[AfriNIC-rpd] Global Policy Proposal for the Allocation of IPv4 Blocks to Regional Internet Registries

Thu Mar 5 15:21:50 UTC 2009

Dear Members,

The ASO AC accepted the above as a Global Policy Proposal (GPP) in its 5th
of March 2009 meeting. In accordance with both the GPP Policy Development
Process and the AfriNIC Policy Development Process, the proposal is being
posted to the AfriNIC Resource Policy Discuss (RPD) Mailing List. The
proposal will also be placed on the AfriNIC website as a policy proposal
under discussion.

In line with the AfriNIC PDP, the AfriNIC community is now invited to review
and discuss this policy.

The AfriNIC Policy Development Process can be found at:
http://www.afrinic.net/docs/policies/afpol-pdp200707.htm

AfriNIC Mailing Lists subscription information can be found at:
http://www.afrinic.net/mailinglist.htm

Regards,

Vincent Ngundi
Chair, AfriNIC PDP-MG

####### Global Policy Proposal for the Allocation of IPv4 Blocks to Regional
Internet Registries #######
________________________________________________________________________

prop-069-v002: Global policy proposal for the allocation of IPv4 blocks
               to Regional Internet Registries
________________________________________________________________________

Authors:   Adiel A. Akplogan, AfriNIC
           Raul Echeberria, LACNIC
           Maemura Akinori, APNIC
           Geoff Huston, APNIC
           Axel Pawlik, RIPE NCC
           Ray Plzak, ARIN
           Oscar A. Robles-Garay, LACNIC
           Nigel Titley, RIPE NCC
           Paul Wilson, APNIC

           Note: This proposal was developed by a team consisting of
                 persons from each of the 5 RIRs

Version:   2

Date:      3 February 2009

1.  Introduction
----------------

This document is a global policy proposal governing the allocation of
IPv4 address space from the IANA to the Regional Internet Registries
(RIRs).

This document does not stipulate performance requirements in the
provision of services by the IANA to an RIR in accordance with this
proposed policy. Such requirements should be specified by appropriate
agreements among the RIRs and ICANN.

2. Definitions
--------------

2.1 Recovered address space

    Recovered address space is that address space that is returned to an
    RIR as a result of any activity that seeks to reclaim unused address
    space or is voluntarily returned to the RIR or is reclaimed by the
    RIR as a result of legal action or abuse determination. Recovered
    address space does not include that address space that is reclaimed
    because of non-payment of contractual fees whose reclamation date is
    less than 1 year at the time of the report.

2.2 IPv4 address holdings

    IPv4 address holdings are all unallocated IPv4 address space held by
    an RIR to include recovered address space not yet returned less that
    address space that is committed in accordance with the RIR's
    reservation policy and practices.

3.  Summary of current problem
------------------------------

With the depletion of the IANA free pool of IPv4 address space, the
current policy regarding the allocation of IPv4 address space to the
RIRs will become moot. The RIRs may, according to their individual
policies and procedures, recover IPv4 address space. This policy
provides a mechanism for the RIRs to retro allocate the recovered IPv4
address space to the IANA and provides the IANA the policy by which it
can allocate it back to the RIRs on a needs basis. This policy creates a
new global pool of IPv4 address space that can be allocated where it is
needed on a global basis without a transfer of address space between the
RIRs. 

4.   Situation in other RIRs
----------------------------

This proposal is being submitted in all RIR regions, with a view to
becoming a global policy [1].

5.   Details of the proposal
----------------------------

This policy is to be implemented in two phases:

   - Phase I: Recovery of IPv4 address space
   - Phase II: Allocation of recovered IPv4 address space by the IANA

5.1 Phase I: Recovery of IPv4 address space

    Upon ratification of this policy by the ICANN Board of Directors the
    IANA shall establish a mechanism to receive IPv4 address space which
    is returned to it by the RIRs, and hold that address space in a
    'recovered IPv4 pool'.

    Each RIR through their respective chosen policies and strategies may
    recover IPv4 address space which is under their administration. Each
    RIR shall at quarterly intervals return any such recovered address
    space to the IANA in aggregated blocks of /24 or larger, for
    inclusion in the recovered IPv4 pool.

