Clusters in the RFC Editor Queue

What is a cluster?

A cluster is a set of two or more documents that are normatively related. Documents that are normative references but do not themselves have any normative references to Internet-Drafts may move forward in the process independently of the other documents in the cluster. Other clustered documents may move through the RFC publication process together for one of the following reasons:

  • They are linked by normative references directly.
  • They are linked by normative references indirectly (i.e., 2nd or 3rd generation).
  • There was a specific request from the IESG or authors for simultaneous publication.

Generally, clusters are based on the principle that a normative reference must be published before (or with) the document that references it. For example, if Draft A has a normative reference to Draft B, and Draft B has a normative reference to Draft C, then Drafts A, B, and C would be in one cluster (i.e., labeled with the same Cluster ID). See the list of all active clusters.

In addition to documents in the queue states, clusters can include documents that are not in the queue:

NOT-RECEIVED
This document is not yet in the RFC Editor queue.
PUB
This document has been published as an RFC.

What is a normative reference?

A normative reference contains information essential to understanding or implementing the document that references it. See the IESG Statement on Normative and Informative References for more information.

Further details

The Cluster ID is persistent over time. When all the documents in a cluster are published, the cluster no longer appears in the list of active clusters. In a cluster, there is at least one draft that is currently in the queue.


Show all active document clusters.

Back to the RFC Editor queue page.


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