The IETF has a self-organized structure of leadership groups, processes and policies, all drawn from the pool of volunteer participants. Anyone can put themselves forward for any leadership role and appointment is either by a nominating committee selected by random lot from eligible volunteers, or by one of the other leadership bodies. The IETF publishes most of its processes, policies and role specifications for its organizational structures as RFCs and BCPs.
The Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG) has overall responsibility for the standards process and technical management of IETF activities. The IESG consists of the Area Directors and some advisory liaisons. The IESG, and the IETF as a whole, is chaired by the IETF Chair.
The Internet Architecture Board (IAB) provides long-term technical direction for Internet architecture, and is responsible for external liaisons and some key leadership appointments.
The Internet Research Task Force (IRTF) focuses on longer-term research issues related to the Internet and works alongside the IETF through a number of Research Groups.
The IETF Trust (Trust) is a supporting organization that owns and manages the intellectual property of the IETF, including rights assigned to it by the authors of Internet-Drafts.
The Independent Submissions Editor (ISE) is an appointed volunteer participant who manages the independent submissions process, one of the paths for the publication of an RFC.
The IETF Administration LLC (IETF LLC) provides the corporate legal home for the IETF and organizes its administrative support. It is overseen by an appointed board of volunteer participants and has a small number of paid staff, including the IETF Executive Director, while contracting out key support services. IETF LLC staff and contractors have no influence over the technical content of Internet standards.
The Internet Society (ISOC) is an international, non-profit, membership organization that supports and promotes the development of the Internet as a global technical infrastructure. One of the ways that ISOC does this is through support of the IETF. The IETF LLC is a subsidiary of ISOC.
The Nominating Committee is a group of volunteers, chosen anew each year, who select most of the people appointed to the bodies above.
The IESG manages over 100 Working Groups which are where most of the work of the IETF takes place.
The IRTF manages over 10 Research Groups which are where most of the work of the IRTF takes place.
The IESG are supported by Area Directorates, groups of expert volunteers that provide advice to the relevant area directors.
The IESG can create Teams that deliver a specific support function. Some high profile teams include:
- Systers, a group for women and non-binary participants to meet and share experiences.
- Tools Team, a group of volunteers and IETF LLC staff who write and maintain the core tools (software) that the IETF relies on for its day-to-day operations.
- NOC, a group of volunteers and contractors who deliver the network for IETF meetings.
- Hackathon team, a group of volunteer who plan and manage the Hackathon that is a part of each IETF meeting.
- Guides, a group of volunteers supported by the Secretariat, who provide the Guides program that at each IETF meeting.
The IAB manages a series of Programs focusing on a specific subject for a limited time.
The IETF Secretariat plans and manages IETF meetings, and provides day-to-day clerical support for the top level groups above.
The RFC Production Center manages the editing and publication of RFCs.