Minutes of Technical Policy Committee - 5 May 2008

Present: Jamie Baddeley (Chair), Sam Sargeant, Jonny Martin, Pete Macaulay, Don Stokes, Michael Wallmannsberger (by phone).

In Attendance: Keith Davidson, Campbell Gardiner, Simon Riley.

1. Minutes of Last Meeting – 25 February 2008:
Minutes of last meeting adopted as a true and accurate record.

2. Action Points / Matters Arising from the Previous Minutes

Outstanding AP – Keith & Don to discuss with the DNC access to the .nz zone file in order to provide a quantitative analysis of SSL-enabled web servers in .nz – to be done.

Outstanding AP – Jamie to speak with Michael Wallmannsberger about Liverton’s strawman - to be done.

Outstanding AP - Circulate MediaLab/WAND report to Tech-Pol for comment – to be done once new versions received.

3. Submission – Digital Strategy Review

InternetNZ’s submission will generally focus on ‘roadmap’ issues. Those present were asked to think about possible technical items for inclusion and were invited to attend the workshop this Wednesday if interested. NZCERT and IPv6 are two such technical items, which should be clearly articulated in our submission.

AP – Staff to email Tech-Pol list reminding them of the workshop.

3.16pm – Nick Griffin & Dave Baker joined the meeting

Discussion followed on infrastructure aspects of the Digital Strategy, and applications that will deliver future benefits (health, education, etc).

3.27 – Don Stokes joined the meeting

4. ENUM

InternetNZ has spoken with the TCF and they have sought leave to defer ENUM policy discussions until November this year. However, there is one provider – worldxchange - keen to go to trial with ENUM in a closed sense. Keith asked whether we should invite others that want to engage in a trial.

NZRS is supportive but any involvement has to be under the guidance and direction of InternetNZ because of sensitivities in this area. Regardless, ENUM has been on NZRS’s strategic plan for some time and they are getting to the point where they want to make a call.

The logical place for the NZRS to be involved would be to run the registry for an ENUM operation.

Keith noted that the large telcos have deployed carrier ENUM for their internal numbering plans but haven’t yet engaged in a discussion in respect of passing calls for interoperability purposes. We still need the debate at the policy level of ENUM interoperability, but should we go to the next stage and invite a provider to take part in a trial?

Jonny noted that there is a difference between carrier/infrastructure ENUM and user ENUM, and thinks trying to sell this as a delegation based purely on user ENUM could be doomed to fail because user ENUM creates conflict between carriers and users.

Further, Jonny believes we should get to the stage in respect of the delegation where we retain some semblance of control over what happens with ENUM in New Zealand.

There appear to be two possible streams of action, firstly, investigate an ENUM policy framework and build it ourselves, or secondly, partner with someone for the build.

Discussion followed on ENUM trials worldwide and what the outcomes of those trials have been; and whether user ENUM is worthwhile at all. It was agreed that the NZRS should develop a business case, and will come back to Tech-Pol with a report.

Keith proposed looking at registry solutions and possible partners. If we get sufficient partners to go ahead we will look for an ENUM delegation trial. Following this, the TCF/INZ policy development will resume in November 2008.

There was broad agreement for the above approach, which would position us well for the immediate future when the TCF/INZ kicks off discussions again later this year.

4.09 – Nick Griffin & Dave Baker left the meeting.

5. Best Practice Programme

A summary of the Best Practice Programme has been posted on the NZNOG mailing list, stimulating some off-list interest.

Three people have responded so far – two volunteering to participate and one responding with some background information. Keith asked the Committee to speak out on the NOG list.

The NOG was very receptive to the Best Practice Programme at their conference earlier this year. There is enthusiasm for the process but we need more noise.

It was noted that we probably need a reference document to demonstrate what a ‘best practice document’ is. InternetNZ has received a recent example, from the NZRS, which Keith will circulate.

The first documents that we come up with need to be ‘safe’. Stick with something that is as technical as possible, for instance BGP, which, by its nature, is uncontroversial. And this topic will get the NOG interested.

There was broad agreement that a reference group of people who will take ownership and champion Best Practice is also required. The onus should be on the technical community to come up with a list of good document topics.

AP – Keith to circulate the NZRS best practice document.

AP – Committee to come up with a small list of topics that are non-controversial, with the aim of getting a few written over the next six months.

Brief discussion of ownership of nznog.org.nz domain name; an issue that has been raised on the NOG list.

6. IPv6

The IPv6 workshops for Christchurch and Auckland have been confirmed. Kits are being booked and other logistics are close to being finalised.

A meeting of the IPv6 Hui taskforce is to be arranged. It was noted that once the workshops are finalised we will need to promote them to the ‘right people’ from major ISPs, government and the corporate world.

Jonny has been talking with Cisco about the possibility of getting a router kit for New Zealand.

Discussion followed on potential collaboration with Australia on IPv6 forums because they are ahead of New Zealand in respect of uptake.

7. Certificate Authority

Brief discussion on timeframes for setting up a workshop for Liverton’s strawman. It was agreed this is not on the immediate radar, and the item was held over until next Tech-Pol meeting.

There are outstanding Certificate Authority action points for Keith and Jamie from 25 February meeting.

Outstanding AP – Keith & Don to discuss with the DNC access to the .nz zone file in order to provide a quantitative analysis of SSL-enabled web servers in .nz.

Outstanding AP – Jamie to speak with Michael Wallmannsberger about Liverton’s strawman.

Note: Discussion with SSC re: workshop will follow depending on results above.

8. NZCERT

Staff met recently with Roger MacDonald, who is animated about InternetNZ’s role in a CERT. A meeting is scheduled with Bruce Ferguson to discuss the establishment of an NZCERT. The feeling is that GCSB will have some budget and disinterest in running a CERT themselves.

Keith noted that, all going well, we should proceed down the path of an RFP for an external consultant to consult with stakeholders. This to formalise the establishment of a CERT, resulting in a straw-man.

The RFP would be circulated to a limited group of potential tenderers.

Simon noted that there is opportunity in the Digital Strategy review process to talk about security/NZCERT. The draft strategy mentions MED & SSC security papers, and Simon believes it’s worth consulting with these departments.

AP – staff to meet with Bruce Ferguson

4.42pm – Jonny Martin left the meeting

9. Broadband Measurement

Jamie, Don and Keith met with MediaLab last week to tease out their proposal. It was noted that the proposal hasn’t yet been circulated to the wider Tech-Pol list due to the confidentiality of some of the numbers quoted.

MediaLab are coming back to us with a detailed proposal and a proposal without the costings, which will be circulated to Tech-Pol. The detailed proposal will go to Council’s June meeting for sign-off.

MediaLab’s more detailed proposal is highly likely to have greater clarity re: broadband testing for both consumers and industry.

Simon asked that there be a clear explanation that outlines what MediaLab/WAND will be providing that Epitiro doesn’t. And to be clear on how the outputs will be promoted or used.

Keith noted that a crucial part of this project will be Consumers’ buy-in. Discussion on the intellectual property associated with the solution and ownership of data.

10. Tech-Pol Work Plans

The meeting was advised of the first quarter’s work flow for InternetNZ’s Technical projects.

11. General Business

Committee was advised that there will be a Honeypot update given at the next Council meeting. Keith back-grounded recent developments at ISOC.

Date of Next Meeting: 12 June 2008

Closed: 5.02pm

Action Points Register as at: 5 May 2008