[ncc-services-wg] Certifying of PI End User Address Space

Dear colleagues,

On 11 February, the RIPE NCC asked the RIPE NCC membership and the RIPE
community for feedback on how to make Provider Independent (PI) End User
address space eligible for resource certification (RPKI). Although we’ve
received valuable input at several operator meetings and through various
other communication channels, we want to emphasise the importance of your
participation on this mailing list. We strongly encourage further feedback
on this important issue, before the consultation period comes to a close.

To summarise, the discussion so far involves three possible implementation
options:

1) A PI End User becomes a RIPE NCC member

2) A PI End User requests a resource certificate through their sponsoring
LIR and gets access to the ROA management system themselves, or delegates
management to the sponsoring LIR

3) A PI End User requests a resource certificate directly from the RIPE
NCC, without becoming a member, and obtains access to the ROA management
system

The feedback provided so far clearly differentiates between two groups of
PI End Users: those who use the sponsoring LIR solely to request the PI
resources but manage everything else themselves, and those who rely on the
sponsoring LIR for everything, ranging from BGP routing to RIPE Database
updates. In order to cater to both groups, the feedback so far suggests we
facilitate both options 2 and 3, while option 1 will continue to remain
available at all times.

These options have different expected impacts on the RIPE NCC’s
operations. The RIPE NCC does not expect option 1 or 2 to have a major
impact, as they align with our current business practices. Option 3 would
require PI End Users to have a direct contact with the RIPE NCC. As this
would be a new venture for the RIPE NCC, we expect it would be the most
labour intensive of the three options and would have the greatest impact
in terms of resources.

Some feedback has pointed out the lack of RIPE Policy on this issue. At
this time, the RIPE NCC is requesting feedback on whether or not resource
certification should expand beyond a RIPE NCC member service. Discussions
about potential RIPE Policy, should this happen, can take place via the
appropriate channels.

Again, we strongly encourage your feedback before the consultation period
ends on 30 March 2013, after which time the RIPE NCC Executive Board will
recommend which option(s) to implement.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,

Andrew de la Haye
Chief Operations Officer
RIPE NCC