    During Phase I, no allocations will be made from the recovered IPv4
    pool.

5.2 Phase II: Allocation of recovered IPv4 address space by the IANA

    Upon ratification of this policy by the ICANN Board of Directors and
    a declaration by the IANA that its existing free pool of unallocated
    IPv4 address space is depleted; Global Addressing Policy ASO-001-2
    (adopted by ICANN Board 8 April 2005) [2] is rescinded. IANA will
    then commence to allocate the IPv4 address space from the recovered
    IPv4 pool.

    5.2.1 Allocation of IPv4 address space

          a. For the purposes of this policy, an 'IPv4 allocation
             period' is defined as a 6-month period following 1 March or
             1 September in each year.

          b. At the beginning of each IPv4 allocation period, the IANA
             will determine the 'IPv4 allocation unit' for that period,
             as 1/10 of its IPv4 address pool, rounded down to the next
             CIDR (power-of-2) boundary.

          c. In each allocation period, each RIR may issue one IPv4
             request to the IANA.  Providing that the RIR satisfies the
             allocation criteria described section 4.2.2, the IANA will
             allocate a single allocation unit, composed of the smallest
             possible number of blocks available in its IPv4 address
             pool.

    5.2.2 IPv4 address space allocation criteria

          A RIR is eligible to receive additional IPv4 address space
          from the IANA when the total of its IPv4 address holdings is
          less than 50% of the current IPv4 allocation unit, and
          providing that it has not already received an IPv4 allocation
          from the IANA during the current IPv4 allocation period.

    5.2.3 Initial allocation of IPv4 address space

          Each new RIR shall, at the moment of recognition, be
          allocated one (1) allocation unit by the IANA. If an
          allocation unit is not available, then the IANA will issue
          this block as soon as one is available. This allocation will
          be made regardless of the newly formed RIR's projected
          utilization figures and shall be independent of the IPv4
          address space that may have been transferred to the new RIR
          by the already existing RIRs as part of the formal transition
          process.

5.3 Reporting

    a. All returned space is to be recorded in an IANA-published log of
       IPv4 address space transactions, with each log entry detailing
       the returned address block, the date of the return, and the
       returning RIR.

    b. All allocated space is also to be recorded in this IANA-published
       log of IPv4 address space transactions, with each log entry
       detailing the address blocks, the date of the allocation and the
       recipient RIR.

    c. The IANA will maintain a public registry of the current
       disposition of all IPv4 address space, detailing all reservations
       and current allocations and current IANA-held address space that
       is unallocated.

    d. The IANA may make public announcements of IPv4 address block
       transactions that occur under this policy. The IANA will make
       appropriate modifications to the "Internet Protocol V4 Address
       Space" page of the IANA website [3] and may make announcements to
       its own appropriate announcement lists. The IANA announcements
       will be limited to which address ranges, the time of allocation
       and to which Registry they have been allocated.

5.4 Timetable for implementation

    This policy is to be implemented immediately upon ratification by
    the ICANN Board of Directors according to the global policy process
    described in the ASO MoU [4].

6.   Advantages and disadvantages of the proposal
-------------------------------------------------

6.1 Advantages

    - The policy provides a mechanism for the ongoing distribution of
      IPv4 address space.

6.2 Disadvantages

    - None identified.

7.   Effect on APNIC members
----------------------------

This policy governs the allocation relationship between the IANA and
the RIRs. It does not imply any change to allocation relationships
between APNIC and its members.

8.   Effect on NIRs
-------------------

This policy governs the allocation relationship between the IANA and
the RIRs. It does not imply any change to allocation relationships
between APNIC and NIRs.

9. References
-------------

[1]  Section 5, ICANN Address Supporting Organization (ASO) MoU
     http://aso.icann.org/docs/aso-mou2004.html

[2]  Global Addressing Policy ASO-001-2
     http://aso.icann.org/docs/aso-001-2.pdf

[3]  Internet Protocol v4 Address Space
     http://www.iana.org/assignments/ipv4-address-space

[4]  Attachment A: Global Policy Development Process, ASO MoU
     http://aso.icann.org/docs/aso-mou2004.html

####### /Global Policy Proposal for the Allocation of IPv4 Blocks to
Regional Internet Registries #######

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