Internet Draft

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Internet Drafts (or I-Ds) is a series of working documents published by the IETF. Typically, they are drafts for RFCs, but may be other works in progress not intended for publication as RFCs. It is considered inappropriate to rely on Internet Drafts for reference purposes. I-D citations should indicate the I-D is a "work in progress".

Internet Drafts are expected to adhere to the basic requirements imposed on RFCs. The IDnits Tool can be used to check for common document problems prior to submission to the IETF.

Internet Drafts are only valid for six months or less. Internet Drafts may be deleted or replaced at any time. Excepting Internet-Drafts which are currently being evaluated by the IESG or RFC Editor for publication as RFCs, Internet Drafts are removed from the IETF's public I-D repository when they expire.

Numerous web sites offer mirrors of the IETF I-D repository. These mirrors often include features not found at the IETF's public I-D repository, such as hyperlinks for references and access to expired Internet Drafts.

Internet Drafts produced by the IETF working groups follow the naming convention: draft-ietf-<wg>-<name>-<version number>.txt. Internet Drafts produced by IRTF research groups following the naming convention: draft-irtf-<rg>-<name>-<version number>.txt. Drafts produced by individuals following the naming convention: draft-<individual>-<name>-<version number>.txt The initial version number is represented as 00. The second version (the first revision) is represented as 01. And so on.

The IAB, RFC Editor, and other organizations associated with the IETF may also produce Internet Drafts. They follow the naming convention: draft-<org>-<name>-<sequence number>.txt