Policy Proposal 2007-18: Global Policy for the Allocation of the Remaining IPv4 Address Space [Archived]

Status: Abandoned

Tracking Information

Discussion Tracking

Mailing List:

Formal introduction on PPML on 28 August 2007

Staff assessment - 14 October 2007
AC intent to abandon - 23 October 2007Public Policy Mailing List

ARIN Public Policy Meeting:

ARIN XX

ARIN Advisory Council:

23 August 2007
20 September 2007
18 October 2007

ARIN Board of Trustees:

Revisions:

Implementation:

Author(s):

Roque Gagliano
Co-authors: Francisco Obispo,
Hytham EL Nakhal,
Didier Allain Kla

Policy Proposal 2007-18
Global Policy for the Allocation of the Remaining IPv4 Address Space

Author: Roque Gagliano
Co-authors: Francisco Obispo, Hytham EL Nakhal, Didier Allain Kla

Proposal type: new

Policy term: permanent

Policy statement:

This policy describes the process for the allocation of the remaining IPv4 space from IANA to the RIRs. When a minimum amount of available space is reached, an identical number of IPv4 allocation units (/8s) will be allocated from IANA to each RIR, replacing the current IPv4 allocation policy.

In order to fulfill the requirements of this policy, at the time it is adopted, an identical number of IPv4 allocation units (N units) will be reserved by IANA for each RIR. The number N is defined as: 5. The reserved allocation units will no longer be part of the available space at the IANA pool. The process for the allocation of the remaining IPv4 space is divided in two consecutive phases:

1. Existing Policy Phase:

During this phase IANA will continue allocating IPv4 addresses to the RIRs using the existing allocation policy. This phase will continue until a request for IPv4 address space from any RIR to IANA cannot be fulfilled with the remaining IPv4 space available at the IANA pool.

This will be the last IPv4 address space request that IANA will accept from any RIR. At this point the next phase of the process will be initiated.

2. Exhaustion Phase:

IANA will automatically allocate the reserved IPv4 allocation units to each RIR (N units to each one) and respond to the last request with the remaining available allocation units at the IANA pool (M units).

2.1. Size of the final IPv4 allocations:

During this phase IANA will automatically allocate N allocation units to each RIR from the reserved space defined in this policy. IANA will also allocate M allocation units to the RIR that submitted the last request for IPv4 addresses.

2.2. Allocation of the remaining IPv4 Address space:

After the completion of the evaluation of the final request for IPv4 addresses, IANA MUST:

A) Immediately notify the NRO about the activation of the second phase of this policy.

B) Proceed to allocate M allocation units to the RIR that submitted the last request for IPv4 address space.

C) Proceed to allocate N allocation units to each RIR from the reserved space.

Rationale:

The IANA pool of allocation units of IPv4 addresses (/8s) is decreasing rapidly. A new policy is proposed to replace the current “on demand” policy in order to bring certainty on how the remaining space will be allocated. This policy eliminates the pressure on the remaining central pool of addresses by allocating equal amount of allocation units (N) to each RIR.

RIR may be studying slow-landing policies or the possibility to reserve specific address spaces for “critical infrastructure” or new companies in order to comply with anti-trust regulations in its region. This policy allows each RIR to adopt those policies through its PDP, which is simpler than a global policy discussion process.

Each RIR will have the exact information on the amount of address spaces that they will be receiving as a last allocation from the IANA.

The policy is written in such a way that the discussion could be split in two sections: first do we agree on the concept of the policy and second what is the appropriate value for the last allocation units N.

Timetable for implementation: This is a Global policy that needs to be approved by all RIRs and then ratified by ASO/ICANN. It has already reached consensus at LACNIC meeting.