[address-policy-wg] 2008-09 New Policy Proposal (ASPLAIN Format for the Registration of 4-byte ASNs)

I 100% agree with all of the points stated by Nick below and I also urge
RIPE to implement this change QUICKLY.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: address-policy-wg-admin at ripe.net 
> [mailto:address-policy-wg-admin at ripe.net] On Behalf Of Nick Hilliard
> Sent: 20 October 2008 16:19
> To: address-policy-wg at ripe.net
> Cc: routing-wg at ripe.net; db-wg at ripe.net
> Subject: Re: [address-policy-wg] 2008-09 New Policy Proposal 
> (ASPLAIN Format for the Registration of 4-byte ASNs)
> 
> Filiz Yilmaz wrote:
> > You can find the full proposal at:
> > 
> >     http://www.ripe.net/ripe/policies/proposals/2008-09.html
> 
> Can definitely support this.
> 
> ASDOT is a broken representation and has no merit of any 
> substance.  Not only that, the two arguments opposing the 
> proposal are irrelevant.
> 
> - "ASDOT is more easily remembered"
> 
> For the foreseeable future, after the first 10k assignments 
> of ASN32s in a particular 16 bit ASN block range (e.g. 
> AS3.x), both ASDOT and ASPLAIN formats will be represented 
> using similar numbers of digits.
> 
> - "All existing 4-byte only assignments have been made in ASDOT"
> 
> As of today, RIPE has assigned 19 ASN32s.  Changing the 
> representation for these 19 holders (most of whom will have 
> requested them for testing purposes anyway) is not going to 
> be a major issue.
> 
> ASPLAIN representation is important for anyone who is in the 
> business of writing or maintaining BGP prefix and AS path 
> filters, either router-side or script-side.  In this area, 
> ASDOT format is just a bagful of hurt with no redeeming 
> features whatever.
> 
> Incidentally, the following documents will also need to be updated:
> 
> RIPE Database Query Reference Manual, section 2.3 RIPE 
> Database Update Reference Manual, section 1.2.3 RIPE Database 
> Update Reference Manual, table A1
> 
> However, as the RIPE database manual is outside the context 
> of the PDP, it is probably appropriate to omit this from the 
> policy proposal.
> 
> It's important that this policy proposal be passed before Jan 
> 1, 2009, when the RIPE NCC starts issuing ASN32s by default.  
> After this date, it will become a lot more difficult to clean 
> up the mess that's going to happen.
> 
> 
> Nick
> -- 
> Network Ability Ltd. | Head of Operations      | Tel: +353 1 6169698
> 3 Westland Square    | INEX - Internet Neutral | Fax: +353 1 6041981
> Dublin 2, Ireland    | Exchange Association    | Email: nick at inex.ie
> 
>