[AfriNIC-rpd] Updated Version of the "IPv4 Soft Landing Policy" now Available Online

[Mukom Akong T]

Dear Colleagues,

An updated version of  the "IPv4 Soft Landing Proposal" is now available 
on our website at 
http://www.afrinic.net/docs/policies/AFPUB-2010-v4-005-draft-02.htm

A text version of the proposal is included below:

Regards

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Unique Id:      AFPUB-2010-v4-005-draft-02
Author(s):       Douglas Onyango | Digiclear E.Africa Ltd | 
ondouglas at yahoo.com
Draft Version: 12
Submitted:      2010-11-25
Updates:	
    a. AFPUB-2005-v4-001
    b. AFPUB-2007-GEN-001


[1] Summary of the Problem Being Addressed by this Policy Proposal

Because the Global IPv4 free pool has run out, the IANA has implemented 
the Global Policy for the Allocation of the Remaining IPv4 Address Space 
- www.afrinic.net/docs/policies/AFPUB-2009-v4-001.html meaning after the 
Final /8, RIRs will no longer receive Address space from the IANA as in 
the past. This puts AfriNIC in a precarious situation as the current 
allocation and assignment Policy cannot be sustained in the mid to long 
term.


[2] Summary of How this Proposal Addresses the Problem

In order to ensure a smooth transition to IPv6,  AfriNIC's  pool  should 
be managed to provide members with address space  after the IPv4  pool 
is depleted.  This will help in maintaining IPv4 networks while 
deploying IPv6 networks - a practice that characterizes the transition 
period. This document proposes a strategy for allocation and Assignment 
and maintenance of AfriNIC's IPv4 pool post exhaustion. This policy 
begins when AfriNIC starts to allocation space from the Final /8


[3] The Proposal

This policy (IPv4 Soft Landing), applies to the management of address 
space that will be available to AfriNIC after the current IPv4 pool is 
depleted. The purpose of this document is to ensure that address space 
is assigned and/or allocated in a manner that is acceptable to the 
AfriNIC community especially during this time of IPv4 exhaustion.

3.1 Policy Documents to be affected:

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

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

3.2 Definitions:

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 its 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).

Existing LIR's

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

New LIR

A New LIR, is a 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.


End User

An End User is an organization that receives assignments of IP addresses 
exclusively for use in its operational networks

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 has been 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>.


3.3 Summary

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

3.4 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 Final /8), or (b) can be fulfilled, but would 
leave the AfriNIC IPv4 address pool empty (with the exception of the 
Final /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 publicly announce that the Exhaustion Phase has begun at 
this point. For the avoidance of doubt all applications that are 
currently in the process at this point will be evaluated as per the new 
policy

3.5 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 to all IPv4 address space allocated, assigned, or otherwise 
managed by AfriNIC during the transition to and after the beginning of 
the Exhaustion Phase, regardless of whether or not such IPv4 address 
space is a part of the Final /8

The exhaustion phase will be divided into two parts:-
a) Exhaustion Phase 1
b) Exhaustion Phase 2

3.5.1 Exhaustion Phase 1
During this phase, allocation/assignment of address space will continue 
as in the Current phase (/24 for a EU and /22 for a LIR) but the maximum 
will change from /10 to /13.

Allocations and assignments will be made from the Final /8 or from any 
other IPv4 address space available to AfriNIC, until no more than a /11 
of non-reserved space is available in the Final /8.  At this point the 
Exhaustion Phase 2 will begin. For the avoidance of doubt all 
applications will be in the process at this point will be evaluated as 
per the new policy

Exhaustion Phase 2
During this phase a minimum allocation/assignment size will be /27, and 
the maximum will be /22 per allocation/assignment.


3.6) 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.

There is no explicit limit on the number of times an organization may 
request additional IPv4 address space during the Exhaustion Period

3.7) 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. This 
assignment period will remain the same throughout the life span of this 
Policy


3.8 Allocation Criteria

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 assignments, this requirement 
does not apply to their first allocation or assignment request.


AfriNIC resources are for the AfriNIC geographical region. For each 
allocation 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.


3.9 IPv4 Address Space Reserve

A /12 IPv4 address block will be in reserve out of the Final /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.

3.9.2
When AfriNIC, can no longer meet any more requests for address space 
(from the Final /8 or from any other available address space), the Board 
may at its discretion and considering the demand and other factors at 
the time replenish the exhaustion pool with whatever address space (or 
part thereof) that may be available to AfriNIC at the time, in a manner 
that is in the best interest of the community.


Acknowledgments
Thanks to RPD-ML and especially Alain Aina and Alan Barrett for their 
contributions.


4.0. Revision History (for all but the very first draft)

Version 1
Removed IPv6 Adoption plans and deployment as requirements for receiving
IPv4 address space in this policy as Members Technology choices are
outside AfriNIC's purview

Version 3
Changed the scope of the document to cover IPv4 address space outside
the /8 to avoid writing a new policy for IPv4 address space that
AfriNIC might have outside the /8

Version 5
Removed 4 blocks as maximum possible allocation blocks in policy
To eliminate the possibility of remaining with unusable space in the pool

Version 8
Changed the Minimum and Maximum Allocation sizes to /27 and /22 
respectively
to cater for small requests by members transitioning who only need small 
blocks for interoperability

Version 9
Made all the allocation/assignments only usable within the AfriNIC region
to curb Black Market practices that could crop up post exhaustion)

Version 10
Changed the Problem Statement due to Global IPv4 free pool running out

Version 11
Changed the phase names from “Modified status-quo” and “IPv6 Transition” to
“Exhaustion Phase 1” and “Exhaustion Phase 2” in response to comments at 
the AriNIC-13 meeting

Changed wording in 3.5 Exhaustion Phase to cover Address space outside 
the Final / - in response to comments at the AriNIC-13 meeting

Version 12
Change 3 to include "assigned and/or allocated" for clarity

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