[arin-ppml] Audits

[Jack Bates]

On 11/6/2010 12:23 PM, Leo Bicknell wrote:
>
> What I hear is that you're not putting a lot of effort into it, in
> fact that you're not even trying because it is hard.  Every time
> this issue comes up I see you in particular, and ARIN in general
> expend a ton of time on the mailing lists trying to find every
> possible reason to ignore what the community wants.
>

I think it comes down to 2 aspects for ARIN.

1) policy. There must be a clear and precise policy dictating what 
resources and processes ARIN should use. Honestly, ARIN should have 
things written out clear enough that it falls in the same spectrum of 
ISO 9001 (though I'm not sure they actually have a product, so an actual 
certification would seem silly, but they should have the processes 
documented to that level).

2) interpretation. Policy often isn't precise and this has left ARIN 
dealing with interpretation. They must balance the manpower they can 
afford with the tasks set in policy for them to do. Most of their 
policies have wiggle room, and they will make their own determinations 
within that wiggle room based on historical practice and manpower.

What John is asking is that a policy be drawn up to give the appropriate 
direction, that policy be discussed and modified appropriately by the 
community, and then ratified so it can be used until such time that a 
new policy overrides or changes it. The process to do this is also a policy.

1) is something we as the community do.

2) is failure of the community in it's performance of 1, and often times 
can lead to serious disagreements between community and ARIN. It is 
subject to change, though it is a drawn out process and ARIN is loathe 
to change their interpretations as it effects the community as a whole 
(and those who were subject to the first interpretation unknowingly 
become subject to the new interpretation). Generally, interpretations 
widen in scope and do not contract. This prohibits being lenient with 
part of the community and then being stricter with the rest of the 
community. This is why most interpretations are extremely conservative 
and can often be more restrictive than the community desired.


Jack