APNIC Annual Member Meeting 2000

Discussion Document: Criteria for the establishment of new National Internet Registries in the APNIC region

Abstract

This document proposes a number of criteria that could be considered essential in the formation of new National Internet Registries (NIRs). It is suggested that these are an essential set of standards that all new NIRs will implement and follow. It is proposed that existing NIRs use this as a guideline document when undergoing organisational change. In the longer term, it is anticipated that all NIRs will follow the same set of guiding principles.

The document is derived from a draft document describing criteria for the establishment of new RIRs. It is anticipated that APNIC and the existing NIRs can use their shared and individual experiences to refine these criteria through discussion.

Introduction

Internet resources (such as IP addresses and Autonomous System numbers) are currently distributed through a structure of delegated Internet registry responsibility. IANA allocates address space to APNIC, as a Regional Internet Registry (RIR). Address space is further allocated by APNIC to either NIRs or to Local Internet Registries (LIRs). While the latter assign addresses to end-users, the NIRs fulfil functions largely identical to those of an RIR with responsibility for managing address space allocations to LIRs within a particular country.

NIRs have long existed within the APNIC structure and fulfil an important role in distributing address space to organisations within the boundaries of their respective countries. NIRs reflect the need for procedures that take account of local cultural differences. However it is important to note that neutrality, fairness, and equitable application of APNIC's policy framework remain essential qualities.

The registry system is well established has been developed with the community of Internet Service Providers and other enterprises that requires address space to operate their businesses. It has evolved over the past 10 years and is based on structures and procedures that are transparent and firmly established.

The list below shows the existing NIRs and the countries for which they provide services:

TWNIC - Taiwan
CNNIC - China
KRNIC - Korea
JPNIC - Japan
APJII - Indonesia

This document describes a number of criteria necessary for the establishment and operation of an NIR. These criteria are considered essential preconditions for the approval of new NIRs by APNIC. These provide APNIC with the a set of guidelines for evaluating applications for new NIRs.

Principles

The following numbered list is not meant to imply that any one standard is more important than another - they are all equally important for NIR operations. The numbering serves only to facilitate reading.

1) The region of coverage is that of a particular country only

The proposed NIR must operate within the borders of a particular country. In this country only one NIR can be established. Multiple NIRs or could possibly lead to:

• fragmentation of address space
• competition between NIRs
• difficulty for co-ordination and co-operation between the NIRs
• confusion for the community within the country

Clear consensus must be demonstrated within the community that the vast majority of the ISPs and LIRs in the country are prepared to support the new NIR. The community must state that it is interested in receiving services from this new NIR and that they are convinced the new NIR can and will provide this. The community must also show that it is willing to support this new NIR vigorously, not only with their active participation in its bottom-up development but also financially.

The new NIR must show that it has made every effort to contact and convince existing LIRs in their region to give their support to the establishment of a new NIR in that region has been made (For example, by way of archives of public mailing lists, web sites, records of contacts with individual LIRs).

The new NIR's membership must include a significant percentage of the existing LIRs (those already receiving IP address registration services and/or other related services from an RIR and that would receive IP address registration services and/or other related services from the new NIR) within the new NIR's region of coverage.

It is preferable that the entire country should be served by the new NIR. Therefore, the new NIR's membership should include a significant percentage of the ISPs within the NIR's country. However, new and existing LIRs cannot be forced to go to the new NIR and may receive service from APNIC, if preferred. However APNIC will always refer applications for membership from organisations served by NIRs to the the NIR.

3) Bottom-up self governance structure for setting local policies

The new NIR needs to document clearly defined procedures for the development of local IP address allocation and assignment policies. These procedures most be open and transparent and accessible to all interested parties and ensure fair representation of all constituencies within the region.

These procedures should include holding at least one annual policy development meeting that is open and accessible to all interested parties. In addition to public meetings, the new NIR needs to maintain public archived mailing lists to discuss policy development.

4) Neutrality and impartiality to all interested parties

All organisations that receive service from the new NIR must be treated equitably. The policies and guidelines proposed and implemented by the NIR need to ensure fair distribution of address space and impartial treatment of the members/requestors.

The new NIR should be established as an independent, not-for-profit, open membership-based association.

5) Technical expertise

The new NIR must be technically capable of providing registration services to the community in the country. This includes:

• stable Internet connectivity within the country and internationally;
• a public whois database server;
• name servers' providing in-addr.arpa reverse DNS, and
• enough technically capable staff to ensure appropriate service levels to the LIRs.

6) Adherence to global policies regarding address space conservation, aggregation, and registration

Policies need to be in place to ensure that global and RIR policies can be implemented. The specific goals of the registry system are the conservation of IP address space and aggregation of routing information. As well, local policies that are developed in addition to established global policies need to guarantee these goals. All policies need to be documented and publicly accessible.

7) Funding model

The NIR needs to be set up as not-for-profit association. A budget related to the activity plan must be drawn up and published. Clear support from the organisations that will eventually have to fund the activity plan must be shown.

Initial sponsorship, government grants, and private grants and/or donations are acceptable but the NIR should operate independently and eventually be solely financially supported by its membership.

8) Record Keeping

NIRs must maintain proper records about all registry activities. Every NIR should keep all information collected from the LIRs in the process of making a request for an IP address space allocation. This data is needed for the evaluation of subsequent requests for the same customers, for audits by the RIR and IANA and for the resolution of any questions that may arise regarding allocations.

Core documents and records should be available in English. This is necessary to be consistent with the existing registry system and to communicate with the existing RIRs and IANA.

In addition to that all public documentation needs to be available in English.

9) Confidentiality

Information collected by a NIR in the registration process must be kept in strict confidence and it must be protected by a confidentiality policy at least equivalent to that adopted by the RIR. It is to be used for registration purposes only. It must be transmitted only to another RIR or IANA in demonstrating address space usage but will not be transmitted to any other party unless explicitly agreed to in writing by the end user.