We are guided through security scans at the airport, and then whisked away in a speeding

caravan of vehicles. As we reach the semi-secret world of the Internet Engineering Task Force

(IETF) working groups, we enter the glass doors that mark the point of no return. Ducking into a

maze of hallways we come to a plain door. Lurking in the backroom, between the dark navy suits

the Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) exists. Maneuvering for a closer view, we find

AIX from IBM, BSD with three different variants, Cisco IOS, Linux, third-parties for the Microsoft

operating system, and Sun Solaris. Each has implemented their interpretation of this standardsbased

protocol. We stare at what could be the Holy Grail for IP-based multimedia and

telecommunications. Passing between the cubicles, we enter a door curiously labeled

“Test/Laboratory area.”