[address-policy-wg] Direct End USer Assignments, 2007-01 and Contractual Requirements

Hello Marcus,

I re-ordered the questions and replies a bit to make it more readable

> What I was able to gather by digging through the archives, document  
> store, google etc. was:
>
> 2007-01v4 has been accepted despite containing a bunch of topics  
> left open. How's the 'sponsoring lir' defined?

A sponsoring LIR is an LIR where an end-user can 'register' his PI  
address space. Any LIR can perform this function.

> Definition of fees left to NCC (what have been done by now, but I  
> come back to that later)

That is something that the RIPE community can not decide on. Decisions  
on the charging scheme of the RIPE NCC are made by the RIPE NCC  
General Assembly.

> 'Contractual Requirements' left in some indefinite state (and  
> without any discussion) as far as I can see.

The policy only states that there must be a contract between the end- 
user and an LIR or between the end-user and the RIPE NCC. This is  
required to establish a link between the organisation that gives out  
address space (RIPE NCC) and the organisation using that address space  
(end-user). The policy doesn't force you to use a fixed contract, it  
only gives guidelines on what such a contract should contain. This is  
intentional.

> What about the 'sponsoring lir' theme ? The 'Contractual  
> Requirements for Provider Independent Resource Holders in the RIPE  
> NCC Service Region' is a nice document. But that's the meaning of  
> it ? All I see is a *draft* document trying to lay hands on the  
> bussiness relationship between lir and end user. Getting a few  
> additional scoring points in the billing algorithm I don't even  
> think about. The member fee and the difference between categories  
> isn't that expensive. (Before someone complains, those having a  
> problem with the fees by stepping up a category due to issuing a  
> sufficient amount of PI/ASN imho have a problem with their business  
> plan and calculations.)

This is the common case: an end-user has a sponsoring LIR for his PI  
address space. That LIR is required to have a contract with the end  
user about this, and the scoring points for the PI address space are  
added to the sponsoring LIRs billing score. That is all that is  
required. Any financial agreements between the end user and the  
sponsoring LIR are none of our business (and probably depend on other  
services that the end user buys from the LIR etc).

> The lowest fee - applicable for a single /24 already - equals to  
> becoming a lir. What's the minimum allocation size today ? /21 ?
> Would you pay 1300 EUR p.a. to get a /24 when you can get a /21 by  
> bcoming a lir for the same fees (which even provides much greater  
> freedom, i.e. assignmnets allowed, partial transfer allowed) ?

In most cases the end-user will have a contract with an LIR. In some  
cases that might not be possible (for political or other reasons). In  
that special case the end-user can sign a contract directly with the  
RIPE NCC. The end-user will have to become a RIPE NCC member (The NCC  
is a not-for-profit membership organisation, not a for-profit company)  
and pay the membership fee based on the scoring points for their PI  
address space.

> What about transfer of a PI or ASN?
> When the customer decides to cancell contracts PI and ASN have to be  
> transferred to the new lir so I get rid of the score (and more  
> important administrative issues).

Correct. Signing a contract with a different LIR is the responsibility  
of the end-user: "If the End User wishes to cease their current  
contractual relationship, they must first have a new contractual  
relationship in place with either another sponsoring LIR or else with  
the RIPE NCC.  In either case, such contractual changes must be  
communicated to the RIPE NCC each time they occur. If such a contract  
is terminated and a new contract is not realised with another  
sponsoring LIR or the RIPE NCC, the resources will return by default  
to the RIPE NCC."

If the end-user terminates the contract with you it's not your problem  
anymore :)

I hope these answer are helpful for you. If you have any policy- 
related questions please let us know, and if you have any operational  
questions please contact the RIPE NCC.
Sander Steffann
APWG co-chair