ARIN-prop-203 [Archived]

ARIN-prop-203 Improved Registry Accuracy Proposal

Proposal Originator: Martin Hannigan

Date: 14 February 2014

Problem Statement:

RIR Services to Legacy Internet Resource Holders

Abstract

This proposed framework establishes the principles to be applied by the ARIN community in offering and implementing registry services for legacy Internet resource holders. The importance of maintaining accurate records in the ARIN database is recognized as the Registries principal task, as other Registries have also recognized. The community of legacy Internet resource holders is defined. Some rights of members of this community are described, as are the principles governing the manner in which ARIN should engage with and provide services to this community.

Policy statement:

1.0 Introduction

Internet resources obtained prior to or otherwise outside the current hierarchical Internet Registry System (involving any of the other Regional Internet Registries) are considered legacy resources.

ARIN maintains and publishes registry data for resources held by its members and by legacy resource holders located in the ARIN service area. It strives to maintain the accuracy of these data. ARIN also provides reverse DNS delegation and a routing registry for IP address and Autonomous System Numbers, both of which include legacy resources.

Historically, legacy resource holdings have been kept outside any formal relationship between their holders and ARIN with the exception of one sided, onerous agreements which removed their rights, even in cases where such a relationship covers other resources held by the same holder. To improve the accuracy and trustworthiness of the registry data ARIN and a number of legacy resource holders have indicated that a formal relationship is desirable.

Legacy holders are also interested in a more formal relationship which would give clarity regarding services and allow them to participate in ARIN’s cost-sharing model.
This framework defines the basis for rigorous maintenance of registration data and for delivery of registry services to legacy Internet resource holders in the ARIN service region.

1.1 Definitions

The following definitions apply in this policy and are of particular importance to the understanding of the goals described in this document.

Internet Resource

An IP address block or Autonomous System number.

Legacy Internet Resource

Any Internet Resource obtained prior to or otherwise outside the current system of hierarchical distribution (by allocation or assignment) through the Regional Internet Registries.

Legacy Internet Resource Holder

The holder of a Legacy Internet Resource. Either by receiving these resources directly or by receiving (part of) Legacy Internet Resources from a Legacy Internet Resource Holder.

Registry Services

Services provided by ARIN in its capacity as a Regional Internet Registry, including the following and such additional services as may be identified from time to time as registry services:

Maintenance of data relating to Internet Resources by ARIN in their Internet Resource registry;
Access to these data for update by or on behalf of the respective holder;
Public availability of registration data;
Certification of these data; and
Delegation of reverse DNS to the registered DNS servers.

Registry Service Element

In practice, any Legacy Resource Holder actually avails of a subset of the Registry Services mentioned above. Where it is necessary to distinguish between the entire class of Registry Services and the specific Registry Services actually provided in a particular case, the latter are described as Registry Service Elements.

1.2 Scope

The framework described in this document applies to the provision of Registry Services by ARIN in respect of Legacy Internet Resources. Any other services offered by ARIN (whether different in nature, or relating to other kinds of resources) are out of scope for this policy.

Any existing or future ARIN policy referring to resources shall not apply to legacy resources unless the policy explicitly includes legacy resources in its scope.

Rights of the holder to hold, use, or transfer any Legacy Internet Resource are not addressed or restricted by this policy.

The holder of a Legacy Internet Resource who so wishes may, separately in respect of each such resource held, choose either to return the resource to the appropriate free pool or to have the resource registered without legacy status as if it had been distributed by ARIN. In either such case, the resource involved will no longer be subject to this policy or to any other provisions of an ARIN policy which relates exclusively to Legacy Internet Resources, and will no longer be eligible to have its legacy status re-instated as provided for below.

In case the current holder, or a previous holder, of a resource which was originally a legacy resource (or part of a legacy resource) has, before the coming into effect of this policy, registered the resource as if it had been distributed by ARIN whether in connection with a transfer of resource or otherwise, the current holder shall be given the opportunity to have the legacy status of the resource re-instated and to choose to have it registered under one of the options available for registering a legacy resource, as set out in this or any subsequent policy relating specifically to Legacy Internet Resources.

In the case just mentioned, if the resource holder, having been alerted to the other options available, confirms the intent to have a particular resource registered as if it had been distributed by ARIN, ARIN shall apply ARIN policies about resources it has distributed to these particular resources too, rather than reverting to the legacy status and beginning a fresh engagement with the resource holder from that position.

The scope of this policy does not include the resolution of any dispute arising as to the right to use a particular Legacy Internet Resource.

Although specification of charges made by ARIN is also out of scope here, the appropriate kind of charge corresponding to a specific set of circumstances is identified where this seems useful for clarity.

2.0 Relationship between Legacy Internet Resource Holder and an RIR

A direct or indirect contractual relationship between a Legacy Internet Resource Holder and ARIN provides contractual certainty to both parties regarding services, rights, and responsibilities. Such a relationship also provides for payment of appropriate fees for services provided by ARIN. Different methods for establishing such a relationship are described below in sections 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, and 2.4.

