Re: [address-policy-wg] Re: [db-wg] Re: [routing-wg]2008-09 New Policy Proposal (ASPLAIN Format for the Registration of 4-byte ASNs)

[Rob Evans rhe@localhost]

Hi Henk,

Going off on a slight tangent... :)

> When this text was written, the idea was that one would get an ASN32,
> that is a nummber in the range 0 to 4.10^9.
That doesn't quite match RIPE-389, which says the following:

--------------------

1.9 4-Byte AS Numbers

RIPE NCC will assign 4-Byte AS Numbers according to the following 
timeline:
    * From 1 January 2007 the RIPE NCC will process applications that 
specifically request 4-byte only AS Numbers and assign such AS Numbers 
as requested by the applicant. In the absence of any specific request 
for a 4-byte only AS Number, a 2-byte only AS Number will be assigned 
by the RIPE NCC.
    * From 1 January 2009 the RIPE NCC will process applications that 
specifically request 2-byte only AS Numbers and assign such AS Numbers 
as requested by the applicant. In the absence of any specific request 
for a 2-byte only AS Number, a 4-byte only AS Number will be assigned 
by the RIPE NCC.
    * From 1 January 2010 the RIPE NCC will cease to make any 
distinction between 2-byte only AS Numbers and 4-byte only AS Numbers, 
and will operate AS Number assignments from an undifferentiated 4- 
byte AS Number allocation pool.
Terminology

"2-byte only AS Numbers" refers to AS Numbers in the range 0 - 65535

"4-byte only AS Numbers" refers to AS Numbers in the range 1.0 - 
65535.65535 (decimal range 65,536 - 4,294,967,295)
"4-byte AS Numbers" refers to AS Numbers in the range 0.0 - 
65535.65535 (decimal range 0 - 4,294,967,295)
--------------------

It says "4-byte only" (i.e. above 65535) as of the start of next year...

Of course, I'm sure this won't prevent the RIPE NCC being a bit more 
pragmatic in their approach whilst the procedures and documentation is 
sorted out. :)
Cheers,
Rob