the workshop, and 84 attended the AfNOG and African Network Information Centre (AfriNIC) meetings. The five-day training workshop was followed by the AfNOG 2003 meeting, consisting of a variety of short, technical presentations and interactive discussions. AfNOG 2003 also saw the introduction of a new workshop on country-code top-level-domain distributed operations. Thanks to the workshop, participants are ready to develop and maintain scalable services and routing networks in their countries. They were also provided with sufficient training material to enable them to train other technical professionals in their community. Conference participants were also prepared with the skills to develop and maintain large networked systems in their home countries. And they’ll train the trainers who carry technologies further into the emerging networks. Many of the African instructors at AfNOG 2003 were participants in the annual INET/NTW educational workshops organised by the Internet Society and the NSRC from 1993 to 2000. This demonstrates major progress toward fulfilling the goal shared by AfNOG, ISOC, and the NSRC to train a critical mass of professionals in network infrastructure and services, who go on to teach others in their home country and region what they have learned in the educational workshops. Funding was provided by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency as well as by ISOC/PIR (www.afnog.org). La Fundación Escuela Latinoamericana de Redes (EsLaRed) and the Internet Workshop for Latin America and the Caribbean (WALC): Held in Merida, Venezuela (20–24 October 2003) Since 1992, the Latin American Networking School (Escuela Latinoamericana de Redes, EsLaRed) has been conducting hands-on technical training for engineers and network professionals in Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Venezuela. In 2003 the institution’s annual event (WALC) was on the verge of being suspended due to lack of funding. Financial support by ISOC/PIR prompted InfoDev of the World Bank to provide additional funding to make the event possible. ISOC’s support has been crucial in obtaining support in the form of book and equipment donations, which have greatly enhanced WALC training. In 2003 the Network Startup Resource Centre (NSRC) provided technical assistance for the routing track at WALC 2003 by providing a full routing kit that is on loan to the NSRC from Cisco Systems, as well as running a virtual lab at the University of Oregon for participants in the routing track. The NSRC also facilitated donations of technical reference books from Addison-Wesley, Cisco Press, O’Reilly and Associates, and Prentice Hall for workshop participants and paid the shipping costs of getting the books to Venezuela. ISOC Launches Workshop Resource Centre In February 2004 the Internet Society launched its Workshop Resource Centre (WRC), a Web-based portal supporting organisers of network technology workshops worldwide. The WRC serves as a repository for sharing multilingual network training materials as well as a range of planning tools and information for trainers on setting up and organising workshops. It also provides access to a directory of trainers and lists of their competences and encourages interaction among members of the training community (ws.edu.isoc.org). The Workshop Resource Centre highlights ISOC’s commitment to sustainable Internet technology education initiatives. It not only allows ISOC to bring the education materials used in these programmes to a much wider audience than was previously possible but also provides a single source of valuable resources and tools for trainers and workshop organisers. Development of the ISOC Workshop Resource Centre was made possible thanks to sponsorship by Qualys Inc. (www.qualys.com) as well as support from the Public Interest Registry (www.pir.org). Specific features of the ISOC Workshop Resource Centre enable users to: • Upload and download materials for network training workshops • Find tools and checklists to plan education programmes • Search for potential workshop instructors • Review archived presentations and teaching materials from various events around the world • Participate in online planning discussions for upcoming events • Obtain peer review for lab exercises and curricula • Locate sources for lab equipment and technical books Technical development of the ISOC Workshop Resource Centre was carried out by a team from the Network Startup Resource Centre (www.nsrc.org) at the University of Oregon. Materials come from courses and instructors around the globe and are updated regularly. Southeast Asia Regional Training Centre The Asia Institute of Technology (AIT) in Bangkok has proposed to establish a regional training centre. In collaboration with AIT and the NSRC, ISOC’s educational team is assisting with development of the concept and working to strengthen regional collaboration. The NSRC has provided a small library of technical reference books and some networking equipment. South