________________________________________________________________________ prop-055-v001: Global policy for the allocation of the remaining IPv4 address space ________________________________________________________________________ Authors: Roque Gagliano, ANTEL Francisco Obispo, CENIT Haitham EL Nakhal, MCIT Didier Allain Kla, ISOC Cote d'Ivoire JPNIC IPv4 countdown policy team - Akinori Maemura - Akira Nakagawa - Izumi Okutani - Kosuke Ito - Kuniaki Kondo - Shuji Nakamura - Susumu Sato - Takashi Arano - Tomohiro Fujisaki - Tomoya Yoshida - Toshiyuki Hosaka Version: 1 Date: 23 January 2007 1. Introduction ---------------- The exhaustion of IPv4 address space is projected to take place within the next few years. This proposal seeks to focus on measures that should be taken globally in the address management area in order to prepare for the situation in all RIR regions. 2. Summary of current problem ------------------------------ To continue applying a global coordinated policy for distribution of the last piece(s) of each RIR's unallocated address block does not match the reality of the situation in each RIR region. Issues each RIR region will face during the exhaustion period vary by region as the level of development of IPv4 and IPv6 are widely different. As a result, applying a global co-ordinated policy may not adequately address issues in a certain region while it could be work for the others. For example, in a region where late comers desperately need even small blocks of IPv4 addresses to access to the IPv4 Internet, a policy that defines the target of allocations/assignments of IPv4 address space to be late comers would be appropriate in such region. This would allow availablilty of IPv4 address space for such requirements for more years. Another example comes from difference in IPv6 deployment rate. For a region where IPv6 deployment rate is low, measures may be necessary to prolong IPv4 address life for the existing business as well as for new businesses until networks are IPv6 ready. Some regions may have strong needs to secure IPv4 address space for translators. A globally coordinated policy which addresses all the issues listed above to meet the needs for all RIR regions may result in not solving issues in any of the regions. 3. Situation in other RIRs ---------------------------- This proposal will be submitted to all RIRs. It is a collaboration between the authors of the previous proposals: prop-046: IPv4 countdown policy proposal prop-051: Global policy for the allocation of the remaining IPv4 address space These two proposals were deemed by a number of people in the RIR communities to be similar; and at the ARIN XXI meeting, the authors of both proposals were asked to work together to produce a single proposal. 4. Details of the proposal ---------------------------- 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, one /8 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, one /8 will be reserved by IANA for each RIR. The reserved allocation units will no longer be part of the available space at the IANA pool. IANA will also reserve one /8 to any new RIR at the time it is recognized. The process for the allocation of the remaining IPv4 space is divided in two consecutive phases: 4.1. 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 either cannot be fulfilled with the remaining IPv4 space available at the IANA pool or can be fulfilled but leaving the IANA remaining IPv4 pool empty. 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. 4.2. Exhaustion Phase: IANA will automatically allocate the reserved IPv4 allocation units to each RIR (one /8 to each one) and respond to the last request with the remaining available allocation units at the IANA pool (M units). 4.2.1. Size of the final IPv4 allocations: During this phase IANA will automatically allocate one /8 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. 4.2.2. 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 one /8 to each RIR from the reserved space. 5. Advantages and disadvantages of the proposal ------------------------------------------------- Advantages: - It allows each RIR community to define a policy on how to distribute the last piece(s) of allocations which best matches their situation. Disadvantages: - Concerns could be raised about allocating a fixed size to all RIRs, that it artificially fastens the consumption rate of some RIR regions. However, its impact is kept to minimum by keeping the allocation size to a single /8 which makes merely 3-4 months difference. - Concerns could be raised that explicitly allowing regional policies will encourage RIR shopping. However, this should not happen if the requirements within each region is adequately reflected in each RIR's policy through PDP. RIR may also chose to add criteria to prevent LIRs from other regions submitting such requests. 6. Effect on APNIC members ---------------------------- APNIC members will be able to define a policy on how to distribute the last piece(s) of allocations which best matches the situation in AP region. 7. Effect on NIRs ------------------- The effect on APNIC members applies to members of NIRs. NIRs are therefore expected to inform their communities of the situation.