RIPE Restructuring BoF

The RIPE Restructuring BoF formed at the request of RIPE Chair Rob Blokzijl during RIPE 17 and continued discussions at RIPE 18 which took place in May 1994 in Amsterdam.

During RIPE 17, the following issues were identified:

• scope of RIPE must be redefined
• the scope of the working groups must be redefined
• the status of RIPE as a player in the Internet spectrum
• the work areas with respect to users and providers must be redefined.
• how to progress the above points

On the subject of work areas, it was suggested that there was a need to identify overlaps in working groups and that moreover, there should be mechanisms to allow working groups to be created and disbanded once their specific targets had been met. It was also suggested that closed working groups should be allowed.

Prior to RIPE 18, a mailing list was set up and announced and several RIPE participants had already contributed to the discussions.

The BOF held at this meeting progressed the discussions already held.

Willem van de Scheun briefly presented his ideas as sent to the list. This together with the RIPE Terms of Reference document (ripe-001) was the starting point for the discussion.

Some discussion took place over the "openness of RIPE" and the overly academic focus of the organisations represented. Glenn Kowack suggested there was a need for more aggressive publicity to attract more service providers and operators to RIPE (especially new and existing commercial providers who are currently under-represented). Reference was made a UK "DGix co-ordination meeting" that was planned to attract just the people that RIPE is lacking. It was suggested by Glenn Kowack that RIPE as an organisation needs to adapt to the changing infrastructure of the Global Internet.

There was a further suggestion that the "non-formal" structure of RIPE as it currently stands is a deterrent for some organisations to become involved. It was suggested that RIPE needed to take action to become a legal entity.

In conclusion the BOF session agreed on the following actions:

• Action: RIPE Chairs Promote a more aggressive "outreach" programme to introduce and encourage new service providers to join RIPE.
• Action: RIPE Chairs Continue the RIPE restructuring discussions on the mailing list focusing on restructuring the techn- ical work of RIPE. - 22 -
• Action: RIPE Chairs Develop a draft model for "new-RIPE" by the next RIPE Meeting in September, with the final report ready by January meeting in 1995.