[AfriNIC-rpd] 15-Day Last Call Period: IPv4 Softlanding Policy Proposal

[Vincent Ngundi]

Dear Colleagues,

The IPv4 Softlanding Policy Proposal gathered consensus during the AfriNIC
12 Public Policy meeting held on 3rd June 2010 in Kigali, Rwanda. In line
with the AfriNIC PDP, the policy proposal is now in the 15-day last call for
comments period. This period will end on *Saturday 10th July 2010*. You will
find the text of the policy proposal at the end of this email.* *

*Summary of Changes to the Policy Proposal*
The changes to this policy, as discussed at the AfriNIC 12 Public Policy
meeting, are as follows:

1. Incentive Section
The incentive has been changed so that the intention of the policy is to
ensure a smooth transition to IPv6 and not to prolong the lifespan of IPv4.

2. Definitions Section
The following definitions have been added in the revised draft:
- A definition for 'end user'
- A definition for the 'final /8 block of IPv4 address space', also referred
to as the 'final /8'

3. Summary Section
This section has been revised to:
- Clearly indicate when AfriNIC shall commence allocations from the final /8
- Clarify the definition of the current phase and exhaustion phase
- Clealry indicate the transition from the current phase to the exhaustion
phase
- To include end-users
- To clearly indicate that a simultaneous IPv6 allocation/assignment will
only be made to LIRs/End-users who do not have an IPv6 aloocation/assignment
at the time of application

4. Allocation Criteria Section
This section has been revised to:
- Clearly indicate that the 90% threshold for new allocations/assignments
will consider allocations/assignments made during both the current and
exhaustion phase
- Clarify that each of the four (4) possible allocations/assignments during
the exhaustion phase must be applied for seperately
- Reiterate that AfriNIC resources are for the AfriNIC geographical region
and thus not more than 10% of allocations/assignments made during the
exhaustion phase may be used outside of the AfriNIC geographic region and
even so, the resources may only be used solely in support of connectivity
back to the AfriNIC geographical region.

You can find out more about the AfriNIC PDP at:
http://www.afrinic.net/docs/policies/AFPUB-2008-GEN-001.htm

To subscribe to the AfriNIC Resource Policy Discuss mailing list (the
AfriNIC policy discussion mailing list), please send a blank email with the
subject 'subscribe' to rpd-request at afrinic.net.

Kind Regards,

Vincent Ngundi

*Chair, AfriNIC PDP-MG*
**

********IPv4 Softlanding Policy Proposal - Revised Draft After AfriNIC 12
Public Policy Meeting************

Ref Name: AFPUB-2010-v4-001
Author(s): Douglas Onyango
Organisation: Digiclear E.Africa Ltd

Proposal: IPv4 Softlanding

Incentive:
In order to ensure a smooth transition to IPv6, AfriNIC's pool should be
managed to provide members with routable blocks after the IPv4 pool is
depleted, in order to maintain and deploy IPv4 networks while deploying IPv6
networks during a gradual transition to IPv6. This document proposes a
strategy for allocation and maintenance of AfriNIC's final /8 block of IPv4
from IANA.

Background:
Following the much anticipated IPv4 pool exhaustion, a global policy,
"Global Policy for the Allocation of the Remaining IPv4 Address Space", has
been ratified. The policy ensures that IANA reserves one (1) IPv4 /8 address
block for each RIR. Details of the Global Policy for the Allocation of the
Remaining IPv4 Address Space can be found at:
www.afrinic.net/docs/policies/AFPUB-2009-v4-001.html.

This policy (IPv4 Soft Landing) applies to the management of address space
that will be available to AfriNIC under this Global Policy

The purpose of this document is to ensure that this last block is used in a
manner that is acceptable by the AfriNIC community.

Policy Documents to be affected:

(a) IPv4 Allocation Policy
http://www.afrinic.net/docs/policies/AFPUB-2005-v4-001.htm

(b) Proposal to Change the Allocation & Assignment Period to 12 months
http://www.afrinic.net/docs/policies/AFPUB-2007-GEN-001.htm

Definitions:

(a) Local Internet Registry (LIR)
A Local Internet Registry (LIR) is an Internet Registry (IR) that receives
allocations from an RIR and assigns address space to customers who use it's
services. LIRs are generally ISPs and their customers are end-users and
possibly other ISPs. LIRs must be members of an RIR like AfriNIC; which
serves the Africa Region and part of the Indian Ocean (Comoros, Madagascar,
Mauritius, and Seychelles).

(b) Existing LIR's
An Existing LIR is an LIR that assigns address space to 'end-users' and has
already been assigned or allocated IPv4 address space by AfriNIC.

(c) New LIR
A New LIR, is an LIR that assigns address space to 'end-users' and is a
member of AfriNIC but has not been assigned or allocated any IPv4 address
space prior to the Exhaustion phase.

