[DBWG] DBWG-2: proposal to auto-generate contents of the mandatory "changed" field in db objects.

[Ben Maddison]

Hi all,

On 07/28, Frank Habicht wrote:

> Hi Nishal,

> 

> Thanks for your email and proposal.

> 

> assuming [1] we keep numbering WG issues, this should be DBWG-2.

> 

> I'd like to invite all others; please give your input.

> 

> <snip/>

> 

> On 28/07/2020 14:38, Nishal Goburdhan wrote:

> > hi,

> > 

> > per the subject line, i think that this is something that afrinic’s db

> > could auto-append.

> > 

> > this basically means that the field:

> > “changed:  <user at domain> <date>”

> > 

> > would no longer need to be filled out by the requestor, and afrinic

> > would auto-populate this, based on :

> > # mail headers,

> > # datetime,

> > and other relevant bits that can be discussed further here.  i can’t see

> > this breaking anything, but welcome additional discussion.

> > 

I think that the principle is sensible, but the details might be tricky.

The "date" part is easy to calculate on receipt.
The "from" part is less so:
- updates via the web-submission thingy
- updates via the REST-wotsit
- updates generated by tooling that sets the 'changed:' to the correct
  user but generates the 'From:' using a shared/dummy mailbox

Having accurate 'changed:' is important for attribution, as the current
legacy space saga reminds us.

If we're going to solve this properly, perhaps referencing the mntner
used to authorise the update is the way to go? (it's transport
independent, less spoof-able, and maybe more useful for a later audit).

Users could then provide an optional 'changed-reason:', providing email
attribution and/or commit-msg things.

Cheers,

Ben
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