Asia Network Operators Group (SANOG), SANOG III: 15–22 January 2004, Bangalore, India SANOG offers a regional forum to discuss operational issues and provides a regional training mechanism for data operators in the South Asia region, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. ISOC provided funding to support the January 2004 training workshop organised by SANOG in Bangalore, India. The funding enabled participants from several countries to participate in the two workshop tracks. ISOC also helped to pay the cost of shipping technical books that were sent for workshop participants by the Network Startup Resource Centre in cooperation with Cisco Press and O’Reilly & Associates (www.sanog.org). ISOC Supports NSRC Workshops in Ecuador ISOC provided support for the shipping of workshop routing kits and donated books for a series of workshops that the NSRC conducted in Ecuador with the nascent R&E network. With support from ISOC, the National Science Foundation, and Cisco Systems, the NSRC provided technical assistance and hands-on training for the Consorcio Ecuatoriano para el Desarrollo de Internet Avanzado (CEDIA) and the Fundación para la Ciencia y la Tecnología (FUNDACYT) to help develop Ecuador’s national research and education network. The Internet Society’s educational programmes contribute significantly to the proliferation and diffusion of networks in developing economies by helping local network engineers establish initial Internet connections and networks in their respective countries. ISOC plans to build on that foundation to enhance its programmes for and its contributions to today’s Internet. TUTORIALS AT WSIS Two World Summit on the Information Society workshops took place in December 2003. “The Internet: How It Works, Why It Works, Who Makes It Work” offered insight into how the multiple facets of the Internet have evolved by means of participation by the technical community, the business community, civil society, governments, and academia, among others. Participants learned more about the factors that contributed to the success of the Internet, including the transparent and inclusive way in which it was developed. The workshop also offered insights into such organisations as ICANN as well as the role of ccTLDs, gTLDs, and RIRs in relation to the Domain Name System. Speakers discussed the work of the technical community, such as the IETF, and the important work of such organisations as ISOC. The workshop also brought to light how all interested parties, including governments, can and do participate in some of these organisations, and how decisions are reached. “The New Internet (IPv6) Workshop” was introduced by Rosa Delgado and successfully raised awareness of IPv6 and educated WSIS stakeholders—including nonprofit organisations and commercial entities—on the IPv6 infrastructure. Speakers discussed various aspects of IPv6—which offers virtually unlimited address space, increased quality of service support, and embedded Internet protocol security (www.isoc.org/isoc/conferences/wsis). ISOC supports both the WSIS process and mutual efforts to enhance IPv6 awareness, to build expertise and consultation activities in different geographic regions, and to develop technical and public policy. In the coming year, ISOC plans to continue assisting engineers, Internet service providers, trainers, and network operators in the less-connected parts of the world by expanding support for its tremendously successful regional initiatives. In collaboration with its many international partners, ISOC will make available and transfer the necessary tools, technology, information, and training necessary for an increase in connectivity, for strength-ening Internet networking operations, and for building mechanisms for the continued successful global development of the Internet. ISOC Pillar: Internet Policy Since its inception, the Internet Society has played a critical role in shaping public policy regarding the Internet. It’s done so by leveraging its considerable strengths, which include the following. • The ability to tap the brightest minds in the Internet technical community • An understanding of leading-edge Internet technologies • Links to the top experts studying the social impacts of the Internet • Involvement in the standards process both at the Internet Engineering Task Force and elsewhere • A truly global perspective and outreach Today the Internet is at a critical juncture in its development, and Internet policy is more important than ever. The Net’s evolution into a mass medium in many countries is resulting in increased pressure on policy makers to regulate the Internet, much as they regulate radio, television, and other mass media. But as ISOC members know, the Internet is more than just a means for communications and content distribution; it is a powerful platform for collaboration and distributed computing. With that new phase of development came new technical and policy challenges as well as even more need for advice and education. ISOC takes a two-pronged approach: (1) by providing white papers and statements on global issues being debated at the United Nations and elsewhere and (2) by helping individual chapters effectively influence local policy debates. Funding for these efforts was provided by ISOC organisation members, including Afilias Ltd., ISOC’s Policy Platinum Sponsor. POLICY GOALS ISOC is committed to working with government officials, industry representatives, and Internet users around the world to help policy makers get the technical knowledge they need in order to make informed decisions. Accordingly, ISOC’s work in Internet policy focuses on five key areas. 