(d) End User
An end-user is an organization that receives assignments of IP addresses
exclusively for use in its operational networks

(e) Final /8 block of IPv4 address space, or "Final /8".
The Final /8 block of IPv4 address space, or "Final /8", is the /8 block of
IPv4 address space that will be allocated by the IANA to AfriNIC in terms of
section 2.2 C of the Global Policy for the Allocation of the Remaining IPv4
Address Space <
http://www.icann.org/en/general/allocation-remaining-ipv4-space.html> at the
time of exhaustion of the IANA pool of IPv4 address space. AfriNIC's version
of the Global Policy for the Allocation of the Remaining IPv4 Address Space
is also known as AFPUB-2009-v4-001
http://www.afrinic.net/docs/policies/AFPUB-2009-v4-001.html.

Summary
This proposal describes how AfriNIC shall assign, allocate, and manage IPv4
resources during an "Exhaustion Phase" which begins when AfriNIC first needs
to assign or allocate IP addresses from the Final /8 block of IPv4 address
space.

(i) Current Phase:
The "Current Phase" is the status quo at the time of adoption of this
policy. During this phase, AfriNIC will continue allocating or assigning
IPv4 addresses to LIRs and End Users using the current policies, including
AFPUB-2005-v4-001 <www.afrinic.net/docs/policies/AFPUB-2005-v4-001.htm>,
AFPUB-2006-GEN-001 <
http://www.afrinic.net/docs/policies/AFPUB-2006-GEN-001.htm>, and any future
amended versions of such policies.

The current phase will continue until an otherwise-valid request for IPv4
address space from any LIR or end user to AfriNIC either (a) cannot be
fulfilled with the IPv4 address space available in the AfriNIC pool (with
the exception of the Last /8), or (b) can be fulfilled, but would leave the
AfriNIC IPv4 address pool empty (with the exception of the Last /8).

The request that results in either of the above conditions being fulfilled
will be the last IPv4 address space request that AfriNIC will accept from
any LIR or End User in the Current Phase. If the request can be processed in
terms of the Current Phase policies, then it will be so processed;
otherwise, it will be processed in terms of Exhaustion Phase policies.

AfriNIC will publically announce that the Exhaustion Phase has begun at this
point.

(ii) Exhaustion Phase:
During the Exhaustion Phase, the following allocation and assignment policy
will be used. This policy applies to both LIRs and End Users, and applies at
all times after the transition to the Exhaustion Phase, regardless of the
amount of IPv4 address space available to AfriNIC.

a) The minimum allocation or assignment size for IPv4 will be a /24 block
(256 addresses). The maximum alocation or assignment size will be a /23
block (512 addresses). No LIR or End User will receive more than 4
allocations or assignments during the Exhaustion Phase.

b) If any LIR or End User requesting IPv4 address space during the
Exhaustion Phase does not already have IPv6 address space, then AfriNIC
shall allocate or assign an IPv6 address block in compliance with the IPv6
allocation or assignment policies in effect at the time.

c) The current allocation and assignment period of 12 months shall be
changed to 8 months. This will help to ensure that LIRs request only for
resources they need in the short to medium term, and promote fairness in the
equitable distribution of the last IPv4 address pool.

Allocation Criteria
1) In order to receive IPv4 allocations or assignments during the Exhaustion
Phase, the LIR or End User must have used at least 90% of all previous
allocations or assignments (including those made during both the Current
Phase and the Exhaustion Phase). In the case of new LIRs or End Users with
no previous allocations or asignments, this requirement does not apply to
their first allocation or assignment request.

2) An LIR or End User may receive a maximum of four (4) address blocks
during the Exhaustion Phase, according to the allocation size in effect at
the time of the application. The four address blocks shall be issued one at
a time, in response to separate applications.

3) If an LIR or End User does not already have IPv6 address space, then
AfriNIC shall allocate or assign an IPv6 address block in compliance with
the IPv6 allocation or assignment policies in effect at the time of the LIR
or End User's first request for IPv4 address space during the Exhaustion
Phase.

4) AfriNIC resources are for the AfriNIC geographical region. For each
alloction or assignment made during the Exhaustion Phase, no more than 10%
of these resources may be used outside of the AfriNIC region, and any use
outside the AfriNIC region shall be solely in support of connectivity back
to the AfriNIC region.

IPv4 Address Space Reserve
A /12 IPv4 address block will be in reserve out of the Last /8. This /12
IPv4 address block shall be preserved by AfriNIC for some future uses, as
yet unforeseen. The Internet is innovative and we cannot predict with
certainty what might happen. Therefore, it is prudent to keep this block in
reserve, just in case some future requirement creates a demand for IPv4
addresses.

When AfriNIC can no longer meet any more requests for address space from the
last /8 pool because the pool is either empty or has no more contiguous
blocks, the Board will based on the demand and other factors at the time
exercise the prerogative to replenish the exhaustion pool from the reserve
pool in a manner that is in the best interest of the community.
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