Summary

  • RIPE NCC told its Database Working Group that one contact meant for placeholder objects appears in 166 other objects.
  • Its proposed repair asks affected users to replace the reference, then has NCC substitute maintainer contacts where they do not.

The registry has a guest list problem in its own address book. At RIPE 93 on 29 October, database team member Ed Shryane said a contact object meant for NCC placeholder records was listed in 166 other objects. The meeting transcript gives the count, but neither the contact handle nor the list of referring objects. Those missing names are the difference between a startling tally and a fully auditable repair job.

The proposed sequence has two hands on the records. RIPE NCC would email the Database Working Group and affected users, asking holders to replace the reference themselves. For remaining objects, NCC would use contacts from the object maintainers. It would add mnt-ref to NCC contacts so a future reference could not be created without NCC maintainer authorisation. Shryane described planned work, not a completed clean-up.

The problem is small enough to count and serious enough to explain. A role handle is supposed to direct a reader to the business function responsible for an object. A misplaced NCC contact can send that reader to the institution instead of the holder. The RIPE Database guides describe role objects by function, and mnt-ref as an authorisation control on new references. Nothing in the transcript says the 166 objects changed ownership or routing. The issue is who their contact field points to.

Sources: RIPE 93 Database WG; RIPE role and maintainer guide; secondary-object reference; inverse queries.