[188823] in North American Network Operators' Group
RE: GeoIP database issues and the real world consequences
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (frnkblk@iname.com)
Sat Apr 16 15:48:36 2016
X-Original-To: nanog@nanog.org
From: <frnkblk@iname.com>
To: "'Jeremy Austin'" <jhaustin@gmail.com>,
"John Levine" <johnl@iecc.com>
In-Reply-To: <CABNB40XD71O0yuPpqQMUDw-Ld2rK3qEHSNE_e61DUJyjosJ+TQ@mail.gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 16 Apr 2016 14:48:28 -0500
Reply-To: frnkblk@iname.com
Cc: niels=nanog@bakker.net, NANOG list <nanog@nanog.org>
Errors-To: nanog-bounces@nanog.org
Note that for E911 purposes we are required to use the MSAG =
(http://netorange.com/nena-reference/index.php?title=3DMaster_Street_Addr=
ess_Guide_(MSAG)) to verify street addresses. From what my co-workers =
at my $DAYJOB tell me, there are many new addresses that are not =
resolvable. =20
Despite those shortcomings, E911 calls are responded to and US postal =
mail is delivered, specifically because a human remains involved in =
interpreting the information. The same needs to be done with GeoIP =
results.
Frank
-----Original Message-----
From: NANOG [mailto:nanog-bounces@nanog.org] On Behalf Of Jeremy Austin
Sent: Tuesday, April 12, 2016 8:55 AM
To: John Levine <johnl@iecc.com>
Cc: niels=3Dnanog@bakker.net; NANOG list <nanog@nanog.org>
Subject: Re: GeoIP database issues and the real world consequences
On Tue, Apr 12, 2016 at 3:55 AM, John Levine <johnl@iecc.com> wrote:
>
> Please don't guess (like, you know, MaxMind does.) USPS has its own
> database of all of the deliverable addresses in the country. They
> have their problems, but give or take data staleness as buildings
> are built or demolished, that's not one of them.
A qualifier.
USPS has a database of *most* of the deliverable addresses in the =
country.
I'm in an unorganized borough. The USPS actually has no mandate, funding =
or
lever that I can pull (that I can find) to keep their database up to =
date.
Easily 30% of the legitimate addresses in my area are not geocodable nor =
in
the USPS database.
I suspect that there are areas of my state with an even worse percentage =
of
unavailable data.
UPS and FedEx rely on the USPS database, but will not lift a finger to =
fix
this gap.
Even as a municipal body there is no available federal mechanism for
updating the database. I've tried multiple times over 15+ years.
</rant>
So yeah, USPS' database does have its problems.
--=20
Jeremy Austin
(907) 895-2311
(907) 803-5422
jhaustin@gmail.com
Heritage NetWorks
Whitestone Power & Communications
Vertical Broadband, LLC
Schedule a meeting: http://doodle.com/jermudgeon
