[arin-ppml] Revised - Draft Policy ARIN-2025-1: Clarify ISP and LIR Definitions and References to Address Ambiguity in NRPM Text

[Owen DeLong]

> On Mar 6, 2026, at 11:07, Eric C. Landgraf <echarlie at vt.edu> wrote:
> 
> On Thu, 05 Mar 2026 12:55:47 -0500 ARIN wrote:
>> Section 2:
>> 
>> Rewrite the LIR definition to provide clarity and relationship to ISP
>> 
>> 2.4. Local Internet Registry (LIR)
>> 
>> A Local Internet Registry (LIR) is an IR that is a member of an RIR,
>> receives allocations of internet numbers from that RIR, for allocation
>> to its customers, end-users, and infrastructure, at a local level.
>> LIRs include Internet Service Providers (ISPs) whose customers are
>> primarily end users and possibly other ISPs. Historically in the ARIN
>> service region "ISP" was used as an equivalent, albeit incomplete,
>> term.
> 
> The wording of this section is awkward, as the first sentence is
> incomplete. I suggest modifying it to read:
> "A Local Internet Registry (LIR) is an IR that is a member of an RIR
> which receives allocations of internet numbers from that RIR for
> allocation to its customers, end-users, and infrastructure at a local
> level."

“At a local level” is an interesting choice of words here given that some LIRs are more global than the RIR they are receiving addresses from. 

It doesn’t really add meaning to the policy, so I suggest dropping that phrase altogether. 

> 
>> 2.18 Internet Service Provider (ISP)
>> 
>> An Internet Service Provider (ISP) is a type of organization that
>> provides Internet services to other organizations, its customers,
>> and\or individuals other than its employees. Internet services
>> include, but are not limited to, connectivity services, web services,
>> colocation, dedicated servers, virtual private servers, and virtual
>> private networks.
> 
> This should be corrected with "and/or", though in this community "or"
> may be sufficient.

Disagree. “Include but are not limited to” eliminates the need for “or” since any item is included in the list, but not mandated by the and. 

Owen

> Otherwise, I support this policy. I think this cleans up the PPML
> substantially.
> 
>    Eric C. Landgraf
>    Virginia Tech
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