1. The ability to connect. ISOC wants to preserve the essential, end-to-end nature of the Internet and will oppose efforts to establish standards or practices that would make it difficult or impossible for some users of the Internet to use the full range of applications being developed for users. 2. The ability to express. As a mass medium, the Internet offers a powerful tool for self-expression. ISOC’s work aims to ensure the continuation of private and, when appropriate, anonymous means of communication and collaboration on the Internet. Accordingly, ISOC will oppose efforts to censor what users would be reading or distributing over the Net. At the same time, ISOC will promote filtering technologies and other ways that users can block spam and other content they do not wish to see. 3. The ability to innovate. The explosive growth of the Internet and the incredible variety of Internet applications are direct results of the Internet’s open nature in regard to key e-mail and Web-based standards. To date, all companies—regardless of size or location—are able to develop and distribute new Internet killer applications. And ISOC will oppose efforts by governments and others to restrict the ways Internet technology can evolve in the future. 4. The ability to share. The many-to-many nature of the Internet makes it a powerful tool for information sharing and collaboration among those in the field of education, in business and industry, and in government and nongovernmental organisations. It has given rise to the global, open-source community that developed many of the key technological components of the Internet, including the Domain Name System, the Web, and Web server software such as Apache. The Internet has increased users’ access to education and has made digital libraries realities. Accordingly, ISOC will support the development of open-source software and oppose new technologies and legislation that would limit the well-established concept of fair use, which is essential to the collaborative nature of scholarship, education, and research. 5. The ability to choose. The growth of the Internet has been fastest where markets are the most free and most open. Unfortunately, in too many countries—especially less-developed countries that could most benefit from the power of the Internet—government regulation and the economic power of incumbent telecommunication monopolies severely limit the ability of new competitors to provide newer, better, cheaper, and more-innovative Internet-related products and services. ISOC will continue advocating for government policies that foster competition in telecom services, Internet service provision, Internet-related software, and e-commerce applications. ISOC is not alone in its efforts to address policy issues related to the transport of bits and to the middleware that supports applications. Many other organisations weigh in on issues affecting applications software and business models that e-commerce companies may choose to adopt. In such areas as protection of online consumers and taxation of Internet commerce, while ISOC may not take an active leadership role in shaping policy, it will actively support the work of other organisations whose positions are consistent with what’s best for the Internet. In the coming years, ISOC will continue using its educational programmes to distribute information on key policy issues, especially in developing countries. Most important, however, ISOC’s role in shaping Internet policy and its ability to develop new mechanisms for affecting policy debates will depend on involvement by chapters, organisational members, and individual members Worldwide Members and Chapters Keep ISOC—and the Internet—Going Strong Today, the success of businesses and organisations depends on Internet-related decisions made by policy makers, standards organisations, and legislators worldwide. Those decisions have a direct impact on how well organisations plan for the future, serve customers, and compete in the digital age. The Internet Society provides leadership to keep the Internet open and usable. We unite diverse interests to find reasonable solutions to the issues and concerns that new Internet applications generate. Support by members enables us to ensure the stable growth of the Internet. Among our member organisations are corporations; nonprofit, trade, and professional organisations; foundations; educational institutions; government agencies; and other international organisations. Together they share a commitment to the health of the Internet and to the Internet Society for its leadership. We urge you to take an active role in the future of the Internet. Join the Internet Society today. Platinum Programme Sponsors Afilias APNIC ARIN Microsoft* Qualys RIPE NCC Swedish Int’l. Development Agency Sustaining-Gold Members DoCoMo USA Labs Geneva Financial Center Foundation Hewlett-Packard* IBM* Internet Initiative Japan (IIJ)* Lombard Odier Darier Hentsch Silver Members Cisco Systems, Inc.