[rpd] RIPE proposed changes to the routing registry

[Andrew Alston]

Hi AFRINIC Board,

I've cross posted this to both the policy list and the members list because I think it's critical that both are involved here, and it relates to all of the above.

RIPE is currently working on a possible change to the routing registry database they run - which will mark route objects associated with AFRINIC issued IP space as non-authoritative.  Now, this could have some pretty major impact potentially - especially since, last time I tested - it was impossible to register a route object in the AFRINIC database if the ASN being used is not an AFRINIC ASN - because AFRINIC is not authoritative for the aut-num object.

What this means is - there are MANY AFRINIC members who have AFRINIC space, and are paying AFRINIC - who cannot use the AFRINIC routing registry - and are now going to have their objects potentially marked as non-authoritative in the RIPE database - which dependent on filtering could have rather drastic and damaging effects on global reachability.

This raises several very big questions in my mind


  1.  What is AFRINIC doing to rectify this in their own database so that their members can correctly use it with the space that is issued by AFRINIC to them and paid for.
  2.  Considering that AFRINIC has sent multiple board members and staff to RIPE meetings since this has been under discussion - can AFRINIC please explain to me how - on an issue as critical as this - there has been NO communication with the members who are affected by this.  Effectively - why are our member fees being used to send staff and board to meetings when the information that may be showing up at those meetings which is critical to the functioning of African operations is never being communicated back to the AFRINIC members
  3.  For those AFRINIC members who have objects in the RIPE database but *CAN* move to the AFRINIC database - yes - AFRINIC has made appeals to create the route objects in the AFRINIC database - but it might have been good to tell the members that not doing so could potentially have impact as this change in RIPE was progressing.

Bottom line - yes - it's a change in RIPE - but it is AFRINIC's responsibility to communicate to members on issues that can have material impact on them as regards the usage of AFRINIC resources - and that responsibility has not been met in this case - and I am sure I am not alone in wondering why not.

Andrew

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