+1 Thank you for the well-reasoned proposal to fix an issue that has been a problem for far too long. Jacob Slater
On Mon, Oct 7, 2019 at 5:31 AM ripedenis--- via db-wg <db-wg@ripe.net> wrote: > > Colleagues > > The DB-WG chairs have agreed to create "NWI-10 Definition of Country". This > is an issue that has been debated many times over many years and needs a > solution. The Solution Definition below is based on a presentation made at > RIPE 78 by the RIPE NCC. > > There has been very little discussion on this since RIPE 78 so perhaps we can > have a final round of pros and cons over this next week and then see if we > have a consensus. > > cheers > denis > > co-chair DB-WG > > > NWI-10 Definition of Country > > Problem Definition > There is no clarity for the meaning of the country code attribute in the RIPE > Database and the Extended Delegated statistics. This creates confusion and > inconsistencies. > > Historically the country code was used to refer to the location of the > network. Until recently this location was, in most cases, identical to the > legal presence of the resource holder. However, in recent years there has > been a growing number of resource holders that have, for various reasons, > their legal presence in one country, but the network located in another > country. There is also a growing number of out-of-region members resulting in > an increase in requests to update the country code in the Extended Delegated > Statistics for different purposes (e.g. commercial). > > While the country code attribute in the RIPE Database can be updated directly > by the resource holder, the Extended Delegated Statistics are maintained by > the RIPE NCC and they were created as part of a joint effort from the RIRs > with a specific purpose. > > > Solution Definition > 1. The country code for resource objects in the RIPE Database should remain > as it is currently, ie the resource holder remains responsible for > maintaining this attribute and deciding what the country code should be, > according to whatever criteria best suits their needs. > > 2. A new attribute should be added to the ORGANISATION object, which contains > a country code that refers to where the resource holder is legally based. The > RIPE NCC would be responsible for this field and would only make updates to > this field after being provided with documentation that proves the resources > holder is legally-based in another country. This would essentially be the > same process for updating an organisation's legal name currently. > > 3. The new country code value in the ORGANISATION object would then be > reflected in the Extended Delegated Statistics – so that this file will show > where the holder of a resource is legally based and will not make any claims > about where the resources are being used. This will ensure the Extended > Delegated Statistics file is consistent with those published by the other > RIRs. This may mean there is a greater divergence between the country code > contained in resource objects in the RIPE Database and those listed in the > statistics file. As the country code in the resource objects only has meaning > to the resource holder, which should be made clear, this should not be a > problem. > >
