[ppml] Policy Proposal 2007-8: Transfer Policy Clarifications

[Edward Lewis]

At 12:15 -0500 3/2/07, Member Services wrote:

>http://www.arin.net/policy/proposals/2007_8.html

>Policy Proposal 2007-8: Transfer Policy Clarifications
>
>Author: Paul Andersen
>
>Proposal Version: 1.0
>

>It should be understood that number resources are not "sold" under ARIN
>administration. Rather, number resources are assigned to an organization

What I find a bit confusing is the difference between the thought 
that ARIN "leases" resources versus the thought that a company might 
"sell" resources from one to another.

(An off-shoot of this comes from the fee discussion in APNIC, where 
resources whose registration is static see the per-year fees 
decrease.  This reflects the nature of the activity as that of 
managing a registry and not as a "LAN-lord.")

...
>not to individuals representing those organizations. Thus, if a company
>goes out of business, regardless of the reason, the point of contact
>(POC) listed for the number resource does not have the authority to
>sell, transfer, assign, or give the number resource to any other person
>or organization. The POC must notify ARIN if a business fails so the
>assigned number resources can be returned to the available pool of
>number resources if a transfer is not requested and justified.

What exactly does "going out of business" mean?  A company can be 
absorbed by another through a purchase and the brand name tossed away 
while still maintaining the need for the resources.

In a way I can see this saying the transfers can never happen, 
meaning that if I buy someone's hosting service I may have to apply 
for new addresses.  Worse is the thought that I'd have to renumber if 
I don't get the transfer of resources.

I'm asking an obtuse question because the text doesn't say which 
POC(s) is/are involved.  What if the POC is a role account that 
transfers with the rest of a once independent company?

>8.2 Transfer Requirements
>
>ARIN will consider requests for the transfer of number resources only
>upon receipt of evidence that the new entity has acquired the assets
>which had, as of the date of the acquisition or proposed reorganization,
>justified the current entity's use of the number resource. Examples of
>assets that justify use of the number resource include, but are not
>limited to:

I pretty much agree with the intent of this proposal...it's the words 
I am quibbling about in the previous section.

>Rationale:
>
>Staff analysis and community comments have a problem with the
>inconsistent use of the terms "ASN" and "IP Address" in this section
>which leads to confusion on which resources can be transferred. The
>entire section now utilizes the term "number resources" to clarify what
>would appear to be the original intent.

I have come across people that find the ARIN on-web flow-chart 
confusing because AS numbers are not included in the prose.  And I 
have been told that the prose comes from the policy.  So I'll add a 
data point saying that this is in need or updating.

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Edward Lewis                                                +1-571-434-5468
NeuStar

Sarcasm doesn't scale.