Obsoleting "connect"

Folks, sorry for being late to voice my opinion, but I'm again out of office.
BTW, I'm glad that Helsinki University provides my with decent access to the
Internet!

*> I tend to agree with you here but before we change the database config to
*> make connect optional I guess we should get the okay from the chair who
*> will be coordinating the new definitions for the objects.
*
*I agree.

It is my understanding that this approach was a general consensus, thus I
propose to (immediately) proceed in this direction.

*> Also, we can take it a step further in that if the connect field is there
*> it is LOCAL (something to add to the syntax checker ;-().
*
*I was thinking of a multi-step phase-in of the new policy, and that this
*would be the natural next step.  Or do we just jump into it with both feet
*rigt away?

Well, sometimes you have to jump, although in this case I would strongly
advocate a step-by-step approach. I'd also like to keep the possibility of
submitting objects with connect: attributes other than LOCAL, as long as we
have not agreed on and implemented a decent replacement functionality. More
so if the attribute is optional, I don't see the case for doing more syntax
checking for an attribute that is about to go away.

I include the relevant section of the DB-WG minutes FYI. 
I think the wording does reflect the proposed approach reasonably well:
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6.	DB usage conventions and recommendations

Quite some time was spent to discuss the connect: attribute of the network
object. It was agreed that the only well-defined value is LOCAL. This attribute
should eventually be obsoleted. Later it was noted that it is currently
mandatory and should be made optional after one round of mailing-list
discussion.

However, there is a need for the functionality, maybe the community: approach
is the right way to go (eg. create community NSF). Still there is concern 
that some of the approaches that are obvious for "old hands in networking"
are not necessarily useful for the end-users. Maybe the tools coming out of
the PRIDE project can help to solve this problem. NCC to start the discussion
with a rough proposal before the next meeting.
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Wilfried.