In exceptional cases where the Legacy Resource Holder wishes to engage with ARIN but none of the methods just mentioned is feasible, section 2.5 will apply.

Section 2.6 will apply in case such a relationship or agreement as described below in sections 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, or 2.5 has not been established.

Section 2.7 will apply in case such a relationship or agreement has been established, but has lapsed.

2.1 Legacy Internet Resource Holder is already a RIR member

If the Legacy Internet Resource Holder is already an ARIN member then there is already a contractual relationship between ARIN and the Resource Holder, who may extend the existing contract by registering the Legacy Internet Resources involved subject to the conditions defined in section 3 below.

In this case, ARIN may require the payment of charges for membership and services according to the ARIN fee structure for the time being in force.

2.2 Option to become an RIR member

A Legacy Internet Resource Holder who is not already a ARIN member may opt to become a member by establishing a membership contract under which the Legacy Internet Resources involved will then be registered subject to the conditions defined in section 3 below.

In this case, ARIN may require the payment of charges for membership and services according to the ARIN fee structure for the time being in force.

2.3 Option to engage via sponsoring LIR

A Legacy Internet Resource Holder who either is not already an ARIN member or, being a member, does not wish to extend the membership contract as provided in section 2.1 above may opt to enter into a contract with an ARIN member who is willing to act as a Sponsoring LIR for the purposes of registering the Legacy Resources involved, subject to the conditions defined in section 3 below, and subject to approval by ARIN and of the form of contract between the Resource Holder and the Sponsoring LIR.

In this case, the Sponsoring LIR may require the payment of charges according to the terms of the contract agreed with the Legacy Resource Holder.

2.4 Option to engage directly with an RIR

A Legacy Internet Resource Holder whose circumstances match those described in section 2.3 above, but cannot find a Sponsoring LIR with which a mutually satisfactory contract of the kind mentioned in that section, may opt to enter a non-member service contract with ARIN for the purposes of registering the Legacy Resources involved, subject to the conditions defined in Section 3 below.

In this case, ARIN may require the payment of reasonable charges according to the terms of the non-member service contract.

2.5 When there are obstacles for 2.1/2.2/2.3/2.4

Due to specific enduring or temporary circumstances which are recognized by ARIN as being outside the resource holder’s control, a legacy resource holder may be unable to enter into a relationship of any of the kinds described above (2.1 .. 2.4). In such a case, ARIN will offer and provide registry services as if a contractual relationship of one of the kinds described above had been established, and shall do so for as long as the circumstances continue which constitute an obstruction to the establishment of a contract.

However, notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, ARIN may refuse to provide any specific registry service for which particular technical requirements apply, which the Resource Holder is unable to meet.

2.6 No relationship

In case no formal relationship has been established in support of a particular legacy resource, ARIN

will continue to provide any registry service element already provided in support of each Legacy Internet Resource involved;
will have no obligation to begin to provide any registry service element not already provided in support of a particular Legacy Internet Resource, even in case the service element is provided in support of any other Legacy Internet Resource held by the same or another Resource Holder;
and may update the related entries in the ARIN Database from time to time to correspond to the current actual situation.

2.7 Lapse of relationship or agreement

In case a relationship or agreement as described above in sections 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, or 2.5 has lapsed, ARIN may refuse to continue to provide, in support of each legacy resource involved, any service element which was not being provided immediately before the establishment of the relationship or agreement which has lapsed.

3.0 Contractual requirements

The service agreement covering registration of a legacy Internet resource between the corresponding Resource Holder and either the Sponsoring LIR or ARIN must include

identification of each resource covered by the service agreement;
specification of the service or services offered in respect of each resource identified;
the obligation for both parties to comply with this policy and with other ARIN policies which relate to Legacy Internet Resources;
a statement of the responsibility of the resource holder to maintain accurate data in the registry in respect of each resource identified;
a statement of the responsibility of the resource holder to assist ARIN with data-accuracy checks;
a statement that ARIN is not entitled to deregister the resources for whatever purpose unless so instructed by the resource holder;
a statement of the measures which ARIN is entitled to take in case the resource holder does not meet their contractual responsibilities.

4.0 Services to be offered and provided

ARIN will offer and provide services in respect of a given Legacy Internet Resource corresponding to the relationship established with the holder of that resource.

In the case of any of the forms of relationship described in sections 2.1, 2.2, or 2.3 above, this policy shall not exclude any service from being offered and/or provided in respect of a Legacy Internet Resource registered under the terms of the corresponding direct or indirect contractual agreement relationship with ARIN.

In the case of any of the forms of relationship described in sections 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, or 2.4 above, ARIN shall offer Registry Services as defined in section 1.1 above in respect of each Legacy Internet Resource involved and as requested by the corresponding Resource Holder.
In case the situation corresponds to section 2.6 above, ARIN shall maintain each Registry Service element already provided in respect of any corresponding Legacy Internet Resource.

5.0 Arbitration in case of conflict

In case of conflict between a Legacy Internet Resource Holder and ARIN about any matter within the scope of this policy, the ARIN Arbitration Procedure is to be applied.

Comments:
a. Timetable for implementation:
b. Anything else: