The Session Request Tool may be used by IETF working group chairs, working group secretaries, IRTF research group chairs, IAB Group Chairs, Area Directors, IETF Secretariat members, Team Chairs, and the IRTF Chair to request sessions at upcoming IETF Meetings.
Use your Datatracker login and password.
Acronyms of the working groups that you currently chair are listed in this section. Click on an acronym to initiate a request for a new session at the upcoming IETF meeting.
Acronyms of the working groups for which you or your co-chair have requested sessions at the upcoming IETF meeting are listed in this section. Click on an acronym to initiate changes to a session, or cancel a session. If you’d like to make changes when the tool is locked, email support@ietf.org.
If you know your working group will not meet, please notify the Secretariat. Click on the group acronym and then choose the first option, “Send a notification that the group does not plan to hold a session at IETF ###.” This sends an email to the working group mail list and the Secretariat.
Retrieve all information from previous meeting: If you held a session at the previous meeting, clicking this button will prefill every field in the tool. Please review the information carefully, particularly the conflict lists and Special Requests, to make sure it still applies.
Number of Sessions: You may choose to have either one or two sessions. Choose an option from the dropdown menu.
Requested Duration: There are three options for length of session: One hour (60 minutes), one hour and a half (90 minutes), and two hours (120 minutes). Please select your desired length for each session you request.
Time between two sessions: If you hold two sessions, you may prefer that they be far apart or closer together wtihin the week. If you have no preference, leave the dropdown menu option showing "No preference"; otherwise, you can select "Schedule the sessions on subsequent days" or "Leave at least one free day in between the sessions."
Additional Session Request: Check the box if you would like a third session. You will not be guaranteed a third session if you request one, and your Area Director must approve it.
Number of attendees: Please estimate the number of people you expect to be physically present. The Secretariat uses this number to assign rooms based on size. If you aren't sure, you can check your bluesheet totals in the proceedings for your past meetings.
Participants who must be present: The scheduling tool already tracks Area Directors and Chairs in other ways. Use this field to list specific participants who may not be covered by WG level conflicts; for example, a person who will present a draft at your session. Start typing in their name and select it from the dropdown menu.
Conflicts to Avoid: Please think about all the other WGs that should not be scheduled at the same time as yours according to the following categories. Enter each WG name by either typing the acronyms into the text box separated by a space, or selecting from the dropdown menu.
Chair Conflicts: These are other WGs/RGs chaired by your chairs, or in which your chairs are active participants and must attend.
Technology Overlap: These are other WGs/RGs whose technology areas and/or charters overlap yours and thus have many participants in common.
Key Participant Conflict: If you know you have some key participants who participate in other WGs/RGs that aren't otherwise listed, please enter those groups as well.
Times during which this WG can not meet: Your WG/RG may have scheduling constraints for a number of reasons. If there are specific days or time you know you cannot meet, please check off the corresponding boxes in this section. Please also explain your constraints using the "Special Requests" field.
Plan session adjacent with another WG: If you'd like to be scheduled adjacent to another WG/RG, please select the other WG from the dropdown list. Please note that this will not be guaranteed; adjacency requests are difficult to accommodate.
Joint session with: Sometimes groups with large overlaps in technologies or participants decide to hold a joint session. If you'd like to do so, please email support@ietf.org!
Special Requests: This is a very important field. Your scheduling requests are read by a human and it's very useful to provide context for the parameters of your request. Some examples of things to include in this field are:
Save: Click on the 'Save' button when you have finished entering the information. You will have the opportunity to review the information, and revise it, if necessary.
This screen is displayed after you click the 'Save' button on the request form (as described above). Review all the information that you have entered on the request form. When you are satisfied that the information is accurate, click on the 'Submit' button located at the bottom of the page. Don't forget to click Submit!
A message will be sent to the WG/RG list and the Secretariat with your session request details. If you are requesting a third session, a message will also be sent to your Area Director for their approval.
This interface allows you to either modify the information for a previously requested session, or cancel the session. If the session request tool has closed, send email to support@ietf.org with your request.
When you click on the acronym of a WG/RG for which a session has been previously requested, all of the information that was entered for this WG/RG will be displayed as read only text. Two buttons are provided at the bottom of this page: Edit and Cancel.
Edit the previously entered information by clicking on the Edit button. When you click on this button, a form is displayed that contains all of the information previously entered for this session. Just as for the original request, update the information, confirm that the updated information is accurate, and click Save. Notifications will be sent to the Secretariat, working group, chairs, and Area Director(s) as appropriate.
Cancel a previously requested session by clicking on the Cancel button. The tool will confirm this action via a pop-up window. Once confirmed, a notification will be sent to the Secretariat and CC'd to the Area Director(s) of the subject working group. Any links and information related to the subject working group will be deleted from the IETF Meeting Materials Management tool and the IETF Web site.
Session requests are public. You may see all the information submitted by each group in the Datatracker (https://datatracker.ietf.org/meeting/requests). This is a great way to check conflict lists!