The IRTF develops and carries out Internetworking research experiments.

The IAB's research arm, the IRTF looks at issues that will affect the Internet in the future, such as what happens after lots of growth, and how emerging technologies will affect Internet traffic.

The IRTF is chartered by the IAB to consider long-term Internet issues from a theoretical point of view. It has Research Groups, similar to IETF Working Groups, which are each tasked to discuss different research topics. Multi-cast audio/video conferencing and privacy enhanced mail are samples of IRTF output. See also: Internet Architecture Board, Internet Engineering Task Force, Privacy Enhanced Mail.

Is an organization of the Internet Architecture Board that approaches long-term Internet issues with theory and hypotheses.

The Internet Research Task Force (IRTF) is a sister group to the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). Its stated mission is “To promote research of importance to the evolution of the future Internet by creating focused, long-term and small Research Groups working on topics related to Internet protocols, applications, architecture and technology”.