Minutes of the 29th RIPE NCC Executive Board Meeting

Date: 3 September 2002
Time: 13:00-16:15
Venue: Offices of RIPE NCC, Amsterdam

Minutes: Sabine Mader (SAM)
Version: 2.2

Attendees:

Kees Neggers - Chair (KN)
Frode Greisen - ICANN Liaison (FG)
Nigel Titley - Secretary (NT)
Janos Zsako - Treasurer (JZ)
Daniele Bovio - (DB)
Axel Pawlik - Managing Director (AP)
Jochem de Ruig - Chief Financial Officer (JR) Topics 4-10

Guest: Rob Blokzijl - Chair RIPE (RB)

Apologies: none

AGENDA:

1. Agenda/Comments
   1.1 Apologies/New Agenda Points
   1.2 Approval previous Minutes
   1.3 Date of next meeting
2. Outstanding Actions
3. Report from the RIPE NCC
4. Presentation financial estimate FY 2002
5. Long term financial scenarios for the RIPE NCC
6. Activity Plan + Charging Schedule
7. Setting up an operating subsidiary
8. AGM preparations
   8.1 draft agenda
   8.2 draft resolutions
9. ICANN
10. AOB
    address space reclamation

1. Agenda/Comments

1.1 No new Agenda points

1.2 Minutes of the 28th EB meeting, held on 29 April 2002, were approved.

1.3 Next meeting will be held from 08:30 - 10:00 on 29 October 2002 at the meeting venue of the Annual General Meeting in Amsterdam.

2. Outstanding Actions

Actions were discussed and marked as appropriate. See attached action list.

3. Report from the RIPE NCC

Axel Pawlik gave an update report which was discussed.

Specific topics discussed were:

• Key messages RIPE 43 / Statistics
• Staffing
• Policy work
• External Liaison / PR
• ICANN
• Emerging RIRs / ENUM
• Upcoming Travel

The Board asked for a comparative study of ARIN, APNIC and RIPE NCC staffing levels and working methods.

4. Presentation financial estimate FY 2002

The Chief Financial Officer Jochem de Ruig (JR) gave an update report on the current financial situation of the RIPE NCC. He also gave a projection to the end of the financial year 2002.

Although net membership growth has significantly dropped against last year, the RIPE NCC records an increased level of interaction with members in absolute numbers as the address space consumption continues to grow. Also the number of mergers and takeovers produce higher workload for RS. This is a new situation for the RIPE NCC.

The growth of membership (New LIRs) is not as high as forecasted in 2001. 205 members were put in phase 4 (i.e. they get no service any more) due to non-payment of membership dues.

The implications of the negative result of this financial year on the clearinghouse procedures need to be clarified.

ACTION:

EB68 / 03/09/02 / JR
To clarify Clearinghouse procedure in case of financial loss.

The Chairman strongly recommended to contain costs until the end of the year.

5. Long term financial scenarios for the RIPE NCC

The matter of long term financial scenarios for the RIPE NCC was discussed, especially focussing on membership developments, charging models and financial expectations.

JR presented a first attempt to assess the Internet development, correlated with LIR size. The presentation was well received and the topic was discussed.

FG noted that the analysis should be complemented by other quantitative measures such as e.g. address consumption as well as an analysis of consequences for the RIPE NCC of such developments.

ACTION:

EB69 / 03/09/02 / AP
To continue production of financial scenarios, report to be given around mid November.

6. Activity Plan + Charging schedule

The latest version of the Activity Plan was thoroughly discussed.

The cost of LIR training courses were discussed. The current principle (two attendants per LIR attend free) is to be continued. New staff of "old" LIRs will continue to be able to attend free of charge, if course seats are available. It was recognised that LIR training courses are a crucial part of the membership education drive.

The cost of RIPE meetings were discussed. While the meetings should ideally be financially self sufficient, the RIPE NCC still contributes to the meeting cost.

ACTION:

EB70 / 03/09/02 / JR,AP,RB
To review income and cost of RIPE meetings

The TTM project was discussed. It has yet to meet the goal to be self financing. In the view of the current situation and also regarding the maturity of the project, it was decided to cease development and to remove it from the services of the RIPE NCC by the end of 2003. Until then the project should be cleaned up, packaged and possibly sold.

The provisional ENUM service was discussed: the decision to charge for its provisioning from the start of 2003 was supported.

Following decisions were made with regard to the Activity Plan and Charging Schedule 2003:

Re-calculate the fee schedule based on:

• 0% net membership growth
• 5% new members
• 1 M EUR surplus

TTM:

• guarantee the current service in 2003
• revised budget runs out end 2003
• re-evaluation of business model by mid year 2003

ACTIONS:

EB71 / 03/09/02 / AP,JR
To calculate changes to the financial forecast and to circulate the revised plan to the Board by the end of the week

EB72 / 03/09/02 / ALL
To discuss revised Activity Plan during the week of RIPE 43, 9-13 Sep 2002

Note: The Activity Plan and Charging Schedule need to be published no later than Tuesday, 17 September 2002.

7. Setting up an operating subsidiary

Agenda point was postponed until the next meeting.

8. AGM preparations

• draft agenda
• draft resolutions

Decision:

The proposed agenda and resolutions were approved.

ACTION:

EB73 / 03/09/02 / AP
Announcement for AGM and Board elections to be sent out to the membership.

9. ICANN

RB gave an overview over recent ICANN activities with a focus on the "Evolution and Reform" process. Apparently no formal interaction with the RIRs has taken place. This is very disappointing.

All were convinced that in close cooperation with the IETF + IAB and the name registries the RIRs can fulfil their mission without ICANN.

AP reported that a new joint RIR statement is expected to be published during the weeks to come.

The remaining 50% of the ICANN contribution is not to be paid until further instruction from the Executive Board. The Executive Board wants to check whether payment will be beneficial to the RIPE NCC or to the Internet.

10. AOB

• address space reclamation

  This agenda point was not discussed due to limited time and will be postponed to the next meeting.

ACTION LIST:

Outstanding Actions:

EB62 02/10/01 ALL

Reminder on thinking about a strategy re reclamation of address space with the backing of the community only with reasonable justification. Results from further discussions to be included into the Activity Plan 2003.
ONGOING

EB63 15/01/02 ALL
Input for Activity Plan 2003 until next EB Meeting.
CLOSED

EB64 / 29/04/02 / AP
Financial scenarios re possible membership developments and their financial implications for a couple of years to be worked out / AP
ONGOING

EB65 / 29/04/02 / AP
To clarify response time definition
CLOSED

EB66 / 29/04/02 / AP
To produce report on clearinghouse status
ONGOING

EB67 / 29/04/02 / AP
To produce an overview of the costs/revenues of RIPE Meetings
ONGOING

New Actions:

EB68 / 03/09/02 / JR
To clarify clearinghouse procedure in case of financial loss

EB69 / 03/09/02 / AP
To continue production of financial scenarios, report to be given around mid November 2002

EB70 / 03/09/02 / JR,AP,RB
To review income and cost of RIPE meetings

EB71 / 03/09/02 / AP,JR
To calculate changes to the financial forecast and to circulate the revised plan to the Board by the end of the week

EB72 / 03/09/02 / ALL
To discuss revised Activity Plan during the week of RIPE 43

EB73 / 03/09/02 / AP
Announcement for AGM and Board elections to be sent out to the membership.