[arin-ppml] Revised - Draft Policy ARIN-2022-12: Direct Assignment Language Update

[John Curran]

On Oct 3, 2023, at 1:05 AM, John Santos <JOHN at egh.com> wrote:
On 10/2/2023 5:42 PM, John Curran wrote:
Alas, your proposed analogy fails when there is no vehicle, but only the registry entry itself – i.e. Internet number resources are unique identifiers within the Internet Numbers Registry System, and this includes ranges (or “blocks”) of contiguous Internet Protocol (“IP”) addresses and Autonomous System Numbers (“ASNs”)…

I disagree.  The registry entry itself is *NOT* just the address range (block) or ASN.  It is a tuple consisting of a resource (the block of IP4 or IP6 addresses or an ASN) *AND* a holder of that resource.

On this we actually agree: note that I said “(the analogy fails when there is) only the registry entry itself" not “only an address range" – the registry entry consists of an address range  _and_ the holder of the resource _and_ any associated parameters.

The function of a registry is to maintain that list of tuples, insure uniqueness (including overlaps and subsets) of the resources (there can only be one holder for a particular block or ASN, although a holder can be associated with multiple resources), and define requirements for holders to register blocks or ASNs.

I think it is losing sight of the fact that the registry is a list of tuples, not just a list of integers, that causes a lot of confusion.

Alas, there is no confusion in this regard – the confusion exists on how registry entries are actually created, despite this having undeniably been done over time through “allocation” and “assignment” processes.

In ARIN, we have historically used the term “allocation" for registry entries issued to ISPs, and “assignment" for registry entries issued to end-users.  The terms “Direct Assignment” and “Direct Allocation” reflect the output of actual processes that occurred, and hence the terminology is accurate.   Registration is a wholly distinct principle, in which a party presents an item, has it cataloged, and receives a unique identifier or handle for that item – this is indeed what occurs with titles to tangible items such as property and motor vehicles, but also intangible items such as the issuance of patent numbers for inventions. (i.e., in the cases of registration, the item exists independently of its cataloging)

ARIN presently uses the terms Direct Allocations and Direct Assignments for the address blocks issued to parties, and the community has the option to simplify terminology and just use "Direct Allocations” if it so wishes.

Switching to use just the term “Direct Registration” does not appear feasible, as ARIN continues to make allocations today of both IPv4 and IPv6 number resources and referring to the output of these acts simply as “registrations” of number resources would be inaccurate.

Thanks,
/John

John Curran
President and CEO
American Registry for Internet Numbers

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.arin.net/pipermail/arin-ppml/attachments/20231003/2d523318/attachment.htm>