[discuss] Thoughts welcome on proposed Netmundial submission

Sun Mar 2 15:45:45 UTC 2014

-----Original Message-----
>You aren't actually talking about the IANA functions, you are 
>talking about one specific IANA function, namely the root management 
>function. The IANA functions consists of (my categorization) three 
>major functions (root management, internet numbers allocation, and 
>protocol parameter registry maintenance) and two minor functions
> (operation of .ARPA and some of its sub-zones and operation of .INT) 

David is right, and this leads to another bizarre artifact of ICANN's early formation, which globalization of IANA gives us a chance to fix. It makes no sense for these things to all be combined in the same entity. Protocol parameter registry should be devolved to the IETF. IP Numbers might want to stay with ICANN in its current arrangement with the RIRs, although we may be able to come up with a better arrangement there, too. The DNS root management functions should be removed from ICANN and put in the hands of an entity with strong incentives to get the operational, security and stability aspects right. 

The USG has kept these things together only because it makes the whole thing easier for it to control. 