Interoperability among heterogeneous communications networks - An IETF perspective

Abstract

Interoperability has been a fundamental consideration of all Internet protocol design for the last two decades, with independence of both physical media and operating systems as a principal design criterion. Demonstrated interoperability is also a requirement for advancement of specifications along the Internet standards track. Nevertheless, the Internet depends on various physical media being fully interoperable among vendors and between countries, leading to subtle interactions of the Internet standards process with the standardization of telecommunications and local area network media. © 1998 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.