Hi,
These are some comments that HEAnet would like to submit
on the "Future of the RIPE Hostcount" Document presented
at RIPE 49.
- perhaps the paper should refer to the current
distributed nature of the host count; this is
something which might or might not be possible
with the alternatives suggested
- the current host count also gathers the numbers of SOAs,
also a measure of the size and growth of the Internet
- and the host count also generates an error file per
TLD; this could be useful in maintaining the
integrity of the DNS
- in #2.1, I think attribution should be made to the author
of the host program, the late Erik Wassenaar.
- in #2.2, it should be said that the RIPE host count is
used as a metric of Internet size, and an index of
its growth. Certainly, we use it in HEAnet.
- it might be argued that the host count also could provide
some KPIs (key performance indicators) for RIPE NCC,
its members, and other bodies
- in #2.3, it mentions used addresses not entered in the DNS.
The converse also occurs i.e. A records for hosts which
are not reachable. We know that some people use the DNS
as a database and that it often includes firewalled machines and
even rfc-1918 addresses
- in #3, another possibility to estimate the size of the Internet
is to measure the number of domains. This might be done by the CC
TLDs in Europe, for example
Regards,
Brian.
--
Brian Nisbet,
HEAnet, Brooklawn Hse, Crampton Ave, Shelbourne rd, Dublin 4.
Tel:+35316609040/Fax:+35316603666 email:brian.nisbet@heanet.ie
