Twelve Networking Truths [RFC 1925]

    Network Working Group
    Request for Comments: 1925
    Category: Informational
    	R. Callon, Editor
    IOOF
    1 April 1996

    The Twelve Networking Truths

    Status of this Memo

        This memo provides information for the Internet community. This memo
        does not specify an Internet standard of any kind. Distribution of
        this memo is unlimited.

    Abstract

        This memo documents the fundamental truths of networking for the
        Internet community. This memo does not specify a standard, except in
        the sense that all standards must implicitly follow the fundamental
        truths.

    Acknowledgements

        The truths described in this memo result from extensive study over
        an extended period of time by many people, some of whom did not
        intend to contribute to this work. The editor merely has collected
        these truths, and would like to thank the networking community for
        originally illuminating these truths.

    *1 Introduction*

        This Request for Comments (RFC) provides information about the
        fundamental truths underlying all networking. These truths apply to
        networking in general, and are not limited to TCP/IP, the Internet,
        or any other subset of the networking community.

    *2 The Fundamental Truths*

        (1) It Has To Work.

        (2) No matter how hard you push and no matter what the priority, you
        can't increase the speed of light.

        (2a) (corollary). No matter how hard you try, you can't make a baby
        in much less than 9 months. Trying to speed this up *might* make it 
        slower, but it won't make it happen any quicker.

        (3) With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine. However, this is not
        necessarily a good idea. It is hard to be sure where they are going
        to land, and it could be dangerous sitting under them as they fly
        overhead.

        (4) Some things in life can never be fully appreciated nor
        understood unless experienced firsthand. Some things in networking
        can never be fully understood by someone who neither builds
        commercial networking equipment nor runs an operational network.

        (5) It is always possible to aglutenate multiple separate problems
        into a single complex interdependent solution. In most cases this is
        a bad idea.

        (6) It is easier to move a problem around (for example, by moving
        the problem to a different part of the overall network architecture)
        than it is to solve it.

        (6a) (corollary). It is always possible to add another level of
        indirection.

        (7) It is always something.

        (7a) (corollary). Good, Fast, Cheap: Pick any two (you can't have
        all three).

        (8) It is more complicated than you think.

        (9) For all resources, whatever it is, you need more.

        (9a) (corollary) Every networking problem always takes longer to
        solve than it seems like it should.

        (10) One size never fits all.

        (11) Every old idea will be proposed again with a different name and
        a different presentation, regardless of whether it works.

        (11a) (corollary). See rule 6a.

        (12) In protocol design, perfection has been reached not when there
        is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.

    Security Considerations

        This RFC raises no security issues. However, security protocols are
        subject to the fundamental networking truths.

    References

        The references have been deleted in order to protect the guilty and
        avoid enriching the lawyers.

    Author's Address

        Ross Callon
        Internet Order of Old Farts
        c/o Bay Networks
        3 Federal Street
        Billerica, MA 01821

        Phone: 508-436-3936
        EMail: rcallon@baynetworks.com