> On Dec 13, 2023, at 12:25, John Curran <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
>>>> On Dec 13, 2023, at 1:40 PM, Owen DeLong <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> On Dec 13, 2023, at 09:09, John Curran <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>> ...
>>>> I note that that you make a strong presumption about "what ARIN is 
>>>> actually concerned about”, and while registration aspects may frequently 
>>>> be the main focus, it is not necessarily always the case that ARIN’s 
>>>> concerns are limited to "the local registration of addresses to other 
>>>> entities” – ARIN’s remit is set by the member-elected Board per the 
>>>> policies developed by this community, so “what ARIN is actually concerned 
>>>> about” may extend a bit beyond your asserted viewpoint – again, depending 
>>>> on the policies established by the this community.
>> 
>> I believe I said “primarily concerned about”. Please don’t disregard 
>> important words.
> 
> Owen - 
> 
> If that’s the case, then my apologies, but our mail server seems to have your 
> email recorded as such – 
> 
> >   "Best to avoid the quagmire of ambiguity and talk in terms of what ARIN 
> > is actually concerned about, which is the local registration of addresses 
> > to other entities (whether internal, external, or both). “

Fair enough. I think earlier in the message, I had said “primarily”, but yes, 
it’s definitely not in that particular paragraph. 

> 
>> So you’re saying that using the term LIR there would bring in unintended 
>> recipients? Given that we have already stated in the NRPM that the terms are 
>> interchangeable and have the same meaning for policies, this statement is 
>> confusing to me.
> 
> The portion of the NRPM that defines LIR is as follows – 
> 
> A Local Internet Registry (LIR) is an IR that primarily assigns IP addresses 
> to the users _of the network services_ that it provides. LIRs are generally 
> Internet Service Providers (ISPs) whose customers are primarily end users and 
> possibly other ISPs.
> 
> As such, the question of interchangeability of the ”LIR” and “ISP” terms 
> requires considering whether there is alignment in "the network services” 
> that each provides. 

I refer you to 6.5.1.a

6.5.1. Terminology
The terms ISP and LIR are used interchangeably in this document and any use of 
either term shall be construed to include both meanings.
> Certainly in many cases an LIR is an ISP (and the NRPM LIR definition makes 
> that plain in its second clause), but to draw an example:  would an 
> organization that only provides address management services for its users be 
> considered an ISP?
> 
> It is not appropriate to conclude that NRPM equates the terms, but rather 
> that it only notes that "LIRS are generally ISPs.” –– i.e. the definition 
> clearly envisions the possibility that some LIRs may not be ISPs; they may 
> provide IP addresses to users, but that does not necessarily and 
> automatically equate with "the provision of network services” such as the 
> term Internet Service Providers encompasses.

I don’t conclude that, I read it in the text of the NRPM quoted above. 

>  
> 
>>> That does not mean that “LIR” is not a suitable replacement for ISP in the 
>>> NRPM, but rather that the community will need to be clear if there are any 
>>> additional assumptions or constraints applicable to portions of the policy 
>>> that may have traditionally been assumed due to usage of the term “ISP”.   
>>> Extracting and making explicit such conditions makes for clearer policy, 
>>> and as such, moving to “LIR” as the more general term may actually 
>>> facilitate clearer ARIN number resource policy over the long term – so long 
>>> as appropriate care is taken in the update.
>> 
>> I’m all for due diligence in the process,  it given that the NRPM already 
>> calls out the terms as equivalent for policy purposes, the idea that it 
>> would change the meaning of the current policy is confusing to me.
> 
> See above - alas, the NRPM does not presently call out the terms as 
> equivalent but rather only notes that LIRs "are generally ISPs."

It doesn’t in section 2 where it defines LIR, but it does in 6.5.1.a as shown 
above. 

> 
>>> ...
>>> As noted, such a change may be more _or less_ descriptive to actual policy 
>>> intent of particular sections of NRPM , but the community certainly has the 
>>> ability to consider such cases and clarify as needed.
>> 
>> I believe that as implemented currently, the section you cite is used to 
>> issue addresses to a number of entity types that many would assume are not 
>> “ISPs”. 
> 
> Thank you – you nicely make my point that there may be usage of the term ISP 
> that people believe is more constrained that the term LIR – again, this 
> doesn’t argue against moving to using LIR as the consistent term throughout 
> NRPM, but simply notes that care should be taken to make sure the resulting 
> NRPM policy is unambiguous within the community regarding its policy intent – 
> particular when it comes to policy that is presently references and it 
> utilized by ISPs. 

My point was that ARIN doesn’t apply those greater constraints and said 
assumption is actually problematic in that it may dissuade or confuse 
legitimate applicants. 

Owen

> 
> Thanks (and Happy Holidays!) 
> /John
> 
> John Curran
> President and CEO
> American Registry for Internet Numbers
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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