Global Policy for the Allocation of the Remaining IPv4 Address Space

RIPE

Document ID: ripe-436
Date: September 2008

Abstract

This policy describes the process for the allocation of the remaining IPv4 space from IANA to the RIRs. When a minimum amount of available space is reached, one /8 will be allocated from IANA to each RIR, replacing the current IPv4 allocation policy.

Policy

In order to fulfill the requirements of this policy, at the time it is adopted, one /8 will be reserved by IANA for each RIR. The reserved allocation units will no longer be part of the available space at the IANA pool. IANA will also reserve one /8 to any new RIR at the time it is recognized.

The process for the allocation of the remaining IPv4 space is divided in two consecutive phases:

1. Existing Policy Phase:

During this phase IANA will continue allocating IPv4 addresses to the RIRs using the existing allocation policy. This phase will continue until a request for IPv4 address space from any RIR to IANA either cannot be fulfilled with the remaining IPv4 space available at the IANA pool or can be fulfilled but leaving the IANA remaining IPv4 pool empty.

This will be the last IPv4 address space request that IANA will accept from any RIR. At this point the next phase of the process (Exhaustion Phase) will be initiated.

2. Exhaustion Phase:

During this phase IANA will automatically allocate the reserved IPv4 allocation units to each RIR (one /8 to each one) and respond to the last request with the remaining available allocation units at the IANA pool (M units).

2.1. Size of the final IPv4 allocations:

In this phase IANA will automatically allocate one /8 to each RIR from the reserved space as defined in this policy. IANA will also allocate M allocation units to the RIR that submitted the last request for IPv4 addresses.

2.2. Allocation of the remaining IPv4 Address space:

After the completion of the evaluation of the final request for IPv4 addresses, IANA MUST:

A) Immediately notify the NRO about the activation of the second phase (Exhaustion Phase) of this policy.

B) Proceed to allocate M allocation units to the RIR that submitted the last request for IPv4 address space.

C) Proceed to allocate one /8 to each RIR from the reserved space.