[governance] India's communications minister - root server misunderstanding (still...)

[Lee W McKnight]

Hi,

I will jumping back in to the conversation, to make a few points. As Parminder notes, the June discussions explicated the administrative procedures and sequence of processes which lead to changes in the root zone file.  Now on:
(2) Or, indeed, at least potentially, root operators can refuse to publish what is considered as an improperly changed file by the US, and support the internet system continuing to work on the basis of the original 'proper' file - whereby, it is useful to redistribute root server operator-ship among agencies that together are more likely to resist US unilateralism.

My comments:

First, let's be clear that we are discussing what to do to address the eventuality of what would happen in a hypothetical 'bad State' scenario in which the USG has gone rogue on the global Internet.  Folks may not agree or approve of any number of USG actions routinely, but for the net, we have not had a case to test what the actions and reactions of the non-USG root server operators would be, so the discussion is necessarily about hypotheticals.

Second, if India, China, Russia, South Africa or Brazil, or the RIRs wanted more root servers hq'd in their region or specifically in their country, there is no process to 'reallocate' the root servers.  Remember there are no contracts, just customary net practice right at this point in the system of the net of nets.  Imposing any form of political control uniformly on the 13 would break their 'fail-safe' potential, which I still will argue is a feature and not a bug of the current system. (Of course we should take the directly USG root servers out of the hypothetical discussion, since even if they were moved...)

Third, if a particularly attractive relocation offer were made, perhaps one or another of the 13 could be persuaded to move.  To maintain their place as one of the 13, they would have to explain to their peers - which are not us or the RIRs but the other root zone operators - why they should still be as trusted to do right by the net just as they are now.

Assuming they make their own case successfully, then that's that, it's done, servers can be anywhere.

Ok, easier said than done. But absent someone asking - nicely - whether and on what terms  any of the root zone operators might consider moving, then we won't know the answer.

Fourth, there is also nothing standing in the way of an agreement, whether formally ie in writing, or on a handshake basis, among the RIRs or among X Y or Z governments, that in the event USG does go rogue on the net, then A, B and C emergency root zone procedures are put in place and the previously authoritative root managed on the basis outlined in all these messages, is no longer be treated as such.

The net of nets then becomes a subnet of subnets, but hey at least some of us could still be talking to some of us.

Personally I am unsure how worthwhile effort on 3 and 4 above would be, versus focusing on Parminder's original 1, reforming the current administrative processes over the root. But as always remain open to learning from others.

Lee













________________________________
From: governance-request at lists.igcaucus.org [governance-request at lists.igcaucus.org] on behalf of Fahd A. Batayneh [fahd.batayneh at gmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, August 08, 2012 7:43 AM
To: IG Caucus
Subject: Re: [governance] India's communications minister - root server misunderstanding (still...)

Friends and colleagues, this chain of e-mails has grown to 82 messages so far (in 6 days time), and the discussions indicate that it will continue as no one is willing to step down. As Fouad mentioned in one of his e-mails, it is best to take action rather than discussing issues that in reality would not change. The current structure of root-servers, US control, why 13 root-server instances, lack of knowledge of politicians.... are issues that will remain part of our lives for years to come, and they are most probably their to last.

Fahd

On Thu, Aug 2, 2012 at 8:19 AM, Adam Peake <ajp at glocom.ac.jp<mailto:ajp at glocom.ac.jp>> wrote:
<http://www.circleid.com/posts/20120729_globally_internet_traffic_passes_through_13_root_servers/#.UBoL2jEe7hU>
"Globally, Internet Traffic Passes Through 13 Root Servers" (!)


Question: Who governs the internet at present?

Sachin Pilot, minister of state for communications and information technology:

"Globally, internet traffic passes through 13 root servers. Nine of  them are in the US, two each in Japan and Western Europe. These servers move the information. I believe India and other countries  ought to play a much more relevant role in managing traffic flows. The internet is a global resource whose governance can't be limited to a  particular geography."

(Times of India, interview
<http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-07-30/edit-page/32924041_1_internet-governance-internet-corporation-root-servers>)

Excellent, we're back in 2002/3.

Adam

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