3.6. Protocol Parameter Registration

[marc.blanchet@…]

While dealing with IANA registries, I found that many (most?) of them were never updated after the initial registration: i.e. the base protocol spec registered code points, but nobody else later registered new code points, which brings the question of the value of the registry.
Moreover, I found often registries that are very similar (almost identical) to others. While the devil is in the details, one might at least provide guidance to reuse registries whenever possible. For example, instead of creating a new enterprise id/vendor id registry, think of those already available and can fit your need.

suggesting text:
Protocol parameters registries are useful to help the extensibility of the protocol. However, sometimes, they are not needed or an existing one can be used instead. Protocol designers should look at current IANA protocol parameters registries ​http://www.iana.org/protocols/ to see if one already fit.

[bernard_aboba@…]

Added the following text to Section 3.6:

3.6. Protocol Parameter Registration

An extension is often likely to make use of additional values added
to an existing IANA registry. Before creating a new protocol
parameter registry, existing registries should be examined to
determine if an existing protocol parameter registry can be used
instead (see ​http://www.iana.org/protocols/).