The IEEE Registration Authority (IEEE RA) assigns Ethertypes with
oversight from the IEEE Registration Authority Committee (IEEE RAC).
(See http://standards.ieee.org/develop/regauth/ethertype/.) Some IETF
protocol specification make use of Ethertypes. All Ethertype requests
are subject to review by a consultant to the IEEE RA followed by
IEEE RAC confirmation.
Since Ethertypes are a fairly scarce resource, the IEEE RAC has let us
know that they will not assign a new Ethertype to a new IETF protocol
specification until the IESG has approved the protocol specification for
publication as an RFC. In exceptional cases, the IEEE RA is willing to
consider "early allocation" of an Ethertype for an IETF protocol that is
still under development as long as the request comes from and has been
vetted by the IESG.
To let the IEEE RAC know that the IESG has approved the request for an
Ethernet assignment for an IETF protocol, all future requests for
assignment of Ethertypes for IETF protocols will be made by the IESG.
Note that playpen Ethertypes have been assigned in IEEE 802 [1] for use
during protocol development and experimentation.
[1] IEEE Std 802a-2003 (Amendment to IEEE Std 802-2001).
IEEE standard for Local and Metropolitan Area Networks:
Overview and Architecture -- Amendment 1: Ethertypes for
Prototype and Vendor-Specific Protocol Development.