[RZERC] Recommendations Regarding Signing Root Zone Name Server Data

[Peter Koch]

On Mon, Nov 30, 2020 at 04:46:02PM +0000, Wessels, Duane via RZERC wrote:
> Since our November meeting was canceled, I wanted to have a discussion on the list about our draft "Recommendations Regarding Signing Root Zone Name Server Data" document.
> 
> During October meeting the discussion was around these three topics:
> 
> 1) Concerns on how the proposed research and the recommendations that follow could possibly impact TLDs and lower levels of the DNS in a trickle-down aspect.  An earlier version of our document included a recommendation to consider this, but we have since agreed to remove it.  Is this issue still a concern for commitee members, and if so can someone proposed text?

It is a concern because it claims that the root is 'special' and I couldn't
explain why this should be the case w.r.t. signing the 'delegation'.  Not
signing the delegation was a feature, not an oversight.

> 2) What's the point of RZERC doing this when our recommendations are in some sense redundant with the recommendations from RSSAC028 of three years ago?  As I mentioned, during my conversations with ICANN OCTO staff they said that RZERC's input would be helpful.  Do we still have agreement to move forward with this as RZERC advice to the Board?

I am still not sure I understand RZERC's role in this, given that RSSAC already
has a mandate to give advice to the Board.  RZERC could of course observe that RSSAC 028
hasn't seen any followup, but maybe we can discuss why exactly an intervention by
RZERC would be 'helpful' - or maybe more helpful than RSSAC getting back to the Board
and asking for an update on the recognition of their previous advice.
In that case, RZERC could or could not pose the 'research questions' for the
proposed studies to work on.  Who would receive and assess the results of those studies?

-Peter