Comments on Name Based Virtualk Hosting Policy Recommendation

[Charles Scott]

On Thu, 10 May 2001, Sweeting, John wrote:

> and to further that thought, you do have to justify your request for address
> space and since the recommendation is to use name-based system for
> webhosting then only a "technical" justification will be accepted for not
> following the recommendation, in other words not an administrative one,
> financial one etc, only a technical one.

And around we go again...

  Once again clear evidence that there's no concensus on what ARIN's
position is on this issue. 
  Also, John, should I infer from the above that you feel a technical
justification resulting from a business decision, is, or is not
acceptable?
  Regardless, if the prevailing feeling is that it is only required to
provide one's own technical justification (something other than "just
because") then how about the following.


When an ISP submits a request for IP address space to be used for IP-based
web hosting, they will supply, for informational purposes only, their
technical justification for this practice. ARIN will collect this data for
future consideration of a formal policy on IP based web hosting.


  Note the phrase "THEIR technical justification", which clarifies that
ARIN's interest is to collect data on why people feel compelled to use IP
based hosting. I believe this was the true intent of the latest policy.
  Frankly, I think this policy will in fact result in addional
conservation in that it get's people thinking about why they are using IP
based hosting and how they may be able to avoid doing so where their
reasons are trivial. I suppose it could be interpreted as a threat of
possible future restrictions as well, which would reinforce conservation.
  If I could suggest one addional sentance to the policy...


Further, ISP's are encouraged to conserve IP address space across the
board where technically feasable and to assist their customers in doing so
on downstream networks.


  Well, that may need some rewording, but the point is to make it clear
that the policy is part of a larger issue and that everyone needs to be
part of the solution.


Chuck