What CRITICAL functions is the IANA currently performing? What would happen to those functions if IANA did not perform them?

There have been a lot of generalizations about IANA's critical role but I don't think I have seen anyone SPECIFICALLY define that role. It seems to me

only reasonable way to clearly decide how critical that role really is is to look at the functions one by one in an honest, unemotional way. In each case we should answer these questions: who is actually performing the function? what impact would there be if IANA was not involved? what would happen if IANA did not have any funding come October 1st? would the stability of the Internet be affected in any way? if so, how?

This is not in anyway intended to denigrate any of the accomplishments that Jon may have accomplished in the past, but rather to help us look honestly at the

-----Original Message----- From: Chuck Gomes <cgomes at internic.net> To: IFWP Discussion List <list at ifwp.org> Date: Sunday, August 30, 1998 6:29 AM Subject: [ifwp] Re: announcement from the Berkman Center that the present.

If we are unwilling to do this, then it is absurd to create a new organization to replace the existing functionality of the current IANA.

Chuck Gomes

I AGREE 100.00% Not only should we document what critical functions the IANA provides, but also what critical functions that they DO NOT PROVIDE !!!! For the past few years, people with very little knowledge have been allowed to claim that the IANA performs some function, when in fact the IANA does not. Unfortunately, the small staff at the IANA and it's Director Jon Postel has not seen the need to dispute people's claims. On one hand people should be able to understand that it is not Jon's duty to run around the net reading every word spoken about the IANA and setting the record straight when the words are not true. On the other hand, when groups like the ISOC, IAHC, CORE, POC, PAB, EXCOM, etc. make claims such as, "The IANA will be adding TLDs to the legacy Root Name Servers", those claims should be disputed. Jon Postel was not forthcoming in making it clear what he could do and could not do. At the present time, we know a couple of things that the IANA is not able to do. 1. The IANA can not add new TLDs to the legacy Root Name Servers. 2. The IANA can not add entries to the IN-ADDR.ARPA zone except via ARIN where Jon Postel is a Board member. If people follow Chuck's advice, we should separate Jon Postel from the IANA. Just because Jon Postel may be able to do something does not mean the IANA can do the same thing. If and when Jon Postel helps the ITAG and/or a board create the so-called IANA Inc. in California the same approach should hold. People need to clearly look at that NEW corporation as a legal agent, distinct from the Jon Postel human agent, and make sure they clearly understand what each agent can and CAN NOT do. Jim Fleming Unir Corporation - http://www.unir.com -------- Logged at Mon Aug 31 22:27:22 MET DST 1998 ---------