[dbwg] Are POC handles ever deleted from ARIN database?

[Tim Christensen]

Hello William,

>  I'm curious as to what ARIN does to POC handles that are no longer
>associated with ANY resources. Are these ever deleted from the whois
>database (some kind of major cleanup)? If so when was it last time this
>was done by ARIN?
>  If they are not deleted by ARIN, if any handle I'd expect to be in the
>database but it is not, would it mean it was specifically deleted through
>template?

Since the database conversion in August 2002, ARIN has not removed
POCs from the database, except when a POC has explicitly submitted a
POC "remove" template.

With the introduction of the new registration system, a period of time was
required to evaluate the impact of the new system's requirements for
Org ID and POC records prior to delegation of internet number resources.

A decision was recently reached to remove POCs from the database
after 30 consecutive days of having no relationship with any resources,
and no relationship with any Org ID for the same period.  A similar scheme
frame will be used to remove unused Org IDs.  (different criteria will be
applied to _newly_ created POCs or Org IDs in anticipation of first-time
registrations.)  ARIN Engineering is in the process of implementing the
plan.

Regards,
Tim Christensen
Database Administrator
American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN)