________________________________________________________________________ prop-062-v001: Use of final /8 ________________________________________________________________________ Authors: Philip Smith pfs@cisco.com Jonny Martin jonny@jonnynet.net Randy Bush randy@psg.com Version: 1 Date: 15 July 2008 1. Introduction ---------------- This proposal describes how APNIC should handle the final /8 which would be allocated to it by the IANA under a successful implementation of prop-055, "Global policy for the allocation of the remaining IPv4 address space" [1]. The proposal seeks to ensure that new and existing LIRs can receive a minimum amount of IPv4 address space to assist with their participation in the Internet industry as the industry transitions to using the IPv6 protocol over the next few years. 2. Summary of current problem ------------------------------ The IANA IPv4 address pool is diminishing rapidly. If prop-055 is implemented globally, each RIR will receive a /8 to be used once the remaining IANA IPv4 pool has been depleted. One of the goals of prop-055 was that each RIR could then use its allocated /8 in a way that suits the individual needs of its community. In APNIC's case, the intention of the proposal's authors is to use the final /8 to reduce the surprise incurred by new LIRs during the transition from the IPv4 to IPv6 protocol. The Internet will still use IPv4 for several years during the adoption of IPv6. During this period new LIRs will need to participate in the IPv4 Internet while they deploy services using the IPv6 Internet. Inability to participate directly in the IPv4 Internet inhibits new LIRs' ability to provide service. If this were to happen, new LIRs would have to resort to address translation devices to map the private IPv4 address space they use into the public address space received from their upstream providers. Existing APNIC policy regarding the distribution of IPv4 address space makes no allowance for IPv4 allocations to new LIRs after the IANA pool is exhausted. Without any particular policy for this address block, APNIC's normal IPv4 allocation rules would apply. It is quite feasible, for example, that one organisation could consume the entire final /8 address block delegated to APNIC by IANA, negating the purpose and considerable effort that has gone into gaining global consensus for prop-055 in the first place. This policy proposal seeks to address that problem. 3. Situation in other RIRs --------------------------- As far as is known, there is no similar policy either being proposed or implemented at any of the other RIRs but we would like to recommend that they consider analogous proposals. This policy proposal applies to the APNIC service region only. It is highly likely that similar policy proposals will be made in other RIR regions also. It should be noted that at the recent LACNIC XI meeting, consensus was reached on the following policy proposal: LAC-2008-04: Special IPv4 Allocations/Assignments Reserved for New Members www.lacnic.net/documentos/politicas/LAC-2008-04-propuesta-en.pdf Under the LACNIC proposal, when there is no more IPv4 address space in the IANA free pool, LACNIC will reserve a /12 out of their remaining pool. From this /12, LACNIC will allocate /22s to new LIRs and assign /24s to critical infrastructure. 4. Details of the proposal --------------------------- This proposal describing the distribution of the final /8 has three parts: 4.1 New LIRs It is proposed that each new LIR receive IPv4 addresses which they can use for supporting legacy IPv4 services to ensure their full presence on the IPv4 Internet during the transition phase to IPv6: - Each new LIR may receive exactly one /22 (1024 routable IPv4 addresses), APNIC's current minimum allocation size. If APNIC's current minimum allocation were to reduce in size in future, the allocation made under this policy should also be reduced to match. - Each new LIR may receive the specified allocation size regardless of LIR size or intended membership tier. - New LIRs may apply for and receive this allocation once they meet the criteria to receive IPv4 address space according to APNIC's allocation policy in force at the time (currently documented in [APNIC-86]). A new LIR in this proposal is defined as being an organisation which has recently become a full member of APNIC or a full member of one of APNIC's NIRs but has yet to be assigned or allocated any IPv4 address space. Membership of APNIC as an LIR is determined by APNIC's membership criteria at the time of application. Membership of an APNIC NIR is determined by each individual NIR's membership criteria at the time of application. 4.2 Existing LIRs It is proposed that each existing LIR may request and receive only a single allocation from the remaining /8: - Each existing LIR may receive exactly one /22, APNIC's current minimum allocation. If APNIC's current minimum allocation were to reduce in size in future, the allocation made under this policy should also be reduced to match. - Each existing LIR may receive the specified allocation size regardless of size or intended membership tier - Each existing LIR may apply for and receive this allocation once they meet the criteria to receive IPv4 address space according to APNIC's current allocation policy in force at the time (currently documented in [APNIC-86]). This ensures that each existing LIR receives 1024 routable IPv4 addresses which they can use for supporting legacy IPv4 services during the transition phase to IPv6. An existing LIR in this proposal is defined as being an organisation which is a full member of APNIC or a full member of one of APNIC's NIRs and has already been assigned or allocated IPv4 address space. Membership of APNIC as an LIR is determined by APNIC's membership criteria at the time of application. Membership of an APNIC NIR is determined by each individual NIR's membership criteria at the time of application. 4.3 Unforeseen circumstances It is proposed that: - A /16 is held in reserve for some future uses, as yet unforeseen. The Internet is a disruptive technology and we cannot predict what might happen. Therefore it is prudent to keep a /16 in reserve, just in case some future requirement makes a demand of it. - In the event that this /16 remains unused in the time the remaining /8 covered by this policy proposal has been allocated to LIRs, it returns to the pool to be distributed as per clauses 4.1 and 4.2. 5. Advantages and disadvantages of the proposal ------------------------------------------------ 5.1 Advantages - APNIC's final /8 will have a special policy applicable to it. This avoids the risk of one or a few organisations consuming the entire block with a well crafted and fully justified resource application. - The proposal ultimately allows for 16384 LIRs (both new and existing) to receive exactly one /22 each. This is substantially larger than the existing APNIC membership, and attempts to ensure that no organisation lacks real routable IPv4 address space during the coming transition to IPv6. 5.2 Disadvantages - Some organisations may believe and can demonstrate that their IPv4 requirements are larger than a /22. But this final /8 is not intended as a solution to the growth needs of a few organisations, but for assisting with the transition from IPv4 to IPv6. - Some organisations may set up multiple LIR registrations in an effort to get more address space than proposed. APNIC must be vigilant regarding these, but the authors accept that it is hard to ensure complete compliance. With 16384 possible allocations being proposed, this is not envisaged to be a major problem. 6. Effect on APNIC members --------------------------- This proposal allows APNIC LIRs (existing and new) to receive address space from the final /8 allocated to APNIC under prop-055. 7. Effect on NIRs ------------------ This proposal has no direct impact on the operation of the NIRs, but as noted in the text above, has direct impact on the ability of NIR members (existing and new) to receive address space from the final /8 allocated to APNIC under prop-055. 8. References -------------- [1] prop-055: Global policy for the allocation of the remaining IPv4 address space http://www.apnic.net/policy/proposals/prop-055