I participated in the Dagstuhl Seminar on "Lessons Learned From 40+ Years of the Internet", which brought together pioneers who built the Internet with current researchers shaping its future. This wasn't just another research workshop—it was an opportunity to meet and learn from the people who literally created TCP/IP, DNS, BGP, and the foundational protocols and systems we use today.
The week-long seminar at Schloss Dagstuhl explored what worked in Internet design (end-to-end principle, layering, scalability, open standards), what didn't work as expected (security not built in from the start, IPv4 exhaustion, DNS vulnerabilities), and future challenges like security-by-design, sustainability, bridging the digital divide, and integrating emerging technologies like LEO satellite networks and AI.
Several lessons resonated deeply: simplicity scales, rough consensus and working code matter more than perfection, the end-to-end principle remains relevant, openness enabled innovation, and design decisions have decades-long consequences. These insights directly influence our current research on LEO satellite networks, edge computing, protocol design, and standards work at the IETF/IRTF.
The Internet's success wasn't accidental—it resulted from thoughtful design, open collaboration, and willingness to learn from mistakes. As we tackle new challenges like satellite networks, edge computing, and AI integration, these principles from the past 40+ years still apply.
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