[CWG-Stewardship] ICANN Board as "regulator" (was: A liaison from the Board to CWG)

[Milton L Mueller]

David

> -----Original Message-----
> Because, to date and to my knowledge, no one has actually discussed IANA
> operational issues  

I am flattered that you view me as personally responsible for keeping the CWG on mission. This shows a great deal of confidence in me. One would normally have thought that you would ask these questions of the CWG chairs, or its official members, and neither category includes me. But I guess you view me as a sympathetic ear. And you are right.

Here is my view: 

The CWG is concerned with the transition of IANA stewardship; i.e., its oversight and accountability once the NTIA contract is gone. Neither CWG nor ICG has a mandate to alter IANA operational practices (those should be done via SLAs with its customers), except insofar as they involve NTIA. 

You are of course correct that the NTIA is in the loop for all root zone changes. My understanding of where the CWG was on that issue was that the authorization function was deemed 'unnecessary.' So we have discussed it. However, I agree that there is no good model of the replacement process. 

The reason for that is not, as you imply, that we are duplicating the work of the CCWG here. That assertion, in fact, seems way off target because structural separation of IANA or internal models or trust models for the IANA functions are not under consideration at CCWG. 

I would welcome a refocus on that issue. But it cannot be discussed independently of the issue of whether IANA is separable from ICANN or permanently locked into ICANN or structurally separated from the policy making entity. 

> Can you point me to where the CWG (or the ICG) have been discussing IANA
> operational issues?  I'd like to get caught up.

Again, I think this question is best directed toward the chairs and co-chairs. 
It might even be more productive for you to suggest specific models for changes in the operational practice of root zone changes minus NTIA. Got any ideas? Want to contribute, or just snark? 

--MM