RIPE: last call for comments RPSL transition

Hello all,

as you are aware, we are preparing the migration of the RIPE database 
software to support and deploy the new RPSL format. The required steps
have been discussed in depth on various occassions (for references,
see end of mail).

We are now preparing the most important step, really transitioning from old 
RIPE-181 to new RPSL format:

   proposed transition date is 23-Apr-2001.

This step, once taken, will not be reversed. The majority of the user 
community takes a neutral role, while some want an earlier, and a few a later 
date for migration. During the joint session of Routing and DB WG at RIPE38, 
the chairmen of both WGs were tasked to file a last call for comments on that 
date, in particular whether there are serious, unresolvable technical or
operational problems which would benefit from a slightly longer warning
period.

According to consensus at the session: If you are convinced that the
transition date as proposed would lead to significant operational
problems, please explain and justify why within the next 2 weeks:

   deadline for transition comments: 1-Mar-2001

Only well founded reasoning (including an educated guess about the time
and resources required to resolve the issue) shall be accepted by the
community in order to consider postponing the transition.

With the discussion about the migration going on for quite some time, and 
information available from various places, we do not expect a delay, but 
we would want to give everybody a last opportunity to comment.

To summarize the dates, we are looking at:

o  23-Apr-2001: switching to the RPSL database
    - All objects are automatically converted to RPSL format
    - Queries return RPSL only
    - Mirroring follows new format and rules at whois.ripe.net, port 4444
    - RPSL formatted updates can be submitted to auto-rpsl at ripe.net
    - RIPE-181 updates are still accepted at auto-dbm at ripe.net,
        but are autmatically converted to RPSL
    - RFC2725 (Routing Policy Security System) rules apply throughout

o  14-May-2001: exchanging mail addresses for submitting RIPE181 and RPSL-
   formatted updates
    - auto-dbm at ripe.net only accepts RPSL updates
    - RIPE-181 updates are still possible but now go to auto-181 at ripe.net
        and are automatically converted to RPSL (again, RFC2725 rules apply
        here as well)

o  15-Oct-2001: RIPE-181 updates are no longer accepted

For further reading, please refer to the migration web page
  http://www.ripe.net/rpsl
or for the discussion during the joint session of the DB/Routing WGs
please review the minutes.

For technical specifications of RPSL please refer to
- rfc2622: "Routing Policy Specification Language (RPSL)"
  Status: PROPOSED STANDARD,
- rfc2650: "Using RPSL in Practice"
  Status: INFORMATIONAL
- rfc2725: "Routing Policy System Security"
  Status: PROPOSED STANDARD

Thanks a lot - the RIPE NCC and the chairmen of
   Routing: Joachim Schmitz
   DB: Wilfried Woeber
   LIR: Hans Peter Holen