Is it important for parties that control DNS data (domain names and address space) that are connected to "the network" to be identifiable to the community at large, and reachable?
It is important.
Two different takes on the matter: Try %dig <your-asn>.rdi.int. txt for one of mine: %dig 4555.rdi.int txt ;; QUERY SECTION: ;; 4555.rdi.int, type = TXT, class = IN ;; ANSWER SECTION: 4555.rdi.int. 1D IN TXT "RPS 0001 descr: LosAngelesPeering exchange" 4555.rdi.int. 1D IN TXT "RPS 0002 aut-num: AS4555" 4555.rdi.int. 1D IN TXT "RPS 0007 admin-c: WM110-NSI" 4555.rdi.int. 1D IN TXT "RPS 0008 tech-c: WM110-NSI" 4555.rdi.int. 1D IN TXT "RPS 0009 remarks: The first live example of this technique" 4555.rdi.int. 1D IN TXT "RPS 0010 remarks: Check the SOA for mnt-by, changed data" 4555.rdi.int. 1D IN TXT "RPS 0011 source: DNS" 4555.rdi.int. 1D IN TXT "RPS 0012 route: 198.32.2.0/24" 4555.rdi.int. 1D IN TXT "RPS 0013 route: 3ffe:08/24" 4555.rdi.int. 1D IN TXT "RPS 0000 person:Bill Manning" .... and from 2.32.198.in-addr.arpa...... %dig 2.32.198.in-addr.arpa. any ; <<>> DiG 8.2 <<>> 2.32.198.in-addr.arpa. any ;; res options: init recurs defnam dnsrch ;; got answer: ;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 4 ;; flags: qr aa rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 5, AUTHORITY: 2, ADDITIONAL: 2 ;; QUERY SECTION: ;; 2.32.198.in-addr.arpa, type = ANY, class = IN ;; ANSWER SECTION: 2.32.198.in-addr.arpa. 1D IN TXT "announced by AS 4555" 2.32.198.in-addr.arpa. 1D IN TXT "RPS 0000 person: Bill Manning" ... Allows people at each delegation point to publish their policy and any other pertinent data. working on something similar w/ rwhois. Yuji is doing a pretty good job of fixing up some longstanding weaknesses with that stack, esp. with referals and forwarding.