Privacy of customer assignments FAQs

Contents

• Why are customer assignments being made private?
• What will happen when this policy is implemented?
• What if I want to keep my whois records as they are?
• Can I update private records via an email to auto-dbm?
• Can the Whois update form on the public web site see private records?
• How can I move objects between the APNIC Whois Database and the private database?
• What if I don't want to use MyAPNIC?
• Will related objects be affected?
• Can an inetnum that is referenced by a route object be removed from the database? Why?
• Can a route object creation refer to a private inetnum?

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Why are customer assignments being made private?

At APNIC 16, there was consensus to adopt a policy proposal intended to protect the privacy of end users. Under the amended registration policy, LIRs are now able to decide wether or not their customer registration details should be publicly visible in whois.

What will happen when this policy is implemented?

The migration of database objects will take place on 30 September 2004. From this date, only those non-portable objects designated 'public' will be visible in the APNIC Whois Database, meaning that all non-portable objects (customer assignments) will cease to be visible in the database. Database queries on customer-assigned address space will be directed to the upstream provider's registration information.

Portable allocations and assignments will be unaffected.

What if I want to keep my whois records as they are?

If you would like your customer assignments to remain visible in the APNIC Whois Database, you will have to make them 'public' after the migration date. You can do this using MyAPNIC, or by contacting APNIC host masters.

Can I update private records via an email to auto-dbm?

No. auto-dbm is a public tool, and does not allow you to access private objects. APNIC will provide an alternative tool to manage private objects through an automated process, but the implementation schedule for this tool has not yet been finalised.

Can the Whois update form on the public web site see private records?

No. Only the Whois update form on MyAPNIC can see private records.

How can I move objects between the APNIC Whois Database and the private database?

You can change the status of your resource records using MyAPNIC. For more information on using MyAPNIC, see:

• Managing APNIC resources with MyAPNIC

What if I don't want to use MyAPNIC?

APNIC recommends that members use MyAPNIC to manage their resources; however, those not using MyAPNIC can contact APNIC hostmasters and have all of their resources restored to 'public' status. The resources can then be managed as usual.

Will related objects be affected?

This project is concerned with inetnum and inet6num objects. Related objects such as route objects, maintainer objects, and nic-handles will not be affected.

It is up to the member to delete related objects (e.g. maintainers, nic-handles) if they are no longer needed. APNIC also has a regular data cleaning process to remove unreferenced objects in the APNIC Whois Database. For more information on this project, see:

• Database cleanup project

Can an inetnum that is referenced by a route object be removed from the database? Why?

Yes, because a route object only refers to an inetnum during creation of the route object itself (in order to check maintainer authorisation). Once created, the route object no longer refers to the inetnum.

Can a route object creation refer to a private inetnum?

No. When you create a route object it must refer to a publicly viewable inetnum.