[This will soon be published as a web page, but to avoid any further delays I'm sending the current text now.]
NANOG Transition - Frequently Asked Questions ============================================= These are questions which have been asked since the current transition was announced. We will do our best to keep this updated with answers to new questions, but please be aware that much of the process has yet to be worked out in detail. We encourage questions and comments on the nanog-futures mailing list, or directly to the SC. Why are we making this change? It has been five years since the NANOG evolution process began, leading towards a form of self-governance. We believe that this model has worked quite well, and that it is now time to take the next steps toward full self-sufficiency. In addition, although Merit Network has been a wonderful host organization, we believe that both organizations would be best served by the ability to focus on their core missions and constituencies. Why should we make this change now? As has been noted, changes at Merit led to much informal discussion among the attendees at NANOG 48 in Austin about NANOG's governance model and relationship with Merit. As a result, we decided to step back and carefully evaluate what NANOG is now, and what we wish it to be in the future. The short answer is "why not now?" NANOG autonomy is a topic that has been discussed for many years. The difference is that now we have the enviable position of having complete consensus among the NANOG leadership as well as the willingness of everyone involved to contribute significant personal time and effort towards the transition. What sort of staff and budget is it expected to need? This remains to be determined, though we expect to need some combination of paid staff and contracted services. Where would it be based? This has not been determined. How would it be structured? We have started the process of incorporation of a new non-profit entity, with a mission to produce NANOG conferences, administer the NANOG mailing list, and expand our educational outreach. Once this is complete, we will apply for 501(c)(3) educational non-profit status. The current NANOG charter is being adapted for use as bylaws for the new corporation. Are there specific people lined up to run it? The six elected NANOG Steering Committee members will become the initial Board of Directors for the new organization. Beyond that, nothing has been decided. Can we have references from SC Minutes or other sources showing the evolution of the evolution? This was not a formal SC activity, so there were no minutes taken. Will there be documentation of the process moving forward? Minutes for board meetings of the new organization will be published. In the meantime, we will publish progress updates and meeting notes when possible. Who made the decision? We are a group comprising the six elected members of the SC (Steve Feldman, Patrick Gilmore, Sylvie LaPerriere, Joe Provo, Rob Seastrom, and Duane Wessels), the PC chair and vice-chair (Dave Meyer and Tom Daly), and several advisors (Betty Burke, John Curran, Dan Golding, and Todd Underwood). All decisions made were by unanimous vote of the SC and PC representatives. How can I help? As we proceed through this process we will undoubtedly need much help from the community, so there will be plenty of opportunities to volunteer. In the meantime, we encourage your feedback and advice, either on nanog-futures or directly to the SC. _______________________________________________ Nanog-futures mailing list Nanog-futures@nanog.org https://mailman.nanog.org/mailman/listinfo/nanog-futures
