[arin-discuss] Template-based email as a third registry access method (was: Bringing back IP resource Request Templates)

[Owen DeLong]

On Apr 2, 2012, at 1:01 PM, John Curran wrote:

> On Apr 2, 2012, at 2:27 PM, Owen DeLong wrote:
> 
>> A while back, ARIN stopped accepting email templates for resource requests.
>> 
>> I believe in the discussions at members meetings prior to this, we were assured that the addition of a web interface would not remove the ability to use templates and I, for one, find templates to be much easier and more convenient than a web interface (especially the current state of ARIN on-line).
>> 
>> Suggestion 2011.21 was submitted as an effort to address this. It is my understanding that 2011.21 has not received any support from the membership. If any of you are interested in having template functionality restored, ARIN needs to know that. If not, likely this suggestion is soon to be closed without any action and templates will forever fade into history.
> 
> Owen - 
> 
> To be clear, we do accept some mail templates (those which have been
> modified to contain an API key to secure the request) for many common 
> operations, including Point-of-Contact (POC) and Org changes, delegation 
> of resources, etc.   You can see the full list of requests which are
> supported via email templates here: 
>   <https://www.arin.net/resources/interacting.html>
> 

I'm well aware of this. My statement above was specific to "resource requests" which
are among those that have not been so modified and are no longer accepted.

> I will note that in 2011 we received 3,269 IP requests (for IPv4 and IPv6 
> resources) and 1,644 ASN requests; i.e. a total of 4,913 requests for new
> number resources, and the vast majority of these were made via ARIN Online.  
> While we've heard lots of positive feedback on the web-based ARIN Online
> system and the RESTful interfaces that folks are now using for building
> automation between their systems and ARIN, we are very interested any 
> improvements that can be made to the registry systems and it is simply
> a question of prioritization for development and maintenance resources.

This was understood prior to sending my message.

> If there is demand for also having email templates as an ongoing third 
> form of access, then this is definitely something that the ARIN Board 
> needs to be made aware of, as it will permanently increase the ongoing 
> effort for future maintenance of the registry to carry this method for 
> resources requests in addition to the web-based ARIN Online and the 
> RESTful programmatic interfaces to the registry.  There hasn't been
> much discussion of this topic so it is hard to gauge demand, but it is
> important for everyone to realize that implementing and maintaining the
> additional access method of template email for all requests (as opposed 
> to just the current subset) will definitely increase our costs (the 
> actual amount will vary based on rate and type of policy changess) and 
> increasing costs is not the direction provided to me by the ARIN Board.

Hence my effort to start the discussion here which I would say received
substantial response, most of which was supportive.

> I would encourage further discussion on this list and in Vancouver.
> 

Unless indicated otherwise, I'll take this as an indication that ARIN is now
planning to hold suggestion 2011.21 open for the time being.

> Thanks for raising this topic!
> /John
> 

You're most welcome.

Owen