[ncc-announce] [service] RIPE Database Proxy Service

Dear colleagues,

The consultation period in which the RIPE NCC put forward three options 
to the membership for discussion with regards to how they would like us 
to proceed with the RIPE Database Proxy Service is concluded. The 
options were:

- Make it a member-only service
- Keep the service free for now but bound by a contract
- Discontinue the service

During this consultation period, there were expressions of support for 
both keeping it as a free service bound by a contract and discontinuing 
the service.

The RIPE NCC Executive Board took the mailing list opinions into account 
and has decided to continue this service free of charge while requiring 
that there be a contract in place. The Executive Board reached this 
decision as there are very low costs associated with this service and 
they could not see any strong argument to discontinue this service to 
the community. They agreed that this would be reviewed again in the 
future, and they plan to do this for all RIPE NCC services and activities.

The RIPE NCC will contact the parties currently using the service to ask 
them to sign a new agreement. Any new parties wanting to use the service 
can contact the RIPE NCC to sign the agreement.

I would like to point out that this service does not affect the openness 
or accessibility of the RIPE Database in any way. The information is 
open and accessible to everyone at all times.

Kind regards,

Axel Pawlik
Managing Director
RIPE NCC