[AfriNIC-rpd] Questions about legacy space

[James Blessing]

On 28 June 2012 08:30, Andrew Alston <alston.networks at gmail.com> wrote:
> An institution has been using legacy space for 20+ years, and is under the
> impression that the space actually belongs to them.  They have always had
> full control of the space, used the space, and there have been no problems.

So this is space grandfathered to Afrinic via RIPE or pure legacy space?

> Now, during an exercise, said institution discovers that the space is
> actually registered to another institution.
>
> They phone the other institution and the other institution instantly agrees
> that the space should be with institution 1, and infact within 60 minutes
> issue a letter to this effect.
>
> Now, when asking for the database records to be modified, does this classify
> as a transfer or is this just an admin screwup that can be rectified.

Sounds like a simple administration change - who's database is the
information in?

> I think the question here comes down to, what classifies as OWNERSHIP of
> legacy space.  Does consistent use for 20 years qualify?

Thereby hangs a tail... the space isn't "owned" by anyone. IP
addresses aren't an asset (and if they suddenly become one a lot of
peoples accounting records need to be restated to reflect this) and as
such can't be owned. If I had camped on 1.0.0.0/8 for the last 20
years and "got away" with using it would I own it?

> If not, until there is a policy about the transfer of legacy space, how
> would one deal with a situation as described above?  Since policies take
> time to draft, discuss and ratify.

Is there a policy to bring legacy space into the Afrinic db? If so
then surely this should be used and any errors corrected in the
process (if its already in the system its just a records update)

J
-- 
James Blessing
+44 7989 039 476
Strategic Relations Manager, EMEA
Limelight Networks