Countdown Policy Proposal(Revised) (APNIC24 2007.09)

                IPv4 countdown policy (Revised)

                              Author: JPNIC IPv4 countdown policy team
                                                       Akinori MAEMURA
                                                       Akira NAKAGAWA
                                                       Izumi OKUTANI
                                                       Kosuke ITO
                                                       Kuniaki KONDO
                                                       Shuji NAKAMURA
                                                       Susumu SATO
                                                       Takashi ARANO
                                                       Tomohiro FUJISAKI
                                                       Tomoya YOSHIDA
                                                       Toshiyuki HOSAKA

[Introduction]
The exhaustion of IPv4 address space is projected to take place within
the next few years. This proposal seeks to focus on measures that should
be taken globally in the address management area in order to prepare for
the situation in all RIR regions. Policy measures that require
considerations within the Asia Pacific region are reviewed in a separate
discussions paper.

[Issues]
1) Continue applying a global coordinated policy for distribution of the
last piece(s) of RIR's unallocated address block does not match the
reality of the situation in each RIR region.

Issues each RIR region will face during the exhaustion period vary by
region as the level of development of IPv4 and IPv6 are widely
different. As a result, applying a global co-ordinated policy may not
adequately address issues in a certain region while it could be work for
the others.

For example, in a region where late comers desperately need even a small
blocks of IPv4 addresses to access to the IPv4 Internet, a policy that
defines the target of allocations/assignments of IPv4 address space to
be late comers would be appropriate in such region. This would allow
availablilty of IPv4 address space for such requirements for more years.

Another example comes from difference in IPv6 deployment rate.
For a region where IPv6 deployment rate is low, measures may be
necessary to prolong IPv4 address life for the existing business as well
as for new businesses until networks are IPv6 ready. Some regions may
have strong needs to secure IPv4 address space for translators.

A globally coordinated policy which addresses all the issues listed
above to meet the needs for all RIR regions may result in not solving
issues in any of the regions.

2)LIRs and stakeholders remain unprepared for the situation if they are
not informed
If LIRs and the community are uninformed of the exhaustion, their
services and networks remain unprepared to face the situation at the
time of exhaustion.

[Solutions]
1)RIR community should be able to define their own regional policies on
how to assign the last piece(s) of allocation block in order to address
their own regional issues during the exhaustion period.

2)RIRs should provide official projection of the date when LIRs will be
able to receive the allocations under the current criteria. The criteria
should remain consistent until this date in order to avoid confusion.

[Policy Proposal]

1)It should be completely left up to each RIR communities to define a
regional policy on how to distribute the remaining RIR free pool to LIRs
within their respective regions after "IANA Exhaustion Date".
  + This will lead to solution 1) mentioned in the previous section
  + A policy during the exhaustion period within the AP region is
discussed a separate discussion paper

Note1: It is fine for an RIR to continue operations with the existing
policy if that is the consensus decision of the respective RIR community.

Note2: Address recovery and re-distribution of recovered address space
is another important measure for considerations, but should be treated
as a separate policy proposal from distribution of new IANA pool.

2)Distribute a single /8 to each RIR at the point when new IANA free
pool hits 5*/8. This date is defined as "IANA Exhaustion Date".
   + This will lead to solution 1) mentioned in the previous section
　 + a single /8 is the minimum practical size of allocation from IANA
　　 to RIRs although smaller size is theoretically possible
   + larger allocation size is not desirable as it artificially fastens
the exhaustion date of certain regions

3)RIRs should provide an official projection on IANA Exhaustion Date to
the community through their website, at their Policy Meetings and
through any other effective means.
   + This will lead to solution 2) mentioned in the previous section
   + Although reliable projections by personal efforts are currently
available, official projections provided RIRs help raise community
awareness as well as helps ISP staff to convince their organization to
prepare for the situation as a reliable source of information.

4)RIRs should maintain the current address distribution criteria until
the date defined as "IANA Exhaustion Date".
   + This will lead to solution 2) mentioned in the previous section

[Additional Reference]
This proposal should be read in conjunction with a discussion paper
which reviews RIR to LIR allocation regional policy after the IANA
exhaustion date in Asia Pacific region.