* JPNIC Executive Members ACOnet* Alcatel Assumption University of Thailand* Coalition for Networked Information* CORE Corp. for Nat’l. Research Initiatives* Dubai Municipality Educause* Equant Telecommunications SA Ericsson European Laboratory for Particle Physics (CERN)* Fujitsu Limited Hitachi, Ltd. Hungarnet Association IAjapan IEEE Computer Society* Institute for Informatics and Telematics* Intel Corporation* Internet2 Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics/CNAF* Lucent Technologies Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. MCI Motorola, Inc. NEC Corporation Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT)* NOB Nokia Nominet UK NORDUnet* Nortel Networks Northwestern University NYSERNet* Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. O’Reilly and Associates SITA SUNET* SURFnet bv* SWITCH TeliaSonera Corporation Telstra Trans-European Research and Education Networking Association* University of Washington* Verizon Communications Professional Members Advanced Network & Services, Inc. ECMA ETRI Federal Office for Communications, Switzerland RAND* SBC Internet Services* Siemens AG* Swisscom AG, Bern Thales UKERNA* VanDyke Software Small Business Members Association for Computing Machinery Avici Systems, Inc. ETSI Gibtelecom Hotsip AB Japan Registry Service Co., Ltd. Ken Stubbs Internet Consulting Louisiana State Univ and A&M College Mentat, Inc. Sendmail, Inc. SkyArch Song Networks Oy Stockholm University Talal Abu-Ghazaleh International (TAGI) UNI-C WIDE Project Start-Up Member Nominum, Inc. ISOC AROUND THE WORLD: 82 CHAPTERS IN 64 COUNTRIES Throughout the world, individuals involved in Internet technology and public policy find unparalleled professional support and networking opportunities through more than 80 ISOC chapters. Chapters bring focus to local and regional issues and offer the ability to generate stronger input on global issues to the ISOC Secretariat. For more information about chapters, see www.isoc.org/isoc/chapters. AFRICA Algeria Benin Cameroon Gabon Gambia Ghana Madagascar Mali Mauritania Mauritius Morocco Niger Nigeria Senegal South Africa Togo Uganda ASIA Bangladesh India–New Delhi Japan Pakistan Republic of Georgia Russian Federation: Tatarstan South Korea Taiwan Thailand EUROPE Belgium ISOC–Belgium Wallonie Bulgaria Denmark England Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Ireland Italy Luxembourg Netherlands Norway Poland Scotland Slovenia Spain ISOC–Spain Andalucia Aragon Asturia Catalonia Galicia Madrid Sweden Switzerland MIDDLE EAST Bahrain Egypt Israel Palestine Saudi Arabia Turkey–Istanbul NORTH AMERICA Canada ISOC–Canada Quebec Toronto United States Chicago, Illinois Hawaii Los Angeles, California New Jersey New York Metropolitan Area Puerto Rico South Central Texas Washington, D.C. CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA Argentina Brazil Colombia Ecuador Mexico Peru Venezuela SOUTH PACIFIC Australia Indonesia Pacific Islands Philippines NONGEOGRAPHIC Disability and Special Needs STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION December 31, 2003 December 31, 2002 ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents $480,077 $192,752 Investments – 2,550 Endowment–Public Interest Registry 4,225,828 – Accounts receivable 200,734 78,156 Prepaid expenses 28,616 29,785 TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS 4,935,255 303,243 Furniture, equipment, leasehold (Net) 83,196 91,071 OTHER ASSETS Deposits 8,213 8,213 TOTAL ASSETS $5,026,664 $402,527 LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS December 31, 2003 December 31, 2002 CURRENT LIABILITIES Accounts payable $44,685 $307,174 Accrued salaries and benefits 53,584 55,492 Security deposits payable 12,035 4,035 Deferred revenue 319,385 290,632 TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES 429,689 657,333 OTHER LIABILITIES Endowment payable– Public Interest Registry 4,225,828 – TOTAL LIABILITIES 4,655,517 657,333 NET ASSETS Unrestricted 351,111 (294,394) Temporarily restricted 20,036 39,588 TOTAL NET ASSETS 371,147 (254,806) TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS $5,026,664 $402,527 STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES AND CHANGES IN NET ASSETS FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2003 (With Summarized Totals For The Year Ended