I think this would be a bad thing. NS needs a watchdog.
Cook: I think I agree. It would leave NSI in defacto control of a
valuable resource. As far as I know, other than through the NSF
co-operative agreement, NSI has
no contractual or legal obligations to the Internet community?? Would it
be pulling the plug of stability at the very time when others are trying
to launch competing mechanisms?
Could or should ISOC step in if NSF vacates these shoes?
While it is NOT my intention to perpetuate a "all those in favour -
say aye" scenairo within NANOG, I would strongly submit from the
perspective of a business and management consultant, that NSF NOT
consider such an action.
As Paul suggests, there needs to exist a stabilizing agent. Not only
that, it is my understanding that NSI is in the midst of rethinking a
public offering position. Any activities from the NSF corner to conclude
their relationship with NSI at this juncture - could have reverberating
effects within the Internet community. Variables that can extend to the
community, a general course toward stabilization need to be encouraged.
This to include, carrying the present agreement with NSI to its full term.
All the very best,
Robert Mathews
ICICX.
Paul A Vixie <paul@vix.com> writes:
> I think this would be a bad thing. NS needs a watchdog.
I fully agree with the latter and not necessarily with the former.
At least for the Internet *number* registration part there are two
working examples where both the watching and funding is done by the
region's ISPs in a very open and cooperative manner: APNIC and the RIPE
NCC. This works well because the ISPs realise that they have to
organise this together, whether they like cooperating or not.
I do not see any reason why such a model could not work for the InterNIC
or at least the number registration part of it. To me it just seems
like a question of the providers realising that they have to organise
some things together and getting their act together. I am quite sure
that NSF would happily let go and I expect that NSI would be willing to
talk as there are benefits in such a scheme for them too.
But then I am a naive European and not so closely involved with N.A.
politics. If however someone wants to make this work I will happily
help them by explaining our experiences.
Daniel