Subject: Management changes in L3VPN

From: Mark Townsley <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2008 07:43:05 +0200

L3VPN Community,

The L3VPN Working Group was chartered to deliver a multicast solution 
with associated applicability statements, MIBs, etc. in June of 2004, 
with individual work published as far back as year 2000. While a lot of 
time and effort has been invested over the past 8 years, we are still 
lacking a clear direction on how to best move forward. In the hopes of 
providing some fresh perspective, the INT and RTG ADs in cooperation 
with the L3VPN WG Chairs have decided make some changes in the 
management structure.

First, the current WG chairs will be stepping aside. I'd like to 
personally thank Ron and Rick for their hard work over the years; I 
don't know where Ron found the time to invest in L3VPN on top of his AD 
job, but he always managed to. Ron has made it clear to me that he will 
surely remain closely involved in the future of L3VPN, even if he is no 
longer being asked to chair it on top of his other demanding 
responsibilities.

Second, I will no longer be AD for this group, and it will be 
transitioning from the Internet Area to the Routing Area. The Internet 
area is a large and diverse area, and I regret that I have not had as 
much time to devote to this working group as I would have liked given 
its importance to the industry. Further, the bulk of the work left in 
L3VPN has at least as much to do with the Routing Area as it does the 
Internet Area, and Jari and I both agree that this is a good time to 
transition it. Ross and Dave have graciously accepted, and will run the 
group from this point forward. In addition to new AD leadership, 
Marshall Eubanks and Danny McPherson have agreed to chair the group.

Marshall Eubanks is the current WG chair of mboned, which has seen its 
share of related work on multicast L3VPNs showing up in his working 
group. Marshall is a recognized expert in Multicast, and experienced WG 
chair. By wearing both operational and solutions WG hats, Marshall is 
best able to ensure that the work between these WGs is complimentary.

Danny McPherson is a recognized expert on routing in service provider 
networks, BGP, security, and also an experienced WG chair. In order to 
devote the necessary time on this problem, Danny will be stepping down 
as PWE3 WG Chair where he has served since its inception seven years ago.

Marshall and Danny have committed to drive the working group towards 
consensus on a clear path forward, and to do so within six months. The 
RTG ADs and INT ADs believe that if there is no consensus by then, it 
will likely never be reached and will act to remove multicast from the 
L3VPN WG charter. Documents could then proceed to the RFC Editor for 
publication as Informational or Experimental individual submissions, but 
it will essentially end the possibility of a Standards Track solution 
from the L3VPN WG.

I have no illusions that this action will magically fix anything, but it 
is my sincere hope that with the collective experience and new energy 
put in place now, the group will find its way soon.

Thanks to all,

- Mark

---

From: Rahul Aggarwal <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 08:21:10 -0700 (PDT)

Hi Mark,

Can you please answer the following:

1. Why do you think the L3PVN WG is deadlocked or as you put it "lacking a
clear direction on how to move forward"?

2. Why do you think replacing the chairs will help and provide a clear
direction on how to move forward?

rahul

---

From: Mark Townsley <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:51:37 +0200

> clear direction on how to move forward"?
The WG was chartered to *deliver* a multicast solution by December 2004.
> direction on how to move forward?
I'm not sure it will, but I sincerely hope it does. For reasons that may 
in fact have nothing to do with the  chairs before, the status quo 
didn't seem to be yielding results. In considering various options of 
what to do about this, I happened on the chance of recruiting what I 
believe are two very reputable and experienced people to bring at the 
very least a fresh perspective on the situation. Not wanting to assume I 
was not potentially a part of the problem myself, I was lucky enough for 
the Routing Area to be willing to take on shepherding, something that 
also happens to make sense in terms of the remaining work items on 
L3VPNs plate. Between Marshall, Danny, Ross and Dave, I think the 
management roles are filled superbly with people willing to look at this 
from the ground up with fresh eyes. Now, its up to the WG to decide what 
to do with this opportunity. I hope that end result will be successful 
for everyone; That was certainly my intent in doing this.

- Mark