RFC 1262 (rfc1262) - Page 1 of 3
Guidelines for Internet Measurement Activities
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
Network Working Group Internet Activities Board
Request for Comments: 1262 Vinton G. Cerf/CNRI, Editor
October 1991
Guidelines for Internet Measurement Activities
Status of this Memo
This memo provides information for the Internet community. It does
not specify an Internet standard. Distribution of this memo is
unlimited.
Summary
Measurement of the Internet is critical for future development,
evolution and deployment planning. Internet-wide activities have the
potential to interfere with normal operation and must be planned with
care and made widely known beforehand. This document offers guidance
to researchers planning Internet measurements.
This RFC represents IAB guidance for researchers considering
measurement experiments on the Internet. This RFC does not represent
a standard for the Internet but the Internet Activities Board
strongly urges that Internet users follow the guidelines out of
courtesy and professional consideration for the Internet community.
Guidelines
The Internet has undergone dramatic growth in connectivity, use, and
quality of service over the past several years. As this growth
continues and the Internet is used for increasingly diverse and
demanding purposes, it is vital to collect data about a range of
functions, from low-level packet switching services to considerations
for the networking expectations of individual applications. Such
data is vital to research and engineering planning activities, as
well as to ensure the continued development of the operational
infrastructure. Yet, it is also important that data collection
activities do not interfere with the operational viability and
stability of the network, and do not violate considerations regarding
privacy, security, and acceptable use policies of the network. In
this light, the Internet Activities Board offers the following basic
guidelines for network measurement activities.
In general, any data collection activity should be undertaken with
professional consideration of its impact on the services and users of
the network, and activities should be planned to achieve operational
Internet Activities Board
