[ripe-db-requirements-tf] Requirements for the RIPE Database... or Databases?

Bijal, all,

On Tue, Nov 05, 2019 at 04:45:31PM +0000, Bijal Sanghani wrote:

> It would be good to hear what others think, should our work cover ALL databases within the
+RIPE database? If there is not agreement here, we should look at bringing the call forward.

I don't completely disagree, but i don't agree, either.  We should take one more step back
and look at the question what the core function of the RIR as a number resource registry is,
especially under aspecty of "unique identifiers". From there we should indeed look at
what other databases or what other views on teh data exist and again try to relate this
top the core function.  That leads to the question what data we need for what purpose (and
again, 'purpose' should not trigger a GDPR trauma).

As a start, far from completeness, the registry has to record who the resource holder is,
especially to prevent and/or solve contention;
More in the past, rather than for v6, the DB was also used to document assignments (out of
allocations) to justify new assignments.
At least iunitially, there was also an operational component, thus tech-c.

Ideally, there'd be tangible references for my claims above, but I'm sure we need to go
back and consult institutional/collective memory for some of the design objectives.

-Peter