December 31, 2002) Temporarily Unrestricted Restricted Total 2003 Total 2002 REVENUE Program support $1,850,000 – $1,850,000 – Organization members & Platinum sponsors 899,835 - 899,835 1,476,782 Indiv member donors 13,450 – 13,450 – Individual member dues – – – 98,897 Conferences and misc. 201,034 448 201,482 120,154 Net assets released from restrictions 20,000 (20,000) – – TOTAL REVENUE 2,984,319 (19,552) 2,964,767 1,695,833 EXPENSES Direct program costs 1,802,894 – 1,802,894 1,183,207 General and admin 515,920 – 515,920 477,857 Postel Award 20,000 – 20,000 20,000 TOTAL EXPENSES 2,338,814 – 2,338,814 1,681,064 Change in net assets 645,505 (19,552) 625,953 14,769 Net assets, beginning of year (294,394) 39,588 (254,806) (269,575) NET ASSETS, END OF YEAR $351,111 $20,036 $371,147 ($254,806) Notes on Financial Information SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND GENERAL INFORMATION The Internet Society was incorporated as a nonprofit corporation in the District of Columbia on December 11, 1992. The Internet Society is exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Classification of Net Assets Net assets of the Internet Society are reported in two self-balancing groups. • Unrestricted net assets represent funds that are available for the support of the Internet Society's operations. • Temporarily restricted net assets represent resources that have been donated and are to be used in accordance with the stipulations set by the donor. Membership Dues Deferred revenue consists of membership dues collected in advance. Membership dues are recorded as deferred revenue upon receipt and are recognized as revenue ratably over the period to which the dues relate. Platinum Sponsors Platinum donations are recognized when committed by the donor. The revenue is recorded as temporarily restricted support, since the donor stipulates the use of the donated funds. When a donor restriction is accomplished, temporarily restricted net assets are reclassified to unrestricted net assets and reported in the statement of activities and change in net assets as net assets released from restrictions. Related Party Transaction On October 7, 2002, the Internet Society formed a separate but related entity known as Public Interest Registry to operate the .ORG registry. Public Interest Registry was incorporated as a Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation with the Internet Society as its sole member. In January 2003, the Internet Society became custodian of a $5,000,000 grant given to it on behalf of Public Interest Registry (PIR). The grant is to be distributed evenly in the amount of $833,333 per year plus accrued interest through 2008. The funds are to be used to establish an endowment to fund future operating costs of PIR. If PIR loses its status as the operator of the .ORG registry, the remaining endowment will be transferred to the successor registry operator. AWARDS The Jonathan B. Postel Service Award was established by the Internet Society to honor those who have made outstanding contributions in service to the data communications community. The $20,000 award is given annually and is named after Dr. Jonathan B. Postel, who embodied technical expertise, extraordinary leadership, and exemplary service to the community during his 30-year career. TEMPORARILY RESTRICTED NET ASSETS Temporarily restricted net assets at December 31, consist of: 2003 2002 Jonathan B. Postel Service Award $20,036 $39,588 NET ASSETS RELEASED FROM RESTRICTIONS Net assets that were released from restrictions by satisfying the purposes specified by the donors: 2003 2002 Jonathan B. Postel Service Award $20,000 $20,000 For More Information African Network Operators’ Group www.afnog.org Grants Programme in Asia Pacific www.panasia.org.sg/grants Grants Programme in Latin America www.programafrida.net INET 2004 www.inet2004.org Internet Architecture Board (IAB) www.iab.org Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG) www.iesg.org Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) www.ietf.org ISOC Members and Chapters www.isoc.org/members www.isoc.org/orgs www.isoc.org/chapters ISOC Pillar: Education www.isoc.org/educpillar ISOC Pillar: Internet Policy www.isoc.org/pubpolpillar ISOC Pillar: Internet Standards www.isoc.org/standards ISOC Press Releases www.isoc.org/isoc/media/releases ISOC Publications www.isoc.org/pubs ISOC Surveys www.isoc.org/members/surveys ISOC’s Workshop Resource Centre ws.edu.isoc.org Jonathan B. Postel Service Award www.isoc.org/awards Network and Distributed Systems Symposium (NDSS) 2003 www.isoc.org/ndss03 Public Interest Registry (PIR) www.pir.org South Asia Network Operators’ Group (SANOG) www.sanog.org The Virtual Silk Highway Silk Project www.silkproject.org Workshop for Latin America and the Caribbean (WALC) 2003 www.walc03.ula.ve Workshop for Latin America and the Caribbean (WALC) 2004 www.walc2004.cepes.org.pe World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) www.isoc.org/isoc/conferences/wsis