RE: New Document available: RIPE-271 (fwd)

["Brian Nisbet" <]

Henk,

> RIPE NCC Hostcount in the 21st Century
> A New Direction for Measurements by the RIPE NCC

While HEAnet is in favour of publishing the data collected
by the TTM project their are a few problems with this proposal
which we feel need to be addressed.  The largest issue we can
see is that not all of the TTM members will be happy with their
data being published and will pull out of the project.  While
with RIPE NCC funding this may not mean the end of the project
financially it may damage it to a point that the data becomes
purely of interest to academic sites and networks.  This would
be a massive pity and would remove quite a large number of the
reasons for being part of the TTM project in the first place.

If this information was released there would have to be some
safeguards put in place to reassure those members who are worried
about the data being used for purposes that would harm them or
cause them problems with their own customers.  In the past the
only available safeguard has been to not release the information
but perhaps clarifying how the information will be released and
in what form it will be presented should be a part of any policy
change.

If the business model for the TTM is not working then maybe
changing the policy is not the best way to solve this problem.
There is no guarantee that the increased RIPE NCC funding will
be useful if the project itself loses many of its members, also
those who are paying for the service may then feel that they
themselves are supplying free information to the rest of RIPE.
Yes, measurement from a local point is worth something, but is
it worth enough to continue paying the fee?  Perhaps the
business model should be addressed before the policy is changed,
both in the minds of the RIPE TTM project team and on the WG
agenda for RIPE 45?

HEAnet considers the TTM Project to be a valuable resource,
especially now that it is extending its measurements into IPv6
and we would not like to see the group shrink and the information
store be reduced.  With all this in mind we would very much like
to see RIPE NCC attempt to reassess the business model with an
eye to continuing this premium service as is and as the members
wish it to be before the service is totally changed and the the
model changed to fit that.

Regards,

Brian.

--
Brian Nisbet, HEAnet, Brooklawn House, Shelbourne rd, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.
Tel:+353 (0)16609040/Fax:+353 (0)16603666 email:brian.nisbet@localhost