________________________________________________________________________ prop-070-v001: Maximum IPv4 allocation size ________________________________________________________________________ Authors: James Spenceley james@vocus.com.au Jonny Martin jonny@jonnynet.net Version: 1 Date: 23 January 2009 1. Introduction ---------------- The policy seeks to create a maximum APNIC allocation size. The proposal then seeks to gradually decrease the maximum allocation size based on the remaining number of /8s in the IANA free pool. 2. Summary of current problem ------------------------------ Currently, any APNIC account-holder can request and receive a single allocation that could greatly reduce the IANA free pool. In a worse case, it is possible that an APNIC account holder could request and receive a large portion of the final address space allocated to APNIC by IANA. (This is excluding the final /8 to be allocated to APNIC under the "Global policy for the allocation of the remaining IPv4 address space", which is in its final stages of the global policy process [1]). This situation does not promote fair allocation of the remaining address resources either globally or within the APNIC region. 3. Situation in other RIRs --------------------------- AfriNIC, ARIN, LACNIC and RIPE currently have no maximum allocation size. If this proposal is received well in the APNIC region, the authors are happy to work with other regions to propose this policy in other RIR policy forums. 4. Details of the proposal --------------------------- This is a proposal with two parts: 4.1 On implementation of the policy, the APNIC maximum IPv4 allocation size will be a single /8. 4.2 The maximum allocation size is reduced over time based on the size of the IANA free pool. The maximum allocation size would be reduced when the IANA free pool reaches the following thresholds: IANA free pool Maximum allocation 30 x /8s /8 (current) 25 x /8s /9 20 x /8s /12 15 x /8s /14 10 x /8s /16 5 x /8s /18 5. Advantages and disadvantages of the proposal ------------------------------------------------ 5.1 Advantages - Promotes broader allocation of IP resources by ensuring no single member requests a large portion of the remaining address space. - Provides smoother distribution of the remaining space across space across all APNIC members. - More evenly reduces the allocation size down to that proposed by prop-067 use of final /8 [2]. - Creates positive feedback to deploy IPv6 by reducing the size of allocation of IPv4. 5.2 Disadvantages - If only implemented by APNIC, it disadvantages APNIC and its members as other RIR will not be artificially limiting their allocation rate and will therefore receive a larger portion of the remaining address space. -It could create more work for APNIC account holders and the APNIC Secretariat as requests may be more frequent as a result of the reduced maximum allocation. 6. Effect on APNIC members --------------------------- This proposal potentially impacts all APNIC members who will require additional IPv4 allocations, in particular larger members who are more likely to require large allocations. 7. Effect on NIRs ------------------ The proposal impacts the NIRs in the same way as APNIC members. 8. References ------------- [1] prop-055: Global policy for the allocation of the remaining IPv4 address space http://www.apnic.net/policy/proposals/prop-055-v002.html [2] prop-067: final use of /8 http://www.apnic.net/policy/proposals/prop-067-v001.html